Long line of people along a sunny outdoor walkway participating in a hurricane relief event with artists

Disaster Readiness & Recovery for the Arts and Culture Sector

Table of Contents

Introduction

The NEA has a long history of responding to natural disasters and national emergencies, including disaster relief in the wake of September 11th; Hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, Maria, and Ian; and the devastating tornadoes in Joplin, Missouri, and Western Kentucky. NEA staff have also deployed through the Federal Disaster Management Agency (FEMA) and Department of the Interior to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to assist with the natural and cultural resources recovery efforts following Hurricanes Maria and Irma.

As climate disasters increase in number and severity, we know firsthand that artists, culture bearers, and arts and cultural organizations are some of the most vulnerable populations and often have difficulty accessing relief funds and services. NEA is focused on improving equitable and inclusive access to resources before, during, and after disasters for the arts field through strengthening existing networks, uplifting effective practices, and convening field leaders. The NEA also partners with the Regional Arts Organizations and State Arts Agencies to support disaster response and recovery efforts as well as guide policy development at the local level.

The NEA helps to shape policy, track trends, and support dialogue at the federal and national level on disaster readiness, response, and recovery by serving as an active member on the following:  

We encourage the arts and culture field to act now by planning and connecting with their state emergency management offices. If communities engage in pre-disaster planning and mitigation efforts, they can reduce the cost of rebuilding and the potential impacts of culture loss. The resources section below includes comprehensive guidance for planning and mitigation focused on the arts sector.

Grantmaking

The NEA can support disaster planning projects for the arts and culture field as well as disaster response and recovery activities, mitigation, preparedness training for the arts sector, and healing arts activities for communities recovering from disasters. Some recent grant examples:

  • An FY2024 Our Town grant to the University of Kentucky will support arts- and place-based emergency planning and training in rural Greenup County, Kentucky. The University of Kentucky's Community Arts Extension Program will work with local government officials to conduct a series of emergency preparedness trainings for emergency management personnel; historical record keepers; and arts, culture, and humanities organizations within Greenup County. Community members and artists will co-create responsive artworks and an arts-based hazard mitigation project to reduce or eliminate potential flooding disasters.
  • An FY2023 Grants for Arts Projects award to the Artist Communities Alliance (ACA) in Providence, Rhode Island, supported a professional development program focused on crisis preparedness and management in the artist residency field. ACA hosted and facilitated a series of virtual workshops on resilience and continuity in the face of natural and human-caused disasters. ACA also incorporated key learnings into content for other ACA programs and shared resources, tools, and case studies with the broader arts and culture field.
  • An FY2021 Our Town award to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville supported the collection of oral histories and the creation of artwork in response to the devastating Chimney Tops 2 wildfires in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in 2016. Artists created work that responded to oral histories and archival material focused on the fires, and residents reflected on their experiences with the fires through public artmaking workshops. The project was the core of a larger disaster response initiative meant to promote community healing in the wake of one of the largest natural disasters in Tennessee history.

For NEA award recipients in a FEMA-declared disaster area, please let us know if you have questions about your award, including discussing potential changes to your approved project. Contact the Grants Office by email at grants@arts.gov or phone at 202-682-5403.

Stories

Resource List

The information below is updated annually. To suggest an addition or provide feedback, please email locals@arts.gov.

Mitigation, Planning, and Readiness  

Arts Ready – A step-by-step tool that guides arts organizations through the creation of a readiness plan

Climate Resilience Resources for Cultural Heritage – Guidance developed by the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Humanities

CERF+ Studio Protector: A Comprehensive Artist Studio Protection Guide

Disaster Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery Resources for Artists and Arts and Cultural Institutions – Joint NEA and FEMA webinar highlighting resources to promote collaborations between emergency management professionals, artists, and arts and cultural organizations

FEMA Art and Culture Fact Sheet – Developed in consultation with the NEA and the arts field, a guide focused on the intersection of emergency management, the arts, and community resilience

Getready.gov – Federal preparedness guidelines for individuals, families, and communities

