Happy Friday everyone, what’s been your Highlight of the Week?
Mine was zooming with the senior leaders from The Armory Arts Centre, in Pasadena, California.
The Armory has recently been at the frontline of a major disaster with the LA wildfires decimating huge parts of their local community. They got in touch with me to discuss arts and trauma-informed practice and ways they could further support their communities, artists and staff who have been directly affected. I was touched by their genuine concern and quiet determination to respond to this very urgent need.
Manchester Together Archive
Arts and cultural organisations play an important role in responding to traumatic events that their surrounding communities experience. When disaster strikes the first question we must ask ourselves is ‘What can we do to help?’
This was certainly the question Manchester Art Gallery, in partnership with Archives + and Dr Kostas Arvanitis asked after the terrible Manchester Arena bombing in 2017. The result led to the creation of the Manchester Together Archive.
Respond – the 3rd of the 4 Rs of trauma-informed practice
One of the most effective protective factors in mitigating against the effects of trauma is ‘Who was there for us when it happened?’. In other words, who helped us? Who showed us that they cared. If we are alone and isolated during and immediately after ‘the event’; then the likelihood that we will experience it as traumatic as opposed to merely stressful or distressing increases.
Who helped? That’s what people will remember.
Art galleries, museums, public cultural services – when it happens on our doorstep we must heed the call.
Louise
Louise Thompson 