The Art of Hurricane Preparedness: Resources for Artists

August 8, 2024 by Joanie Cox-Henry, BAJA

The last few hurricane seasons have spared South Florida. Every year, however, there is a risk between the active months of June 1 through Nov. 30 when the Atlantic hurricane season is at its peak.

For artists and museums, the effects of such a storm can be especially devastating – artwork damaged that can never be replaced, artists’ studios flooded, and expensive supplies ruined.

Miami-based artist Lara Gallardo says she plans to prepare her One Mind Lab art studio this hurricane season by making sure her artwork is covered and away from any areas where potential flooding could occur.

“Shield and protect,” says Gallardo, who also says she has insurance and recommends every artist have insurance against flooding.

She says that as much as she prepares, “it is nerve-wracking because our canvases are like our babies. We don’t want anything to happen.”

Photographer and designer Emiliano Brooks, who owns the creative studio Pixel Worx Delray, has been through many hurricanes in South Florida as well as typhoons in Japan. While the military veteran admits he doesn’t get overly anxious about storms, he does his due diligence to make sure his artwork is safe.

“None of my artwork is on the floor. A lot of it is on concrete (blocks).”

He also has other artists who exhibit at his studio and he’s ready if a hurricane watch is issued. “I would communicate with the artists exhibiting their work at my studio what their preferences were in how they wanted to protect their art.”

He talks about his studio and why he maintains vigilance about being prepared for any natural disaster that could strike. “This studio is an investment for the community,” says Brooks, “so protecting it and the art inside it is important to me.”

Young at Art Museum begins its hurricane prep long before the season starts.

Traci Leon, the museum’s CEO and Carolyn Tamboles, its CFO says they have a hurricane preparedness plan in place. They pay attention to weather reports and then, Tomboles says they “respond to those reports immediately.”

Computers and artwork are priorities to be protected because of their value, they say.

However, even after curating a hurricane prep agenda, it never hurts to have a plan B in place, too, since hurricanes and the days leading up to them can be just as unpredictable as the storms themselves.

“Have a backup plan,” recommends Tamboles.

Here are a few things artists can do to prepare before storm season arrives. If you haven’t started, it’s never too late.

PLAN AHEAD

Be personally prepared at home so that you can focus on what you need to

do to prepare your studio if it is offsite, or your gallery. Trying to get your home and studio ready when a storm is approaching is double trouble.

Be prepared for flooding as well as high winds. Make sure artwork and supplies are off the floor. Young at Arts’ Tamboles says they always have a supply of large plastic garbage bags on hand to protect artwork and paperwork from water damage. You can also wrap shelves, storage units and other important equipment in heavy plastic and secure it with waterproof tape.

Store items in such a way that they can be moved quickly and easily.

Record a visual inventory – either video or photos – of artwork, artmaking equipment and materials using your smartphone, then make notes of each item.

Upload critical business files to the Cloud or an External Hard Drive. Keep duplicates off-site.

Plan for ways that you could bring in some income from your work while recovering. For example, some artists have hired a professional art photographer to take high-quality photographs of their artwork so that they could sell prints of work that was lost.

A HURRICANE IS COMING

Get items at least one foot off the floor and away from windows.

Transport easily movable equipment or artwork to an off-site location that won’t be impacted by the storm.

Pack up easily portable tools, supplies and equipment.

EMERGENCY SUPPLIES

Just like having supplies on hand at home, having supplies at a studio are essential.

Food and water

Flashlight

Battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA weather radio

Extra batteries

First aid kit

Medications

Copies of vital personal and business documents and contacts

Cash

Broward.org has a PDF emergency kit checklist.

INSURANCE

CERF+, a group that was started by artists to focus on safeguarding artists’ livelihoods nationwide, recommends that artists in disaster prone areas have business insurance. Many times homeowners or renters’ insurance does not cover artwork. Look into Business Personal Property insurance, which cover the contents of an artist’s studio such as tools, equipment, raw materials, inventory in progress, finished products, valuable papers and records, and electronic data processing.

The insurance also covers the loss of income during the time you have to close your studio due to an emergency.

There are also other plans to consider or additional coverage that could help pay for the re-location of your studio if you suffer a total loss.

CERF+ provides a listing of plans and companies.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is managed by FEMA and is delivered to the public by a network of more than 50 insurance companies and the NFIP Direct.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Cerfplus.org offers a helpful checklist for artists to protect their studios during hurricane season. From assessing risk and planning to evacuate to stay in place to asset protection, a supply list and a communication plan, this could be a crucial tool for all artists to print out and consider this hurricane season. Get started here.

LOCAL

The official Broward County Hurricane Preparedness Guide can be downloaded here.

Sign up for the Emergency Alert Notification System

AlertBroward notifications will provide subscribers with important information in critical countywide situations such as a hurricane. This would include evacuations, curfews, and open shelters.

Text “AlertBroward” to 888777 to receive Emergency Notifications only (zip code is required).

Emergency hotline: 311 or 954-831-4000

County resources on social media

Stay connected before, during and after a storm:

X: @ReadyBroward

Facebook: facebook.com/BrowardCountyGovernment