Artists help fire recovery

Nine artists have been appointed to develop recovery programs in the 2019 bushfire affected communities of Bunyip, Walhalla and Yinnar South.

Baw Baw Shire’s creative recovery artist facilitators will be Helen Timbury of Drouin and Rebecca Vandyk of Warragul.

Gülsen Özer, Sue Jarvis and Janine Good will be facilitators for Cardinia Shire and Jo Caminiti and Margie Mackay for Latrobe City.

In addition, Jeremy Kasper will work jointly across Baw Baw Shire and Latrobe City and documentary film artist Michael Wilkins who will work across the three areas to capture the project development.

Creative Recovery Network announced the appointments for a new program designed to support community recovery and resilience building following the bushfires in February/March 2019.

The program is a region-wide partnership between Creative Recovery Network and Baw Baw, Cardinia and Latrobe City councils with support from Lifeline Gippsland.

It is designed to build capacity among local artists to develop recovery programs in disaster-affected communities, as well as foster a sense of communal recovery through the facilitation of unique creative projects.

The facilitators will be mentored in specific requirements for working in trauma impacted communities and will receive training in mental health first aid and an introduction to emergency management.

Creative Recovery Network’s Amanda Gibson is lead mentor on the projec..

Amanda was project lead on “The Blacksmiths’ Tree”, a three-tonne stainless steel and copper gum tree sculpture created in response to Black Saturday bushfires in 2009.

“In the face of enormous community challenges, it is essential that key recovery efforts come from within and are focused at a community level,” said Creative Recovery Network executive officer Scotia Monkivitch.

“We look forward to supporting them in creating impactful programs that can provide a meaningful space for connectivity, social cohesion and shared-experience.”