News

Art as a (literal) refuge

We’ve all been consoled by a song, a film or other art work in times of need. But arts centres can also be practical relief centres in physical emergencies.

5 Jul 2016 12:00

Richard Watts

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Writing and Publishing

Arts House Refuge. Photo credit:Randall Hill, Reuters.

From a performance space that doubles as a cyclone shelter in the Cocos Islands, off the coast of WA, to the Whitehorse Centre in Nunawading with its 408-seat theatre, arts spaces which double as Emergency Relief Centres (places which can provide life support and essential needs to local community members affected by an emergency) are not uncommon.

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Richard Watts

Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize in 2020. In 2021 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association. Most recently, Richard received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts