Evaluation of Bushfire Recovery Initiatives
Arts Victoria2011
BRIEF
Soon after the Black Saturday Bushfires in Victoria in 2009, Arts Victoria funded a ‘Quick Response’ initiative to help communities rebuild using arts-based projects. An evaluation was required to assess the effectiveness of the initiatives, determine the impacts of the initiatives for bushfire-affected communities, and to explore whether arts-based projects make a particular contribution to community rebuilding in a post-disaster environment.
APPROACH
A considerable degree of sensitivity and flexibility was adopted for this project, as consultation with grant recipients was conducted in the months following the bushfires, when some emotions were still raw.
The main components of the evaluation were evaluation were a literature review, analysis of acquittal reports, in-depth interviews with stakeholders and grant recipients, and the preparation of multi media case studies. A details Evaluation Report was prepared which included a series of strategic recommendations.