Guide to 

Expanding Mitigation

MAKING THE CONNECTION TO ARTS AND CULTURE 
Cover photo: Waterlicht by Studio Roosegaarde / Daan Roosegaarde, www.studioroosegaarde.net 

Photo: The Gilbert F. White Memorial Flood Level Marker on Boulder Creek in Boulder, Colo. 

Photo: Jersey Barriers Project, Belmar, N.J. / Belmar Arts Council 

Can you use the words “art” and “hazard mitigation” in the same sentence? Yes, 

you can! These words are not often connected, but a meaningful and powerful 

relationship exists between art and hazard mitigation. Emergency managers have a 

long history of working with communities to reduce the risks disasters pose to homes, 

businesses and critical infrastructure. Protecting our cultural resources and artistic 

expression begins with acknowledging that the arts are a key part of our communities. 

It continues with exploring how we can partner with artists to communicate risk and 

building a culture of preparedness across the nation. 

Art is all around us – in murals, sculpture, literature, and music. It sparks conversation 

and bonds communities. In the wake of a disaster, people look to the arts for solace, 

comfort, and connection. Art can help communities heal. The arts may be a symbol 

of resilience during recovery. Art can resonate deeply with people and inspire civic 

creativity that could be difficult to initiate otherwise. 

This Guide to Expanding Mitigation explores ways for 

community officials to work with the arts and culture 

sector to support hazard mitigation, including the planning 

process. This guide is a starting place for community officials 

to initiate a conversation with arts and culture partners 

about making investments in mitigation relevant and risk 

information accessible, while building the knowledge and 

capacity of the entire community. 

This Guide to Expanding 

Mitigation is part of a series 

highlighting innovative 

and emerging partnerships 

for mitigation. 

Cover photo: Waterlicht by Studio Roosegaarde / Daan Roosegaarde, www.studioroosegaarde.net 
Photo: Flood Mural, Rock Rapids, Iowa / Rock Rapids Arts Council 

TAKING RISK COMMUNICATION TO THE NEXT LEVEL 

Traditionally, risk communication engagement involves meeting with 

stakeholders to better understand an issue, holding open house events to 

share resources with the public, and conducting online and social media 

engagement to promote the latest information. Messages are often based 

on the best available data, whether it’s the number of homes with a high 

risk of flooding or the cost of rebuilding a damaged home. These traditional 

strategies may not engage some people in a meaningful way. 

It is critical to communicate risk in ways 

that are accessible and meaningful to 

more people by building in context that 

aligns with their experiences. That is 

where the arts come into play. They can 

express hazard vulnerability through 

storytelling and aesthetic experiences. 

Using community art to link hazards 

with spaces and places contributes to 

a regional identity with which people 

intuitively associate. Something as simple 

as a mural on a flood barrier has the power to inspire conversations and 

build risk awareness. It can increase a community’s perception of place 

and boost a civic pride that strengthens resilience-building efforts. By 

linking risks to everyday community concerns, we can meet people where 

they are and engage in timely and relevant conversations in a comfortable 

environment. Through art, community officials can share information 

about risks and vulnerability to hazards with a diverse audience in a 

nonconfrontational manner. 

Risk communication is the 

process of explaining the 

potential for loss of life and 

property from hazards and 

discussing how those losses 

might be reduced or prevented. 

Photo: Rabanus Park in Fargo, N.D. / Rachel Asleson for The Fargo Project (2016) 

ARTS AND CULTURE IN YOUR COMMUNITY 

For local officials involved in hazard mitigation, this guide provides many easy ways 

to engage the arts and culture sector of your community. Partnering with this sector 

can expand your engagement strategy with the goal of reducing risk at every level of 

society, from the individual citizen to the whole community. 