Guide to Expanding Mitigation – Produced by FEMA, a guide for local government and emergency managers on how to collaborate with their arts and culture sector to design arts-based mitigation strategies

Heritage Emergency National Task Force (HENTF) – Partnership between FEMA, Smithsonian Institution, and more than 60 cultural nonprofits, includes preparedness and preservation resources for cultural sites and collections 

Inspiration Book: Arts and Experiential Learning  – Guidance and case studies on partnering with artists and arts and cultural organizations to engage communities in understanding risk and building a culture of resilience and preparedness

National Coalition for Arts Preparedness & Emergency Response (NCAPER) – Resource hub for arts-specific preparedness tools and trainings and a good entry point for those new to the arts and disaster field

Natural Disaster Risk Index– Interactive tool that displays which U.S. communities are most at risk for climate disasters

Housing Assistance Council – Resilience and preparedness resources for rural communities

Readiness and Resilience Convening – A summary of proceedings from the NEA’s convening on arts and disaster planning and resilience

Response and Recovery

Adolf & Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant – Emergency grant support for painters, printmakers, and sculptors

Alliance for Response – A list of disaster networks comprised of staff and volunteers from arts and cultural institutions and first responders and emergency managers

Arts Field Guide to Federal Disaster Relief – A snapshot of federal disaster assistance programs, including information about financial assistance from FEMA (Available here in Spanish)

Center for Disaster Philanthropy – Grantmaker for medium and long-term recovery efforts following disasters

Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+) – Grantmaker focused on individual disaster relief for materials-based craft artists, additional resources for artists of all disciplines 

Entertainment Community Fund – Mental health support services and financial support for individuals in the performing arts and entertainment industry

FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program – Federal support for individuals and households in a location with a major disaster declaration and potential replacement of lost tools and equipment

Kentucky Arts in Disaster: An Impact Report – A collection of stories and data from Kentucky artists, arts community leaders, funders, and governmental agency representatives—all affected by the compounding events of natural disasters in Kentucky in 2021 and 2022.

Main Steet America Disaster and Resilience Toolkit – Developed in partnership with the National Park Service, this toolkit is designed to help main street communities and commercial districts better prepare for and respond to more frequent and severe disasters.

MusiCares – Financial support focused on musicians, includes potential replacement of instruments lost in natural and human-caused disasters.

National Heritage Responders – Support for cultural institutions and the public during emergencies and disasters, including a 24-hour emergency helpline

National Independent Venue Foundation Emergency Relief Fund – Grantmaker offering financial support for independent, live performance venues experiencing emergencies and natural disasters

Performing Arts Readiness – Grantmaker focused on the performing arts discipline and offering grants for disaster planning, network building, and recovery

Rauschenberg Emergency Grants – Emergency grants for dancers and crisis medical support grants to visual and digital artists and choreographers

Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance – Federal support available through loans to homeowners, renters, and businesses of all sizes in areas covered by a disaster declaration

U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development – Disaster resources and support for long-term recovery

Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster – Coalition of nonprofits that works to mitigate the aftermath of disasters, including effective delivery of post-disaster services

Mental Health Support

Center for Disease Control (CDC) provides comprehensive resources on coping with a disaster or traumatic event, including guidance for local leaders and emergency responders

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) manages the Disaster Distress Helpline, the first national hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling on demand. Call or text 1-800-985-5990.

Rapid Damage Assessment Forms

With support from the Heritage Emergency National Task Force, online assessment forms for affected arts and culture communities are available to help identify where assistance is needed and inform how recovery efforts progress.

If you have been impacted by a crisis or disaster of any type or scale, we encourage you to complete a brief assessment form.

State-specific Networks & Resources

California Arts Council Disaster Resources 
Coordinated Statewide Emergency Preparedness Massachusetts
Kentucky Heritage Emergency Response Network 
New York Foundation for the Arts Disaster Resources 
North Carolina Preservation Consortium Emergency Resources  
Texas Collections Emergency Resource Alliance 
Vermont Arts and Culture Disaster Resilience Network