Blue Sky Initiative (BSI)

Blue Sky Initiative:

The Texas Collections Emergency Resource Alliance (TX-CERA) has been awarded a Preservation and Access Education and Training Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to support a comprehensive three-year program focused on emergency preparedness and response for professionals and volunteers responsible for the care of cultural heritage collections across Texas.

Program Overview

The Blue Sky Initiative will include a series of webinars, workshops, exercises and targeted training opportunities designed to strengthen emergency planning and response capabilities within cultural institutions statewide. Using a building-block approach, the program will begin with an introduction to emergency preparedness for cultural heritage institutions and foundational instruction in FEMA’s Incident Command System (ICS). Participants will then advance to virtual and hands-on training in field-accepted conservation response and salvage techniques, culminating in a training exercise for a corps of prepared volunteers known as Texas Heritage Responders.

Building a Support Network

Knowledge gained through the Blue Sky Initiative is intended not only to improve preparedness within participating institutions but also to inspire further action across neighboring organizations—advancing TX-CERA’s goal of establishing and sustaining a network of trained, active cultural heritage responders throughout Texas.

Resources & Materials

TX-CERA believes the Blue Sky Initiative will benefit a diverse range of cultural heritage organizations, regardless of size or discipline. In addition to practical training, the initiative will provide participants with essential reference tools and emergency response materials, including “Go-Bags,” to support self-reliance and effective on-site response during emergencies.

“The Blue Sky Initiative has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this series of programs, do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.”

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse