Mellon Foundation among arts organisations providing relief fund following Los Angeles fires

Image: courtesy of the Mellon Foundation

A coalition of major arts organisations and philanthropists has announced a $12m emergency relief fund to support artists and art workers impacted by the Los Angeles fires, according to the Museums Association.

Led by the J Paul Getty Trust, the LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund will assist those across all artistic disciplines who have lost residences, studios, or had their livelihoods impacted.

Participating organisations include the Mohn Art Collective, which oversees three major LA museums, the Mellon Foundation, and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. The list of contributors continues to grow, encompassing national and international individuals, foundations, and corporations.

The fund will be administered by the Centre for Cultural Innovation, a California-based nonprofit and longstanding intermediary that provides advocacy and research support on behalf of individuals in the industry. 

Katherine E Fleming, the president and CEO of the J Paul Getty Trust, said: “Amid the losses suffered by the artists and arts workers who so strongly define LA, Getty is grateful to the many partners who have come together to meet the urgent needs of this community.”

Museums Journal reported last week that the Getty Villa Museum will remain closed until further notice, though all staff and collections are safe.

While initial reports suggested the Villa Aurora and Thomas Mann House might have been affected, recent updates have confirmed neither building sustained structural damage from the fires. Detailed assessment of non-structural damage to collections, as well as surrounding environmental damage, remains to be completed. 

The Observer reports that the Hammer Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Lacma), both part of the Mohn Art Collective, have suspended operations temporarily, as well as the Museum of Contemporary Art (Moca), which has closed both its locations. 

The historic former homes of publishing magnate Andrew McNally and renowned Western author Zane Grey are among the cultural landmarks destroyed by the wildfires. The Bunny Museum in Altadena, known for its collection of rabbit-related artefacts, and the Theatre Palisades, have also been reduced to ashes. 

The LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund is one of several fundraising efforts for arts workers, in addition to the Craft Emergency Relief Fund, the Entertainment Community Fund, and the Motion Picture Television Fund. 

Lise Motherwell and Clifford Ross, the chair and president of the participating Helen Frankenthaler Foundation’s board of directors, said: “The fires ravaging Los Angeles exemplify the devastating impacts of climate change that affect us all. With an ongoing commitment to advancing climate action in the arts, the foundation joins the Getty at this critical time to offer our resources to LA’s arts and cultural community.”

The fires have underscored the urgent need to strengthen efforts to safeguard archives and collections from the increasing threats posed by climate change. As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe, cultural institutions face mounting challenges in protecting invaluable artefacts. 

Beginning Monday 20 January, artists and arts workers who have been impacted by the fires are eligible to apply for an emergency grant from the fund.