Santa Monica's 18th Street Arts Center will open its doors Saturday, July 11, for the public launch of "In the After," a free, two-year art initiative built to help Palisades Fire survivors heal through workshops, film, ceremonies, and culture mapping.

The event runs from 2 to 5 p.m. at the center's campus at 1639 18th St. Local organizations will be on-site offering resources and support, according to the Patch AM Santa Monica newsletter.

Five artists will lead the program's sessions, many of them hosted in Santa Monica and open to any resident. One confirmed participant is Cara Levine, whose project "Silverlinings" invites people to draw a meaningful object into a sandbox that Levine then casts in metal. The Palisadian-Post described the artists as "second responders" for wildfire recovery.

The January 2025 Palisades Fire killed 12 people and destroyed nearly 7,000 structures in Pacific Palisades and Malibu. Eighteen months later, many displaced families are still searching for stable housing.

The arts programs arrive as federal agencies extend their own recovery timelines. FEMA will extend housing assistance for fire survivors, with homeowners eligible through Friday, July 9, 2027, and renters through Friday, October 9, 2026. State Sen. Ben Allen, D-Pacific Palisades, praised the decision and is pushing for additional long-term federal recovery funds, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press. FEMA approved California's request after citing ongoing insurance issues, housing constraints, and labor shortages.

Arts recovery across Santa Monica

"In the After" joins a growing wave of arts-led recovery work in the city. At Bergamot Station, the "Case Study: Adapt" exhibition at the Santa Monica City Gallery features architectural models, floor plans, and renderings created by 10 firms for 16 families displaced by the 2025 fires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena.

The exhibit, co-founded by Dustin Bramell and Leo Seigal and curated by Geoffrey von Oeyen of USC Architecture, reimagines the spirit of the Case Study House Program, the postwar architecture experiment launched in 1945. Student-built models from USC's School of Architecture are included in the show.

"Case Study: Adapt" is on view through Saturday, September 19, Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 2525 Michigan Ave., Suite F2.

Upcoming community events

• Saturday, July 11, 2–5 p.m. — "In the After – Communal Launch," 18th Street Arts Center, 1639 18th St. Free and open to the public.
• Through Saturday, September 19 — "Case Study: Adapt," Santa Monica City Gallery at Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave., Suite F2. Wednesday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Free.