Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas Promotes Climate Change Resilience Event

August 27 2024

Montpelier, VT – As the state continues to experience the impacts of climate change, Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas promoted an upcoming “Day of Learning” event, supported by her office, on Tuesday September 17 at the Elks Lodge in Barre, VT.

This event will be hosted by the Vermont Arts & Culture Disaster and Resilience Network (VACDaRN), founded in 2019 as a partnership of the Vermont Arts Council and the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration (VSARA), which is a division of the Secretary of State’s office. VACDaRN provides resources and training in disaster preparedness for arts and cultural institutions.

“As the effects of climate change continue to impact our state, I’m very proud of the work that my office does through VACDaRN,” Copeland Hanzas said. “When disasters strike, we of course focus on safety and infrastructure. It’s also crucial that we work to protect the arts and cultural organizations that enable our communities to not just survive but thrive.”

The event will feature a keynote presentation: “Beautiful Uncertainty – How to Live (and Thrive) with Risk” by Anna Glover, Director of Theater Safety and Occupational Health at Yale’s Geffen School of Drama. There will be sessions on topics including emergency planning, event safety, and equity & access in emergency response. Behind-the-scenes tours of Barre cultural institutions will showcase their flood mitigation efforts.

“The VACDaRN partnership has been critical to helping protect cultural and artistic resources in Vermont,“ said Rachel Onuf, Director of VSARA’s Vermont Historical Records Program. “We really enjoy collaborating with our colleagues at the Vermont Arts Council as we do this important work.”

“While disaster planning can be an uncomfortable and difficult topic, this day is designed to empower and connect the arts and cultural sector – to take specific steps to prepare and to explore the ways that art and cultural activities help communities heal and recover,” said Amy Cunningham, deputy director of the Vermont Arts Council.

Secretary Copeland Hanzas encouraged artists and cultural workers, as well as staff and volunteers from arts and cultural organizations of all types (theaters, museums, archives, libraries, creative businesses, etc.) to attend. She also invited local and state emergency managers, municipal officials, and first responders interested in learning more about how to protect their records and work with cultural organizations in the community.

Learn more about the event and register here.