Emergency Disaster Preparedness
A fire, flood or tornado can strike without warning. An artists' work is their livelihood. Be prepared for an emergency by taking steps in advance of a disaster.
Insurance
Review/Purchase: Your homeowner’s or renter’s policy probably does not cover property in or liability for your studio
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Investigate business insurance options for studio contents, liability, loss of income and disability:
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Understand what your insurance covers and does not cover.
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Special insurance is required for flood damage. Floodsmart.gov has a tool to assess your flood risk and to get estimates for the cost of flood insurance.
Art
Safeguard: Know the physical properties of your art materials (stability, vulnerabilities, etc.)
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Avid exposure to excessive heat, light, humidity, magnetic fields (tape) and to rapid changes in heat and humidity.
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Keep artwork in proper storage units (boxes, shelves, racks, etc.) at least 6” off the floor.
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Store art in well-ventilated area, free from dust/dirt and away from hazardous materials and equipment.
Digital Files
Back- Up and Store: Hard drives fail periodically even without a disaster.
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Do periodic backups of your hard disk and other storage media.
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Make multiple copies (CD, DVD, external hard drive, or flash drive) and keep them in different places.
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Store backup copies at a safe, off-site location (SOL*) or an online storage site.
Portfolio
Copy and Store: Document artwork and store copies off-site (SOL*).
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Create a high-resolution digital portfolio and put it onto CD, DVD or portable drive.
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Make multiple copies; keep them in different places including a safe, off-site location (SOL*).
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Upload images to an online archive or artist registry and keep updated.
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Duplicate photography, tapes and other materials documenting your artwork and store off-site (SOL*).
Documents
Copy and Store: Protect originals and store duplicates off-site (SOL*).
Duplicate:
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Resume
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Contracts
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Legal papers
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List of contacts
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Insurance policies
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Financial and tax records
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Artwork valuation records
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Notes relating to your creative process
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Lists of inventory and supplies
Workspace
Safeguard: Document contents of studio (photo, video or paper inventory) and store off-site (SOL*).
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Install smoke and fire alarms and fire extinguishers.
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Keep hazardous materials in appropriate containers stored in approved fireproof cabinets away from ignition sources.
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Properly dispose of oily rages and other hazardous waster.
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Secure all points of entry and install a burglar alarm system.
For more information on emergency disaster preparedness, check out the Craft Emergency Relief Fund.
* SOL (Safe Off-site Location): A place 50-100 miles away from your studio to store copies or your images and records. |
