The tragedy currently unfolding in Houston and the Gulf area led us to revise our recently posted Creative Futures. We want to stand with our neighbors in Texas during this terrible disaster and acknowledge the unquestionable priority of saving lives over any objects. At the same time, we want to offer tools and ideas for recovering those items that form our life history, our shared memories, and our treasured works.
The devastating floods in Houston and the Gulf area and recent wild fires in Oregon and Utah are reminders to think about not only emergency plans for you and your loved ones, but also about protecting your important and valuable items, including creative works – or reviewing the safeguards you already have in place – whether it’s work you created, inherited or collected.
Creative Futures, is a round-up of the best resources, insights, and wisdom for artists, collectors, and artist estates by POBA.
This month we feature ways to prepare for natural disasters and threats to your collection/s as well as apply for relief when the unthinkable happens:
- POBA Partner AIC has a terrific guide for personal collections, including art, heirlooms, books, videotape, glass and more.
- POBA partner Cerf+ has an excellent resource for craft artists – Studio Protector – and also has tips on how to get started in under an hour.
- POBA Tips on Saving Art through Disaster Preparation: resources and suggestions for disaster preparation for art works.
- Florida Division of Cultural Affairs provides a link to Arts Ready a resource for arts organizations but with tips for artists as well.
- POBA Partner IMAP provides this info for disaster prep for Media Collections.
- POBA offers tips on salvaging historical and art works in a useful post.
- POBA expert Glenn Wharton has made helpful suggestions in a short video clip on Disaster Prep on POBA’s YouTube channel.
- The American Red Cross offers excellent advice on natural disaster preparedness in general.
And if disaster does affect your art works:
- Joan Mitchell Foundation provides emergency grants for artists.
General Tips
Read POBA’s basic and practical tips to get you started – or get help at any point – in managing a creative collection in any medium. If DIY is not for you, POBA can help you directly.
POBA | Where the Arts Live is a non-profit initiative dedicated to preserving, celebrating and promoting creative legacies. You can manage a collection, honor a creative legacy, or explore undiscovered masters at POBA.org
Stay tuned each month as POBA brings you the best curated information from POBA, its partner organizations and the broader arts community.
Feel free to post and distribute Creative Futures by POBA.