Two major earthquakes struck north-central Venezuela on 24 June 2026.
Source: USGS · July 2026VAEA emergency cultural relief initiative
Caracas Earthquakes Artists Relief Program
Restoring creativity. Rebuilding lives. Preserving Venezuela’s cultural heritage.
Dear friends,
The recent earthquakes in Venezuela have left many artists facing profound and unexpected loss. Homes, studios, archives, tools, instruments, artworks and essential materials have been damaged or lost in a matter of seconds.
For an artist, losing a workspace is not only the loss of a physical structure. It means losing part of one’s memory, livelihood, voice and ability to continue contributing to the cultural life of the country.
The Venezuelan American Endowment for the Arts — VAEA has created this emergency relief program to support affected artists and cultural workers, help protect their creative heritage and preserve an essential part of Venezuela’s cultural memory.
We invite individual donors, companies, foundations, artists, collectors and institutional partners to join this effort.
Ali Cordero Casal
Founder & Chairman
The Venezuelan American Endowment for the Arts — VAEAServire Hominum
Emergency Brief
Numbers help explain
the scale of the crisis.
This brief uses independent sources to provide context for donors,
partners and institutions for donors, partners and institutions.
IFRC maintains an emergency appeal to support the Venezuelan Red Cross response.
Source: IFRCACAPS identifies La Guaira, Caracas, Carabobo and Yaracuy among key areas of concern.
Source: ACAPS / ReliefWebArtists may lose workspaces, materials, archives and income at the same time.
VAEA programmatic reading based on independent sourcesSources monitored: USGS, IFRC, ACAPS and ReliefWeb. VAEA may update this section with additional verified figures without relying on Venezuelan government sources.
Why this matters
When an artist loses a studio, tools and archives, culture itself is at risk.
For many creators, the studio is not only a workplace: it is where memory is preserved, livelihoods are sustained and living cultural heritage is produced.
Supporting affected artists means protecting an essential part of Venezuela’s cultural fabric.
The program
Emergency assistance for affected artists and cultural workers.
The program will provide direct grants, documented application review and follow-up for cases prioritized according to need, material loss and recovery feasibility.
Support may help with:
- Replacing essential tools, materials or equipment.
- Recovering studios, archives and damaged works.
- Returning to professional activity more quickly.
- Preserving artistic memory and documentary heritage.
Who the program supports
Who the program supports and what recovery needs it may help cover.
The campaign is intended for artists, cultural workers, organizations and institutions affected by the earthquakes, with priority given to documented losses, financial need and the recovery of tools, workspaces, archives and essential creative materials.
Eligible applicants may include
- Professional visual artists.
- Musicians, composers, writers, poets and performers.
- Artisans, educators, researchers and students in arts programs.
- Cultural organizations, museums, galleries, libraries and nonprofits when resources permit.
Support is intended for
- Emergency financial grants.
- Materials, tools, instruments and professional equipment.
- Recovery of studios, workshops and cultural spaces.
- Preservation of artworks, archives and damaged cultural documentation.
Action pathways
Each audience should find
the right next step.
Individual donors
Contribute directly to the relief fund.
Donate nowAffected artists
Submit a request with basic information and initial documentation.
Apply for assistanceArtwork donors
Artists and collectors may propose artworks to support the program.
Donate an artworkInstitutional partners
Foundations, companies and cultural organizations can collaborate.
Explore partnershipDonate
Help Venezuelan artists
rebuild their
creative lives.
Your contribution supports the Caracas Earthquakes Artists Relief Program, created by VAEA to assist artists and cultural workers directly affected by the earthquakes.
Donations to VAEA, a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, may be tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
VAEA process
How VAEA will carry out
the program.
The program’s credibility depends on fundraising as well as the methodology used for review,
prioritization and follow-up.
Application received
Form intake and case registration.
Documentation review
Review of identity, discipline, location and reported damage.
Evaluation and prioritization
Assessment of need and available funding.
Grant decision
Support defined according to internal criteria.
Reconciliation and records
Control of campaign references and financial reporting.
Reporting and follow-up
Reports for partners, major donors and institutional leadership.
Assistance request
Submit a request for assistance.
This form gathers the basic information required for an initial review. VAEA may request additional documentation.
Before submitting
- Describe the loss suffered.
- Indicate your artistic discipline.
- Gather photographs or documentation.
- Explain the immediate need.
Artwork donation
Artists and collectors may support the program through artwork donations.
VAEA may receive artwork proposals intended for fundraising actions, auctions or special initiatives.
Institutional partnerships
Partner with VAEA to preserve cultural heritage and support recovery.
Foundations, companies, galleries, universities and diaspora networks may become strategic partners in amplifying the response and helping generate new support for the program.
VAEA can provide collaborating institutions with dedicated QR codes, concise outreach copy, digital campaign assets and coordinated calls to action, allowing each partner to activate support through its own community while preserving a consistent institutional message.
- Dedicated QR codes by institution, event or outreach channel
- Digital materials for donations, assistance requests or artwork donation proposals
- Activations through galleries, universities, companies and community networks
- General participation and outcome follow-up when verified data are available
Transparency and accountability
Responsible stewardship is central to the program.
VAEA will document applications received, assistance approved, funds distributed and general program progress, while respecting applicant privacy and donor preferences.
Documented review
Applications received, reviewed and prioritized under defined criteria.
Organized records
Internal follow-up of contributions, applications and program-related actions.
Periodic reporting
General summary of assistance, funds distributed, affected areas and disciplines.
Campaign documents
Materials for donors, foundations, press and the VAEA team.
Materials prepared to support press outreach, donor conversations, foundation proposals and cultural partnerships.
FundraisingCase for SupportCore document for donors, foundations and companies.ImpactBudget & Impact SummaryGoals, grant range, reporting and expected use of funds.OperationsDonation InstructionsDonation channels, operational steps and internal follow-up.PressPress ReleasePublic announcement for press, donors and institutional partners.
Together we can restore studios, careers and cultural memory.
Support VAEA in sustaining a dignified cultural response for affected artists.