This program gives artists the opportunity to collaborate and heal through their art. In turn, it helps them support recovery and resiliency in Wood Buffalo.
A brief background
The Arts Recovery Working Group was established in June 2017 as a partnership between Arts Council Wood Buffalo, Keyano Theatre & Arts Centre, and Suncor Energy Centre for the Performing Arts, with administrative support from the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. It provides guidance to the Wildfire Recovery Taskforce in support of the recovery of the arts in the region.
From mid-2017 throughout 2018, the group worked with various people in the community to gain a better understanding of the effects of the Horse River Wildfire on the arts community and the current needs of artists in our region. Through various focus groups and one-on-one discussions, a two-year post-wildfire recovery plan was developed as part of the wider arts strategy for the region. From that plan, the Arts Recovery Project was born with a mission to support the arts community in returning to its full creative capacity.
With funding support from the Canadian Red Cross, the Arts Recovery Project will consist of further projects, partnership and events that will help connect, engage and reinvigorate the local arts community.
Arts Council Wood Buffalo continues to serve as Chair of the Arts Recovery Working Group, which will:
- Provide strategic leadership in the development, implementation and sustainability of arts recovery initiatives and strategies
- Advocate on the role of the arts in disaster recovery;
- Monitor gaps and overlaps, and advise on how to prevent, mitigate and manage them to encourage recovery; and;
- Recognize barriers and enablers to arts recovery and help develop initiatives to address these.
Download the full Post Wildfire Recovery in the Arts Strategic Plan 
