Major museums in Los Angeles, led by the J. Paul Getty Trust, announced an emergency relief fund for artists and cultural workers impacted by the deadly wildfires still devastating California. So far, they have raised $12 million.
Getty Leads Fire Relief Fund for Los Angeles Artists
Following the rapid outbreak of wildfires in Los Angeles, leading local art institutions—including the J. Paul Getty Trust, the Hammer Museum, and LACMA—launched an emergency fund for impacted artists. The L.A. Arts Community Fire Relief Fund will support artists and cultural workers who have lost homes, studios, and livelihoods.
The Getty, whose $9.1 billion endowment makes it the world’s wealthiest art institution, contributed a significant portion of the initial $12 million fund, which is expected to grow. On January 7, the Getty Villa was threatened by flames from the Palisades Fire, which burned vegetation on its grounds but left its vast collection of antiquities unharmed.
Several cultural institutions from further afield—from Qatar Museums to the Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts—have also contributed to the Getty-led fund. Katherine E. Fleming, President and Chief Executive of the J. Paul Getty Trust, said, “People around the world are watching in horror as vast areas of Los Angeles burn, but this regional tragedy has global cultural repercussions. Amid the losses suffered by the artists and arts workers who so strongly define L.A., Getty is grateful to the many partners, local, national, and international, who have come together to meet the urgent needs of this community.”
“An Incredible Community For and Of Artists”
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Since January 7, fires have destroyed countless structures and killed at least 25 people in the Los Angeles area. Thousands of Los Angeles residents have been left homeless, including several artists, many of whom comprised a thriving creative community in the heavily impacted Altadena area. There is now concern that, following the destruction of entire neighborhoods, the potential for gentrification and rising rent costs will drive artists away from Altadena.
Fleming told The Art Newspaper, “Los Angeles is such an incredible community for and of artists, and it would be horrible if we lose that and lose them. We’re aware there is going to be a huge amount of bureaucracy for victims of this fire, so we want this to be as swift and painless as possible.” In a statement, Fleming explained that the primary goal of the fund is to ensure impacted artists can afford new housing in the area.
Grant Applications Open on January 20
The Center for Cultural Innovation, a grants organization based in California, will distribute the L.A. Arts Community Fire Relief Fund. Applications for emergency grants will open on January 20 at 9:00 A.M. Artists and cultural workers affected by the fires in Los Angeles can apply for an emergency grant at www.cciarts.org. Applications open on Monday, January 20 at 9:00 A.M. PST.
