Los Angeles museum launches $12M fire emergency fund; Felix art fair continues

As the containment rate of the Los Angeles wildfires approaches 50%, the city begins to assess the damage caused by the past week – 180,000 people were forced to evacuate, 24 people lost their lives, and entire communities were reduced to rubble. In response, the city’s major museums quickly launched a $12 million emergency relief fund to support artists and cultural workers affected by the disaster. The Los Angeles Arts Community Fire Relief Fund is administered by the Center for Cultural Innovation, a San Francisco-based nonprofit focused on the financial security of artists and which receives significant donations. The Getty donated $9 million to form the backbone of the fund, along with the Mohn Art Collective (a partnership with the Hammer Art Center, LACMA, and MOCA). The momentum doesn’t stop there; major private foundations and institutions in the United States and beyond—including the Mellon Foundation, the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Qatar Museums, and The Ford Foundation—quickly followed suit, pushing the total amount of the fund ever higher.

“Los Angeles is a vibrant arts culture — we don’t want it to hit bottom, we don’t want artists who have lost their stuff to get up and leave, and we don’t want people to forget about them,” said J. Paul Getty Trust CEO Katherine E. Katherine E. Fleming said in a statement. The urgency of the situation has also prompted the business sector to take action, with heavyweight galleries such as Hauser & Wirth and Gagosian announcing contributions to relief efforts.

Meanwhile, Frieze has also joined in, although uncertainty still hangs over the fate of the Los Angeles edition, which is scheduled to take place in just two weeks. As people die and many survivors lose everything and become displaced, the question remains: Is it callous to continue holding an art fair under these circumstances—too surreal? Even if organizers push for it, who would actually be in the mood to buy art? Given that Santa Monica, where the fair is held, sits on the edge of this apocalyptic landscape, will collectors from outside Los Angeles be willing to travel?

While Frieze US director Christine Messineo remains silent, boutique satellite show Felix has taken a more outspoken stance. At a virtual conference organized by the Los Angeles Gallery Association, Felix confirmed that the show would go ahead as planned, as did Chris Sharp, founder of the eponymous gallery and the new small alternative fair Santa Monica Post. a little. The three-day event will be held near Frieze Santa Monica Airport and aims to provide an additional platform for galleries during the crisis.

“I believe the Los Angeles art community has proven itself to be incredibly organized and resilient. Now, more than ever, it needs to come together and express itself. Postponing or canceling upcoming Art Week and related fairs will only exacerbating the economic hardship caused by the fires,” Sharp told the Observer. “In addition to donating to numerous fundraisers, most importantly, the entire arts community can and should be present in Los Angeles during these difficult times and actively support it.” Meanwhile, Messeño was reportedly present on the call, but chose No public statements will be made.

See also: Reckoning with destruction: Calculating the impact of 2025 wildfires on Los Angeles artists

“We are committed to advancing Felix Art Fair and look forward to welcoming the art community to Los Angeles this coming February,” the fair said in a post on Instagram today. “As residents, we understand the profound impact of last week’s wildfires. The decision to continue the fair was based on dozens of conversations with artists, galleries, collectors, curators, and institutions across Southern California and beyond. This post also emphasizes noting the fair’s role in “amplifying the voices of local and international artists and galleries that make up our cultural fabric,” while emphasizing Los Angeles’ resilience as a key cultural and economic catalyst for the arts community. “The community quickly rallied around us as we raised funds and provided help where it was needed, while maintaining normal life in unaffected areas. With the same energy and determination, we are deeply committed to maintaining the health and stability of the arts ecosystem.

Felix Art Fair 2025 is expected to host 64 exhibitors at the iconic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which, ironically, has been providing temporary housing for evacuees displaced by the fire for the past week.

Major galleries such as David Kordansky and Lisson have expressed support for Felix’s decision, and they have been joined by several local dealers who believe that moving forward with Urban Art Week is not only a positive for the entire Industry is vital and a symbolic stance against further destruction of the cultural fabric of Los Angeles. Nicodim Gallery director Ben Lee echoed this sentiment in comments to Artnet, likening the moment to a New York Yankees game after 9/11, proving that the city is still open for business. Speaking to the Observer, he added: “Most of the arts community here is back to work, even those who lost everything. Los Angeles is still one of the best places in the world, especially in the winter. No one Help anyone by staying away and let’s showcase our artists together in this beautiful city.

There is no denying that people are trying to get back to normal and keep the arts industry going, but concerns remain. Rebuilding will take time, and air quality issues may not be resolved for weeks. Dealer Observer spoke to people at the opening this week in New York, many of whom had planned to show at Frieze next month but were skeptical. For them, continuing to hold a major business fair after such widespread losses is not only a matter of sensitivity; This is a financial risk. If collectors opt out, the event could prove to be a fiasco, deepening the woes of a gallery already emerging from a difficult year.

Regardless of Frieze’s final decision, Felix, the Santa Monica Post Office, and many local galleries appear determined to move forward and ensure that Los Angeles will still host Art Week. Whether Frieze follows suit — and how it builds the show to balance success with respect for affected communities — remains to be seen.

Update Jan. 17 at 5 p.m. ET: Frieze announces its 2025 Los Angeles edition will go ahead as planned

The fair announced in an email, “After careful consideration and extensive dialogue with galleries, partners, and stakeholders across the city, we can confirm that the sixth edition of Frieze Los Angeles will be held on February 20, 2025. Held from the 23rd to the 23rd.