Cumberland Furniture Guild Reviews Studio Protector in August, 2010 Newsletter
Cool Tool Review
A ‘Keep Your Cool’ Tool
By Scott Thompson
Like many people in Middle Tennessee, I found myself in an unfamiliar situation on Monday, May 3, 2010. I was in downtown Ashland City, which is located downstream from Nashville and very close to the Cumberland River. After record-breaking rains on Saturday and Sunday, the river was still rising. It had already completely covered Riverbluff Park, the public tennis courts, and several businesses between the courthouse and the river. I was just a few blocks away with about fifteen other people at a music and bookstore owned by some good friends of ours.
Though their store was on slightly higher ground, we were all having a fairly harried and chaotic conversation about how high and how fast the water might rise, what were the most valuable items in the business, what items were the most susceptible to water damage, what should we try to move to another location, what would be most helpful to get the business back in operation if it did completely flood, etc., etc.
read more... (see page 4)
Florida Artists Can Get Free Studio Protectors from the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs
June 24, 2010
Inspired by their experiences helping artists recover from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+) has created an essential tool to help all levels of artists prepare for and recover from natural disasters. The Studio Protector is an easy-to-use informational toolkit that no artist should be without.
"Having lived in Florida all of my life, I know the effects of hurricanes and volatile weather. [This] kit will help provide me with tools to survey the value of my artistic practice, studio and work, to document important information, and to understand how to recuperate and restore in the event of loss due to a natural disaster," says Janis Brothers, an individual artist in Live Oak.
This toolkit provides information and tips to help prevent the loss of a lifetime of irreplaceable work. Small measures taken in advance of an emergency and the proper emergency response can make a huge difference in reducing the loss and time it takes to rebound from a disaster. Florida artists can sign up to receive a Studio Protector kit provided by the Division of Cultural Affairs while supplies last.
To receive your Studio Protector, complete the online form.
Technology in the Arts Blog:
Emergency Preparedness for Artists, Part I:
Cover Your A’s
“Emergency preparedness is possibly the only topic in the world that is both terrifying and boring,” quips Studio Protector’s Craig Nutt.
Disaster planning is easy (and risky) to put off for another day. As we enter the Atlantic hurricane season, now is a good time to consider your own emergency preparedness. In this two-part series, we will look at resources that can help arts and culture organizations both prepare for and recover from flood, fire, and other disasters.
One resource specifically designed for artists and artisans is Studio Protector, an information toolkit created to help you “cover your A’s: Art, Assets, and Archives.”
Read more...
Arts Council of New Orleans offers Studio Protector as Membership Premium
CERF Studio Protectors Now Available, Free with Arts Council Membership
The Craft Emergency Relief Fund has just released its artist designed and tested toolkit to help artists become disaster ready and disaster resilient. The Studio Protector is a comprehensive digest of general, medium-specific and disaster-specific information that guides the user through all aspects of emergency management plus interviews with artists and experts.
The Arts Council is happy to announce that we will be providing
all artist members, whether you are
joining now, or have become or renewed your Arts Council membership in the last three months
one Studio Protector for free as a membership premium. You can also purchase one at cost from the Arts Council for $16 plus shipping.
To purchase your Studio Protector, or to request one as a membership premium if you joined in the last three months, please email
Gene Meneray.To view a video of the Studio Protector in action, please click here.
I AM An Artist, Seattle, WA, March 16, 2010. A fire outside the front door of Artist Trust prompted this blog post:
Protect Yourself And Your Art!
We arrived at Artist Trust this morning to discover that late last night there was a small, and thankfully contained, fire outside of our building. Someone had set fire to papers in the door portal outside of our office on Capitol Hill. Luckily it was extinguished before any real damage was caused. We're very thankful to the Seattle Fire and Police Departments for getting things under control so quickly, and we feel blessed that there was no human or long-term physical damage.
But it reminds us again how none of us is immune from disasters and how tools like the Studio Protector -- that covers the essential points of preparing for and recovering from emergencies -- can be oh-so-helpful with experiences like these. Have you gotten yours yet? Contact us to get yours today -- and be on the lookout for the Studio Protector offer during our upcoming membership drive.
Better Together: From the Desk of Janet Brown, March 16, 2010: In her blog "The Role of Artists in Recovery," about the Katrina@5 conference in New Orleans hosted by the Association of Small Foundations, March 22-24, Janet Brown of Grantmakers in the Arts said:
"One of the great organizations I’ve asked to present at the conference is CERF (Craft Emergency Relief Fund) and their executive director Cornelia Carey. CERF has recently put out a new tool to help individual artists prepare for emergencies. It is an extremely clever and useful tool entitled Studio Protector: The Artist’s Guide to Emergencies. You can get a glimpse or order this tool (it is very inexpensive) through their CERF’s website. Artists are unique in their tools and the product of their labor. The idea that water, fire, wind or tumbling buildings could destroy years of someone’s work is frightening. This tool helps artists understand what they need to do and how to do it. Every artist should have one and every funder of individual artists should know about it." ...more
Woodshop News, January 2010 issue: Wall chart focuses on shop emergencies, by Jennifer Hicks
Craft Emergency Relief Fund offers the Studio Protector, which details how to prevent damage from workshop disasters
The Craft Emergency Relief Fund has created the Studio Protector, a calendar-sized wall chart that features wheel charts and pull-out booklets covering the essential points of preparing for and recovering from emergencies.
CERF, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the careers of craft artists throughout the U.S., focuses heavily on emergency relief support for artists.
CERF leaders felt compelled to make the Studio Protector available to artisans...more
Washington, DC; November 3, 2009. The Studio Protector was introduced to the national arts and emergency response communities in Washington, DC on November 3, 2009 at the offices of Americans for the Arts. In attendance were members of the CERF board and staff, and representatives from Red Cross, FEMA, SBA, Dept. of Homeland Security, Americans for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery, Heritage Preservation, American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works, and others. Reporter Stephanie Kaye filed the following two reports on WAMU radio, the Washington, DC NPR affiliate:
Studio Protector Guide Grows Out Of Disaster
Source: wamu.org
November 06, 2009 - Whether it's tornadoes, fires or floods, a new natural disaster toolkit is helping artists prepare for emergencies.
Lessons for Artists During Natural Disaster
Source: wamu.org
November 07, 2009 - A new emergency toolkit for artists may hold lessons for the public at large. Members of CERF, the Craft Emergency Preparedness Fund created the Studio Protector, relying on lessons learned by artists during Hurricane Katrina, like furniture maker Russell Karkowski. It's hard to believe it's gonna happen yet it does happen, says Karkowski. A flood is not water. A flood is a toxic substance usually.