Arts Disaster and Crisis Preparedness Conference 2026
Times of great disruption demand new ways of thinking about preparedness, resilience, and recovery. The Arts Disaster & Crisis Preparedness Conference brings together arts leaders, emergency managers, educators, cultural workers, researchers, and community practitioners to explore how the arts can help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from crises and disasters.
Join colleagues from across the arts, cultural, nonprofit, emergency management, and public sectors for conversations, workshops, and practical strategies designed to strengthen readiness and resilience within organizations and communities.
Pre-conference sessions take place on Thursday, September 24, and offer extended, immersive learning opportunities designed for deeper engagement.
The main conference sessions will take place on Friday, September 25, 2026, and will feature stirring keynotes, interactive workshops, panels, and presentations at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.
The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, supports the 2026 Arts Disaster and Crisis Preparedness Conference with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Kentucky Heritage Emergency Response Network
University of Kentucky College of Fine Arts
University of Kentucky Vice President for Research 
Alliance for Response
