The Readiness is All

Preparing your place by developing and sustaining disaster networks in your community and region

Tuesday, October 15, 10:00am – 11:30am

Organized and moderated by Tom Clareson, director, PAR Project, Performing Arts Readiness/Lyrasis.

Presented by Lisa Gedgaudas, Create Denver program administrator, Denver Arts & Venues; and Matthew Kowal, Denver Music Strategy contractor, Denver Arts & Venues.

As we more frequently experience natural and manmade disasters and their challenges to our cultural communities, we can build better networks and opportunities for best practices in emergency preparedness. In this session, learn how you can leverage your position as a funder and leader to assist in the response and recovery of your cultural communities by having strategies for assessing the needs of the field, educating and building awareness, and activating and motivating a culture of preparedness. The panel explores a range of crises, disasters, and business interruptions including how Denver Arts & Venues is developing its regional network across many kinds of venues and arts spaces. Learn how a collaborative response and recovery effort and comprehensive readiness plans are beginning to impact the arts community in Colorado and the Intermountain West. Hear how festival production personnel and local agencies team up to present skill-building workshops that help develop large power, waste, water, food, and infrastructure systems, FEMA ICS integration, audience communications and community empowerment. Take away steps that funders can promote that will prepare organizations to be more resilient and sustainable in the face of disaster.