Natural disasters are a part of life and unavoidable in many parts of the country. It is necessary to be prepared for when nature strikes a public art collection. This paper is a case study on the reaction to and lessons learned during the recovery of New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina struck the city in 2005.

The Americans for the Arts Public Art Resource Center (PARC) was launched in June 2017 to serve the expanding field of public artists, administrators, advocates of public art, and field partners as they develop projects and programs in their communities. As an online portal, the Public Art Resource Center also allows individuals to find resources and tools that suit their work and interests. As part of this project, Americans for the Arts is publishing a series of essays to explore ongoing and current trends that impact public art professionals, artists, field partners, and community members.

 

The essays in this series include topics like developing public art in rural, mid-sized, and urban communities, caring for public art collections in times of natural disaster, and the intersection of public art and arts education. This essay series is just one resource available through the Americans for the Arts Public Resource Center. Visit www.AmericansForTheArts.org/PARC today to explore more.

 

Natural disasters are a part of life and unavoidable in many parts of the country. It is necessary to be prepared for when nature strikes a public art collection. This paper is a case study on the reaction to and lessons learned during the recovery of New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina struck the city in 2005.