Saturday, July 11, 2026 at 2:00 PM to Saturday, July 11, 2026 at 5:00 PM
18th Street Arts Center, Santa Monica
***In the After - *****Communal Launch** ****Saturday, July 11**| 2pm - 5pm ** **18th Street Arts Center** **Free + Open to the Public** Wildfires have transformed communities across California, leaving behind not only altered landscapes but lasting emotional, cultural, and personal impacts. ***In The After**,* a collaborative initiative led by 18th Street Arts Center, brings together artists, wildfire survivors, community organizations, and neighbors to explore creative pathways toward healing, resilience, and collective restoration. Through storytelling, art-making, and shared experiences, *In The After *creates space to honor what has been lost, document what remains, and imagine what comes next. The project centers the voices and lived experiences of those directly impacted by the Palisades and Eaton fires, using creative practice as a tool for connection, remembrance, and community care. *In The After* brings together artists Cara Levine, Felix Massey, Miguel Rivera, and Nicole Rademacher to explore how art, storytelling, and collective care can support wildfire recovery and community resilience. During the launch, Cara Levine will introduce her *Silverlinings *project, sharing the process behind the work through a conversation, Q&A, and live demonstration. Filmmaker Felix Massey will present selections from *Through The Smoke*, his documentary project capturing the immediate aftermath of the Palisades Fire, followed by a Q&A with special guests. Miguel Rivera will guide the gathering as host, opening and closing the program and helping connect the afternoon’s conversations, artists, and community voices. Nicole Rademacher will introduce her upcoming *Still Here* workshops, a series launching next year. Throughout the afternoon, our outdoor courtyard will become a community resource hub featuring artist demonstrations, creative activities, local organizations, and opportunities to connect with recovery resources. Guests are invited to move through the space, meet participating artists, learn about upcoming workshops, and take part in hands-on activities. Join us for an afternoon of presentations, participatory experiences, and community gathering: Join artist **Miguel Rivera **as he opens the afternoon with a gathering centered on community, reflection, and recovery. This opening brings together the participating artists to share the vision behind their wildfire recovery project. Artist [**Cara Levine**](https://18thstreet.org/cara-levine-silverlinings-ash-prints/) will introduce* Silverlinings*, a participatory art project exploring transformation, loss, and renewal in the aftermath of wildfire. Through creative processes that engage with materials connected to fire recovery, memory, and change, participants are invited to reflect on what remains and what can emerge. Cara will share the ideas and processes behind the project, lead a live demonstration, and host a Q&A about the upcoming workshop series. Attendees can learn more and sign up for future *Silverlinings* workshops. Filmmaker [**Felix Massey**](https://18thstreet.org/felix-massey-through-the-smoke/) presents selections from *Through The Smoke*, a documentary project created in response to the 2025 Palisades Fire. Through intimate portraits and firsthand stories, the project preserves a record of grief, resilience, and the ongoing process of rebuilding. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Felix and special guests. Attendees can learn about future documentary interview opportunities and ways to contribute their own stories. [**Nicole Rademacher**](https://18thstreet.org/nicole-rademacher-still-here/) will introduce Still Here, an upcoming five-part community art series for Angelenos whose lives were shaped by the 2025 fires. Through guided art-making, somatic awareness, optional reflection, and collective witness, Still Here creates a trauma-informed space for what the fires altered, displaced, or left behind. Still Here is a space to make art in community — not therapy, or a replacement for it. Attendees can learn more and sign up for upcoming Still Here convenings launching next year ## **Community Partner Hub & Resources** [](https://18thstreet.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/PCRC.png" class="wpex-lightbox-group-item)[](https://18thstreet.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Healing-Bus-logo.png" class="wpex-lightbox-group-item)[](https://18thstreet.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Extreme-Weather-Survivors-Logo-.png" class="wpex-lightbox-group-item)[](https://18thstreet.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Arts-and-Healing-Logo-.png" class="wpex-lightbox-group-item) **Palisades Community Renewal Center & Maple Counseling****:** Offering immediate support for neighbors. Drop by their table to access vital community resources and sign up for free therapy sessions dedicated to families and community members affected by the fires. **The Healing Bus:** Step into a dedicated, trauma-informed sanctuary for your well-being. Experience restorative, gentle sound baths and breathwork sessions designed to help process stress and promote collective somatic healing. **Extreme Weather Survivors:** Meet with fellow survivors, share your experiences, and learn about grassroots resources built by and for those who have lived through climate crises. **Team Palisades:** Team Palisades, a neighbor-led support network formed in the aftermath of the January 2025 wildfires, is built on the Block Captain framework developed by our friends at After The Fire USA. We mobilize to share trusted resources, challenge broken systems, and ensure that every resident— renters, seniors, families— has a fair path home. **Arts & Healing Initiatives:** Explore shared toolkits, local neighborhood relief updates, and community-driven resources designed to help us rebuild stronger together. **Natalie Godinez:** Join a creative, community-centered space focused on Zine Making and Embroidery texturing shared stories into fabric and paper. ## **Hospitality: ** Light refreshments and food from [**PIZZA ANANDA**](https://www.instagram.com/pizza.ananda/?hl=en) will be available throughout the event! ## **Support** *In The After* is supported by the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Recovery Fund.