Creative initiatives have a key part to play in disaster recovery

Insights, 19 June 2023

By Nina O’Brien, Disaster Resilience and Recovery Lead

Dress the Central West

In 2022, as multiple disaster events were occurring nationally, there was a collective focus on recovery and preparedness practices.

Curious to better understand how to strengthen support for communities, particularly at a local level, the Creative Recovery Network (CRN) and the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) partnered to investigate the valuable role that creative projects, initiatives, collaborations and processes play when communities are recovering from disaster or other significant climate impacts. This had led to the Impacts of Creative Recovery report.

With a shared focus on strengthening social capital, both CRN and FRRR have long understood the importance of creative-led recovery practices. The Creative Recovery Network is the lead agency building recovery capability by linking the creative sector with communities and disaster management to grow and connect through the disaster experience. FRRR is the only national foundation specifically focused on ensuring the social and economic strength of remote, rural and regional communities.

While recovery practices are typically varied and nuanced, creative recovery is a particular approach to supporting both individuals and communities after a disaster event. It involves using creative activities as tools for communities to reduce emotional impacts, build resilience, foster connection, and support wellbeing.

Purpose and approach to the study

The research commissioned by FRRR and CRN was designed to document the broader benefits of creative-led recovery and explore whether creative recovery provides valuable, cost-effective and approaches to support individual and community wellbeing within a disaster response. We also wanted to understand if, and how, it contributes to enhanced recovery outcomes and community resilience over the longer-term. A further aim, assuming the research did indeed confirm other anecdotal and lived experience, was to strengthen support for appropriate resourcing, activation and embedding of these practices in processes and planning.

The study reviewed and analysed five community recovery projects that were funded by FRRR. These projects involved diverse creative recovery approaches and were undertaken in very different locations and disaster environments across Australia between 2015 and 2020. Looking back at these historic projects allowed analysis of the long-term outcomes and impacts of this range of work.

There were four broad themes through which the impact of creative recovery was explored:

  1. Social Capital and Connection;
  2. Revitalisation and Placemaking;
  3. Acceptance and Growth; and
  4. Identity and Belonging.

Findings confirm lasting impacts of creative recovery projects

Collaborative and community led creative recovery activities and projects build on existing local strengths, networks and resources, and can help to lessen impacts and the sense of isolation and disempowerment resulting from disaster events. Significantly, where creative recovery projects are inclusive and participatory by design they leave a lasting legacy, which has far reaching benefits for communities.

Additionally, the retrospective review showed creative recovery projects also built knowledge and understanding of mental health, wellbeing practices and resources. By collaborating and contributing to these creative recovery projects at a local level, community members built positive experiences and perspectives. Projects studied had a significant impact on individuals’ sense of self-worth and confidence, while also enhancing the sense of place and establishing lasting connections to place, culture and traditions.

So, the study has done what we hoped it would: highlight that creative recovery has the unique ability to build long-lasting community resilience, wellbeing and enhanced local capacity for disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

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Key ingredients for leaving a lasting legacy

The study identified a number of common factors in projects that had a lasting impact and legacy in their communities. This included:

  • Program design being based on community-led processes
  • Building upon local strengths, networks and resources
  • Planning and delivery are expertly coordinated
  • The project was inclusive, participatory and collaborative
  • Ensuring the initiative provides mentorship and education opportunities;
  • Leaving a lasting, tangible cultural output;
  • Having ongoing funding support; and, critically
  • Being led by passionate, dedicated and well-connected local leaders.

Similarly it identified some common challenges, including funding and the retention of either paid staff, expert facilitators and volunteers, especially for large-scale projects.

New approaches recommended

This report adds weight to the growing evidence of the value of embedding creative recovery approaches in future disaster management planning and processes.

Drawing on clear evidence in each project across each of the evaluation dimensions, the report recommends:

  1. Funding bodies provide ongoing financial support for creative recovery programs;
  2. Government and disaster management agencies embed Creative Recovery processes in to policy that is integrated into wider disaster management arrangements; and
  3. Local communities value and invest in their creative economy to provide ongoing participation and employment in the arts.

As we turn our attention to improving disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts, this report illuminates ways that creative recovery approaches to disaster management can provide opportunities to foster community collaboration and more specifically enhance individual and community resilience and wellbeing.

We encourage all those working in this space to explore the report.

