Hurricane Melissa relief: artists and art organisations lead fundraising efforts for devastated Caribbean

"One month after Hurricane Melissa struck the Caribbean, causing an estimated $48bn-$52bn in damage and more than 100 deaths, artists and art organisations both within the region and abroad continue to mobilise in support of ongoing relief efforts. The hurricane made landfall in Jamaica with record-breaking intensity, causing more than $9bn in destruction on the island as buildings flooded and collapsed, including a significant number of colonial-era heritage sites."

"The National Gallery of Jamaica in Kingston, which had previously shared a on how to secure their work in case of hurricanes or tropical storms, was one of several museums on the island to close ahead of the storm. Earlier this month, it launched a through its western branch, the National Gallery West, to aid people in Western Jamaica, one of the hardest hit regions. Volunteers are helping coordinate the distribution of emergency supplies, working alongside humanitarian groups."

""We thought no one would show up to that first exhibition but everyone did, and we actually sold around $10,000 worth of art," says Cory Torres Bishop, a co-founder of the platform, who has a Puerto Rican and Crucian background. "After we did the first zine, we thought this was a good way to continue bringing awareness. People don't realise that, once it's out of the news, people are still struggling.""

Hurricane Melissa struck the Caribbean one month ago, causing an estimated $48bn–$52bn in damage and more than 100 deaths. The storm made landfall in Jamaica with record-breaking intensity, inflicting over $9bn in destruction, flooding and collapsing buildings and damaging many colonial-era heritage sites. Museums and galleries closed ahead of the storm and have since mobilised relief efforts. The National Gallery of Jamaica activated support through its National Gallery West branch, coordinating volunteers and emergency supply distribution with humanitarian groups. A New York-based artist-led platform has led fundraising and publishing projects since 2017 and has raised part of its $5,000 goal.

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