This report was published in September 2001.
Table of Contents
Forward Executive Summary Section II: Summary of the Artists' Quake Aid (AQUA) Report Section III: Artist and Gallery Case Studies Section IV: General Conclusions Section V: Key Concerns for Artists Section VI: Short Term Set of Recommendations Section VII: Long Term Recommendations/Issues Raised by the Earthquake Section VIII: Artists' Quake Aid Statistics Section X: Studio Preparedness Earthquake Tip Sheet Earthquake Preparedness Resources Section VI. SHORT TERM SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS
The earthquake destroyed the building in which my studio was housed. To date, I have not been able to find a replacement space at a price I can afford. This loss has seriously compromised my ability to create, produce, and show work, and meet with clients and collaborators. It has caused me to continue to fall behind in fulfilling my commitments, including requiring extensions on current public art projects, not pursuing new work because of not having a place to work, and requiring me to re-envision a strategy for making work without a studio. I have had to completely re-conceive work for an upcoming exhibition, working in different materials and processes that can be completed on my dining room table. The effects are cumulative. Visual Artist, Seattle, Washington
With preparation and planning in mind, there are several direct, immediate actions that can be taken for the benefit of artists and the arts community at large. Artwork preparator and art earthquake specialist, Jamie Hascall, advised strongly that these workshops and resources are applied quickly, so that the experience of the earthquake is still fresh in everyone's mind.
1. Earthquake Preparedness for Artists
The first recommendation is to host a workshop/training for artists in general precautions to earthquake-proof their studios and work spaces. Hascall has prepared a step-by-step, easy to use guide for artists to earthquake-proof their studios (included at the end of this report).
Fifty-one percent of the artists surveyed wanted training in work space safety as well as general precautions on what to do during and after an earthquake.
2. Training on Loss Prevention in the Studio
The second action is to include a special section at the workshop on how to store artwork, equipment, supplies, materials and original slides both in studios, storage and while on display. Hascall has provided the fastest, most inexpensive methods for doing these things that are applicable to artists working in a variety of mediums including glass, ceramic, painting, and photography. Artists on tight budgets might opt to buy more painting supplies rather than getting the brackets or rope needed to make their studio safer. Hascall's approaches are simple and easy to execute.
Earthquake-proofing artwork does lessen damage. This is evidenced by the Seattle Arts Commission collection, which consists of 2,400 pieces of artwork on display in dozens of locations in Seattle. The Arts Commission had its entire collection exhibited with earthquake preparedness methods in 1998. The City lost only two pieces out of their collection due to the earthquake. Even in the severely earthquake-damaged Dexter Horton Building in downtown Seattle, there was no damage to the artwork on display.
3. Disseminate Information about Earthquake Insurance for Artwork
Artist resources, such as the Artist Trust website, may be used to disseminate information about earthquake insurance. However cost-prohibitive it might be, it could be a worthy choice in some cases. Information about homeowner's insurance that covers studio inventory for artists who have studios in their homes will be highlighted.
4. Disseminate Information about Crisis and Disaster Relief Resources for Artists
The fourth action would be to provide crisis services and disaster resource information on artist resource sites. Artists are resourceful people. The survey asked where artists turned to remedy their situations after the earthquake. Artists responded with a range of resources, from their credit cards, family and friends, to government and private foundation programs. Some sold equipment to get by while others worked temporary jobs.
The government resources included: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Disaster Unemployment (for self employed artists thru FEMA), Small Business Administration grants, the Independent Family Grants (thru FEMA) and the program partially funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, Artists' Quake Aid. The private foundations mentioned were: Pollock-Krasner Foundation and the Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation. The non-profit organization was the Craft Emergency Relief Fund.
5. Artists Should Analyze Their Gallery Contracts
Artists who exhibit or are represented by galleries usually have contracts (some do work on a verbal agreement basis as in Gallery Case Study #1) detailing the terms of their relationship for sales, commission, insurance, etc. The fifth recommendation is to urge artists to analyze their gallery contracts in order to be informed about whether the gallery carries earthquake insurance for their work during exhibitions or in storage.
6. Artists Should Work Closely With Their Galleries to Reduce Possible Damage to Their Artwork While in Storage
Artists should work with their galleries to insure that their work is stored using the safest methods to reduce the possibility of earthquake damage. This might not always be easy as two of the three gallery case studies stressed that the way artwork is moved around in storage makes it difficult to take full preventative measures. However, storing less inventory at galleries is another way to minimize the amount of possible damage (as mentioned by the gallery director in Case Study #3). Artists could take this into consideration when asked to store a large amount of inventory at their galleries.
