been seen to be effective in reducing adverse had a reason to come back together and psychological and physiological outcomes. A start to connect again, in a positive way. number of Quick Response Fund projects Sharing stories. Art exhibitions in this were participatory and involved meeting on a evaluation provided an opportunity for artists regular basis at a neutral place. These projects to tell stories and for visitors to reflect on proved to be beneficial to the healing of their own experiences and share stories with individual participants and in turn their families, those around them. These stories, and the communities and social groups. documented visual art pieces, start to form Opportunities for play. Despite the range of part of the new social history of the town and urgent and immediate practical rebuilding tasks community, and can assist with healing and that are a priority, people need respite. The recovery. arts give people a reason to come together to Giving. It is important to not underestimate the relax, of giving. People who have not been directly affected by a disaster are often and engage in a leisure activity that enables motivated to help those who were personally them to take a break. For many people in this touched by it. Performing arts projects in this evaluation, coming together to play was an evaluation gave the artists–– most of whom important part of their recovery. were not directly impacted by the fires–– an opportunity to show their support for their local Webster (2006) Bringing from disorder. community through performance. These noted that during the Ash Wednesday events were social settings in themselves bushfires in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges in enabling locals to come together to be 1993, singing proved to be a successful way entertained and to start to reconnect. At a of helping the children gain a sense of routine, number of these events money was also when everything else around them signified raised to support the local bushfire recovery disorder. For Quick Response Fund projects teams. that required participants to meet regularly, this routine was seen to bring some Improving health outcomes. The literature predictability back into their lives. identifies that arts-based interventions have
had a reason to come back together and start to connect again, in a positive way. Sharing stories. Art exhibitions in this evaluation provided an opportunity for artists to tell stories and for visitors to reflect on their own experiences and share stories with those around them. These stories, and the documented visual art pieces, start to form part of the new social history of the town and community, and can assist with healing and recovery. Giving. It is important to not underestimate the of giving. People who have not been directly affected by a disaster are often motivated to help those who were personally touched by it. Performing arts projects in this evaluation gave the artists–– most of whom were not directly impacted by the fires–– an opportunity to show their support for their local community through performance. These events were social settings in themselves enabling locals to come together to be entertained and to start to reconnect. At a number of these events money was also raised to support the local bushfire recovery teams. Improving health outcomes. The literature identifies that arts-based interventions have been seen to be effective in reducing adverse psychological and physiological outcomes. A number of Quick Response Fund projects were participatory and involved meeting on a regular basis at a neutral place. These projects proved to be beneficial to the healing of individual participants and in turn their families, communities and social groups. Opportunities for play. Despite the range of urgent and immediate practical rebuilding tasks that are a priority, people need respite. The arts give people a reason to come together to relax, and engage in a leisure activity that enables them to take a break. For many people in this evaluation, coming together to play was an important part of their recovery. Bringing from disorder. Webster (2006) noted that during the Ash Wednesday bushfires in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges in 1993, singing proved to be a successful way of helping the children gain a sense of routine, when everything else around them signified disorder. For Quick Response Fund projects that required participants to meet regularly, this routine was seen to bring some predictability back into their lives.
The_role_of_arts_in_rebuilding_community_-_Final_Report.docx