UH ARTS LEADERSHIP GRAD SPEARHEADS DISASTER RELIEF FUND FOR LOCAL ARTISTS
Lauren Hainley bridges the gap between emergency response organizations and Houston artists.
In December 2022, a heart-wrenching incident shook the Houston arts community to its core. A catastrophic fire struck the historic Winter Street Studios, a colossal 75,000 square-foot structure that contained a nexus of spaces for professional artists. The flames, believed to be the result of arson, devoured a storied edifice that dates back to 1928.
The sprawling structure was a haven for creativity in the city, and fire left more than just physical scars in its wake; it cast a shadow over the community of creators who had found solace and inspiration within its walls.
Yet, amid the rubble and heartache, a beacon of hope emerged. The Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) stepped in, led by former Director of Disaster Resilience Lauren Hainley, a 2018 graduate of the University of Houston's Arts Leadership program.
Hainley helped activate the HAA’s Emergency Relief Fund shortly after the fire to help distribute stipends to the 110 impacted artists. Since then, the organization has given out about $40,000 to fund applicants, many of whom lost years of artwork and equipment in the blaze.
“In any other city there would not be a coordinated sort of organization or person that would be able to talk to [the artists] immediately and find out what they need and provide those things,”
The HAA’s Disaster Resilience program traces its origins back to the wake of Hurricane Harvey in 2017, when a consortium of Houston arts organizations recognized a glaring lack of support for impacted artists following the storm.
“The most important thing that we learned almost immediately was that there is no way for the emergency management or disaster response system that exists—think the Red Cross or the Salvation Army—to communicate with the arts and cultural industry, and there was no way for the arts and cultural industry to communicate with those people,” Hainley said.
And thus, the Disaster Resilience program was born. Its Emergency Fund was set up in the spring of 2020, in partnership with a dozen area arts organizations, to raise and distribute money to artists facing economic challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hainley’s role at the HAA was a unique one. She worked to help bridge the gap between the disaster response and art worlds, ensuring sustainability and resilience for artists and arts organizations after adverse and sometimes devastating events.
Today, Hainley serves as a consultant to organizations in Houston and nationwide, guiding them in the implementation of disaster and strategic plans to fortify their resilience.
Hainley credits her time in the UH Arts Leadership program with steering her towards this incredibly impactful career and her commitment to disaster response shines as a testament to the unbreakable spirit of Houston's art community, a spirit that rises stronger, even in the face of devastation.
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