The National Taskforce for Creative Recovery has released a set of recommendations calling for creative practices and the specialist skills of the arts and cultural sector to be embedded as a key component of Australia’s disaster management systems.
Initiated by the Creative Recovery Network, the taskforce is a cross-industry collaboration that brings together key influencers in disaster management, mental health, government and the arts to forge pathways for new thinking in response to the unprecedented challenges being faced by communities.
The recommendations are based on adding value to existing preparedness, response and recovery initiatives and include: prioritising local education and funding to incorporate creative practice strategies; centering First Nations knowledge and cultural protocols; supporting the development of best practice models and national protocols for creative engagement; and the implementation of national training initiatives for the creative sector and other frontline workers in health, education and local government, to utilise arts-led methodologies to work safely and effectively with disaster impacted communities.