In 2017, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that arts and cultural 

production accounts for over $804 billion (4.3%) of the United States’ economy. This is 

a larger percentage than that of the transportation, tourism or agriculture sectors. The 

arts sector contributes over 5 million jobs. Its magnitude of impact demonstrates the 

influence artists can leverage when contributing to risk reduction efforts. It also shows 

the importance of identifying and mitigating the risks that affect this valuable sector. 

Resources at the end of this guide 

can help you make the economic 

case for incorporating the arts into 

your hazard mitigation efforts. For 

example, the National Endowment 

for the Arts created an interactive 

map with data that demonstrate 

the power of the arts to drive the 

national and state economies. You 

can reference it when making the 

case for the role of arts and culture 

in your community. There are also
 

resources that you can share with local artists and art organizations. For example,
 

following a disaster, the non-profit organization Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+)
 

provides emergency relief to studio artists.
 

A strong arts and culture sector can benefit both local economies and civil society.
 

Concentrations of creative businesses are known to increase economic development
 

and improve property value. Arts and cultural activities are also known to attract
 

tourists, promote local pride and increase civic engagement. Economic resilience and
 

community cohesion are especially important in a post-disaster environment.
 

DID YOU KNOW? 

Value added to the country’s 

economy by the arts $865.8 billion 

Arts value added as share 

of the country’s economy 3.4% 

People employed in the arts 5 million 

Source: National Endowment for the Arts, State Level 

Estimates of Arts and Cultural Employment, 2017 

Photo: Flood Mural, Rock Rapids, Iowa / Rock Rapids Arts Council Photo: Rabanus Park in Fargo, N.D. / Rachel Asleson for The Fargo Project (2016) 
 

 

Photo: Young man dancing with flame at night on embankment of city 

ARTS AND CULTURE DURING RECOVERY AND BEYOND 

The creative process can be a powerful recovery tool, after basic essentials 

like food and shelter have been secured. It can support residents as they 

struggle to reconnect to their pre-disaster identity, reflect on what has 

happened, and express what they have been through. Introducing the creative 

process and artists into the mitigation process can take many forms. It does 

not have to involve, for example, bringing a musician in to raise funds for 

disaster recovery. Creative expression can kindle long-term healing and inspire 

a common vision for community recovery that helps tackle the monumental 

challenges of rebuilding homes or reconnecting essential services. In these 

ways, the arts help the nation build a culture of preparedness. 

The arts can be effective in disaster recovery by: 

• Providing an opportunity for reflection; 

• Reducing the risk of conflict caused by stress and the feeling 

of overwhelming hopelessness; 

• Establishing new communities; 

• Reconnecting old communities; 

• Reducing feelings of isolation; 

• Strengthening citizens’ connection to place; 

• Creating a shared sense of hope and optimism; and 

• Channeling post-traumatic stress and anxiety into creative 

and productive community outcomes. 

Photo: Children swimming in imaginary painted waves 

Beyond recovery, engaging with a 

diverse range of stakeholders is a 

crucial part of the mitigation planning 

process that bolsters community 

resilience. Cooperative relationships 

strengthen hazard mitigation plans 

and the ability of communities to act 

on their mitigation goals. By bringing 

the arts and culture sectors into 

mitigation planning conversations, 

officials can identify projects that 

not only reduce risk, but also benefit 

the broader community. Artists can 

support hazard mitigation projects by 

leveraging ideas, talents and funding 

streams to accomplish more together. 

Ultimately, resilient communities are 

connected communities. Arts and 

culture stakeholders, by creating a 

sense of place and belonging, can bring 

people together, strengthen their bonds 

and help them connect and protect each 

other before (and after) a disaster. 

Photo: Masks in the Aftermath, U.S. Virgin Islands/William Steltzer 

The first goal of FEMA’s 

2017-22 Strategic Plan 

is to build a culture of 

preparedness. Engaging with arts 

and culture partners can help 

achieve these guiding principles: 

1. Trust – Develop trust by 

understanding the culture, 

context, and history of 

communities outside of disaster, 

as well as when an event occurs. 

