Disaster recovery gets creative

Creative hearts can help to build community resilience

An innovative new program aims to recruit City of Logan creatives who could use their skills to work with communities in times of disaster.

The Creative Recovery Project will identify, develop and create a network of creative leaders who could deliver community-based activities to help locals prepare for, or recover from disaster impacts and other emergency situations.

Those interested will receive specialised training from the Creative Recovery Network, a national agency that is working to develop and embed culture, creativity and the arts in Australia’s disaster management systems.

Activities like the Bridging Flagstone project which involved Flagstone Community College students working with the Creative Recovery Network in 2015 to create a community sculpture.

The bench adorned with the word “Happy” is in memory of the 2013 floods in the area.

Up to 15 fully funded places are available for free Creative Recovery Resource Facilitator training sessions at Logan Art Gallery between Friday, May 31 and Sunday, June 2.

The program is open to locally based creatives including musicians, poets, writers, dancers, film makers and crafters.

Lifestyle Chair Councillor Tony Hall said the creative sector had unique abilities to strengthen the fabric of communities during difficult times.

“Creative recovery programs can help to bring people together to make sense of their experience and open opportunities for sharing and connection,” Cr Hall said.

Expressions of Interest in the project close at 2pm on Friday, April 26. Successful artists will be notified in early May.

Applications can be made by lccqld.com/CreativeFacilitator

The training is funded by the Queensland Government through Disaster Recovery Funding.