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Amy Crawford

Amy Crawford has an extensive career in complex public policy and its intersection across government and communities.

Amy is the Chief Executive Officer at the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), representing 537 councils across the nation. Amy holds over 20 years’ experience in the Australian Public Service. She has a deep understanding of federal government policies and structures, with over 10 years’ service in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and has worked for the federal Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories. Amy has shaped a wide range of policies and programs including regional development, telecommunications, immigration, emergency management, social policy and pandemic preparation.

Amy is a Board Director of Austroads and represents ALGA on the Public Skills Australia Industry Advisory Group, and the Australia-New Zealand Emergency Management Committee. She is also a Board Director for the Canberra Youth Theatre which provides voice for Canberra’s youth through intelligent and challenging theatre.

Amy holds a Bachelor of Laws (honours) and Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) from the University of Queensland, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumnus of the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership. Amy was appointed to the FRRR Board in January 2025.

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Kylie Hansen

Kylie brings leadership and management experience from across academic, corporate, not-for-profit, social enterprise and impact investment sectors, having deep dived into a myriad of specialisations and systems. Her six tertiary qualifications are equally as diverse and complimentary, covering commerce, politics, international development, community development, project management and law. Her breadth and depth of experience enables her to draw on a number of disciplines and innovative ways of working and thinking, and she is well recognised as consistently delivering work and services of a high quality.

Kylie uses her strong background in sustainability, governance and impact measurement to support collaborative initiatives across sectors oriented at improving social outcomes, and to support socially conscientious businesses to articulate their social impact. As founder and director at Impact Seed she has been instrumental in developing the impact measurement, evaluation, learning and ESG practice which advises numerous corporates, and is passionate about supporting First Nations empowerment particularly in the context of regional economic development.

Kylie is also a Director of the WA Social Enterprise Council, a member of the B Council (B Lab Australia and New Zealand), and a Governor of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

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Hon. John Anderson AC

The Hon. John Anderson AC is a sixth-generation farmer and grazier from NSW, who served in the Australian Parliament from 1989 to 2008.

He was a senior Cabinet minister in the government led by John Howard (1996 to 2005), including six years as Leader of the National Party and Deputy Prime Minister.

In the latter role, Mr Anderson played in important role in FRRR’s history, working closely with Baillieu Myer AC and others on a proposal to establish a philanthropic organisation to benefit rural Australia. The concept was discussed at the National Regional Summit in 1999 and FRRR was established shortly thereafter.

Mr Anderson currently hosts a regular podcast, where he is in conversation with thought-leaders from around the world, and is a regular media commentator.

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Regina Cruickshank

Partnerships Specialist (WA)

Regina supports FRRR as the WA Partnerships Specialist. With over two decades of experience in partnerships and marketing, she has a deep understanding of Western Australia’s social impact landscape. She brings a strong passion for leveraging purpose-built networks to create positive change.

Regina previously worked with Playgroup WA and founded a Health Promotion Charity dedicated to supporting Social Emotional wellbeing for underserved communities. She’s excited about the opportunity to connect with partners and explore ways to make a meaningful difference in WA.

She lives in Perth with her family and enjoys mindful moments of connection to Country, whether on horseback, on foot or underwater.

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Anna Palmer

People and Culture Manager

Based in Central Victoria, Anna is a senior Human Resources, Organisation Development and Industrial Relations professional, with significant private and public sector experience across every facet of people and culture leadership.

Her most recent roles have been with Don KR in Castlemaine and Mount Alexander Shire Council. She has also held senior HR roles with Victoria Legal Aid and the TAC among many others.

From Mildura originally, Anna has postgraduate qualifications in Change Management and a Masters in Organisation Dynamics.

Anna is currently completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts to balance her creative pursuits and work as an HR professional.

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Philippa Twaddle

Management Accountant

Carolyn joined the FRRR team in March 2017, and is responsible for providing executive support to the CEO, effective coordination of the FRRR office and general administrative support to the management team. A key responsibility is supporting the administration of FRRR’s Donation Account Services.

She has over fifteen years’ experience working in local government in the Tourism and Arts Sector, Civic and Event Management and Community engagement.

Carolyn has a Bachelor of Arts in Librarianship, majoring in psychology, and grew up on farming communities in Cohuna and Echuca and currently lives in Bendigo.