2. Inclusion – Bring the cultural 

perspectives of all stakeholders 

to the table. 

3. Cross-cultural communication – 

Design engagement as 

cross-cultural encounters. 

4. Support local practices and 

successes – Learn about 

the ways people have already 

prepared, and enhance 

these efforts using culturally 

aware strategies. 

Photo: Young man dancing with flame at night on embankment of city Photo: Children swimming in imaginary painted waves Photo: Masks in the Aftermath, U.S. Virgin Islands/William Steltzer 
ARTISTS AS LOCAL CHAMPIONS 

Artists are visionaries. Even with the challenges our communities face in 

preparing for and recovering from a disaster, they may imagine brighter 

possibilities. Some artists have the innate ability to gather people in 

conversation and act as catalysts for change. Artists often work outside the 

constraints of government bureaucracy and policies, where they are able 

to experiment freely and generate prototype ideas. Local officials should 

consider artists as essential community partners in communicating and 

reducing risk. Each of the following sections describes different artistic 

mediums that can be used to communicate the concepts of risk and mitigation. 

Public Art 

Public art is any medium meant to be placed in the public domain, 

usually outside and accessible to all. It includes art exhibited in publicly 

accessible buildings. More important than its physical location is the 

relationship between the content and the audience or what the art is 

saying and to whom. After time has passed since the last disaster 

and hazard mitigation projects are completed, a community’s formerly 

heightened sense of risk will be diminished. The public can quickly forget 

the importance of the community’s ongoing resiliency needs. Public 

art is one way to remind people that their risk is usually reduced, not 

eliminated. It provides a space for our anxiety and fear without being 

invasive or direct. A permanent public art exhibit can remind us that 

we are vulnerable, both as individuals and as communities, and we 

can take actions now to reduce those vulnerabilities and to build 

a culture of resilience and preparedness. 

Photo: Interim Flood Protection Measures (IFPM) Mural Arts Program in New York, N.Y. 

Music 

Musical performances have 

the power to bring communities 

together. For thousands of years, 

people have used music to tell 

stories and explain the mysteries 

of life; music is an avenue for 

connecting with the world. When 

it comes to mitigation, music has 

the potential to be an anthem 

for risk reduction. A rousing song 

behind your cause can solidify 

support and garner attention for overlooked projects or community goals. 

Music is another medium to disseminate risk information in a way that 

engages people who may not otherwise be interested. After floods in the 

small town of Lyons, Colorado in 2013, six local musicians came together to perform 

songs that brought Lyons a sense of resilience, hope and community. 

Song from 2013 Lyons, Colorado Floods 

Title: Little Rain 

Artist: The Watergirls 

Original Release Date: 5/6/14 

Release Date: 5/6/14 

Label: The Watergirls 

Copyright: 2014 Sally English Truitt 

Duration: 2:26 minutes 

Performance Art and Forum Theater 

Performance art combines the visual arts with dramatic performance. Forum theater 

is an interactive performance by actors with the audience. In this process, the 

audience can suggest different actions for the actors to carry out on stage, to change 

the outcome of what they are seeing. The goal is to bring the audience into the 

performance, to shape conversations and ideas in a collective forum. Performance 

art and forum theater offer a whole new method of public engagement. Traditional 

public engagement and outreach presents risk information data in a public meeting 

and then asks for the public’s thoughts and comments. Communicating risk through 

a theater performance can increase engagement in a meaningful way by speaking to 

individuals and officials more personally and on their own terms. 

Creative Placemaking 

Placemaking is a multifaceted approach to planning, designing, and managing 

public spaces. Placemaking capitalizes on a local community’s assets, inspiration, 

and potential with the intention of creating public spaces that promote people’s 

health, happiness and well-being. Placemaking is both a process and a philosophy 

that uses urban design principles. It can be either official and government-led, or 

community-driven tactical urbanism—an approach that uses short-term, low-cost, 

and scalable interventions at the neighborhood scale. Too often, mitigation projects 

are identified, prioritized and implemented with little to no concern for their impact on 

the community and their place within the cultural identity. The principles of creative 

placemaking can ensure that hazard mitigation projects and plans are not only 

effective at reducing risk but culturally relevant and feasible within a community. 
Resources for Engaging the Arts and Culture Community 

A first step to connect with the arts community is to engage your local or 

regional arts council. A link can be found here: https://nasaa-arts.org/. 

Several national organizations can give you a greater understanding of 

the arts and culture community, including the National Endowment for the 

Arts, the Heritage Emergency National Task Force, Americans for the Arts, 

ArtPlace America, and the National Consortium for Creative Placemaking. 

There are also countless local organizations that may be a good resource 

for emergency managers who are starting to strategize ways to engage with 

stakeholders. At the regional level, consider consulting state arts councils 

and art nonprofit associations. 

RESOURCES 

Guides to Expanding Mitigation 

https://www.fema.gov/mitigation-risk-reduction 

Link to all available Guides to Expanding Mitigation. 

FEMA Hazard Mitigation Planning 

https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/risk-management/hazardmitigation-planning 

Review standards and guidance for the planning process. 

Natural Hazards Center Observer, Volume XXXIX, Issue 6: 

Art and Disaster (July 2015) 

https://hazards.colorado.edu/observer/archives 

Learn more about how art contributes to communities during a disaster. 

National Endowment for the Arts, How to Do Creative Placemaking 

(January 2017) 

www.arts.gov/publications/how-do-creative-placemaking 

Review case studies and ideas for how the arts can play a role in making 

communities successful. 

National Coalition for Arts Preparedness and Emergency 

Response, Cultural Placekeeping Guide (2017) 

www.americansforthearts.org/sites/default/files/Cultural-Placekeeping-Guide.pdf 

Guidance on creating a network in the creative community for emergency action. 

CERF+ Safety Net 

https://cerfplus.org/cerf-responds-to-disasters/ 

An organization that helps artists who are recovering from recent disasters. 

REFERENCES 

American Planning Association (APA). 2019. “Arts, Culture & Creativity.” 

www.planning.org/research/arts/ 

Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2019. “Arts and Culture.” 

www.bea.gov/data/special-topics/arts-and-culture 

Dwyer, Mary, Kelly Beavers, and Kimberly Hodgson, AICP. 2011. “How the Arts 

and Culture Sector Catalyzes Economic Vitality.” American Planning Association. 

www.planning.org/publications/document/9148001/ 

Kisida, Brian, and Daniel H. Bowen. 2019. “New Evidence of the Benefits of 

Arts Education.” The Brookings Institution. www.brookings.edu/blog/browncenterchalkboard/2019/02/12/new-evidence-of-the-benefits-of-arts-education 

Knight, Cher Krause. 2008. Public Art: theory, practice and populism. 

Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. 

National Endowment for the Arts. 2017. “State-Level Estimates of Arts and 

Cultural Employment (2001-2014).” https://www.arts.gov/impact/research/arts-dataprofile-series/adp-13 

Roosegaarde, Daan. “Waterlicht.” Studio Roosegaarde. www.studioroosegaarde.net 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

We thank the following organizations, whose staff contributed their time toward advancing 

our understanding of mitigation and arts and culture: Art Place America; FEMA Heritage 

Emergency National Task Force; FEMA Region 2; FEMA Region 10; In Place of War; 

Majestic Collaborations; Monmouth County Planning Department/Monmouth Arts; NJIT 

Hub for Creative Placemaking; National Endowment for the Arts; and Sound Diplomacy. 

ENGAGE WITH US 

Are you a state, local, tribal or territorial official interested in making the 

connection between art and hazard mitigation? Are you an arts organization 

or artist interested in connecting with local officials to reduce risk from 

hazards? Please contact us at FEMA-ExpandingMitigation@fema.dhs.gov.