On February 26, during L.A. Art Week, more than 20 contemporary artworks will go under the hammer for a single purpose: long-term recovery in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa and in Los Angeles after the recent wildfires.
The auction, called Get Up Stand Up: Artists for Jamaica and Los Angeles, is a collaboration between CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) and TBA21 Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary. Every dollar raised goes directly to rebuilding efforts—no overhead, no administrative cut. The evening kicks off in Hollywood with live bidding at 8 p.m., then continues online for two weeks.
Why This Matters Right Now
The timing isn't accidental. Jamaica and Los Angeles face different disasters but share the same vulnerability. Jamaica, an island nation where hurricanes are intensifying, contributes almost nothing to global emissions yet bears the full weight of climate consequences. Los Angeles, a global city, just watched wildfires reshape entire neighborhoods. Both need sustained support long after the headlines fade.
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Start Your News DetoxAnn Lee, co-founder and CEO of CORE, framed the urgency plainly: "With every disaster, when the news moves on, so many communities are left without the support they need." CORE handles roughly a dozen crises a year. This isn't their first response—it's their pattern. They were founded after the 2010 Haiti earthquake and have been rebuilding ever since.
The artists backing this sale include Henry Taylor, Hank Willis Thomas, Hurvin Anderson, Alvaro Barrington, Nari Ward, Ernesto Neto, Tavares Strachan, and Alberta Whittle. Many draw directly from Caribbean histories and diaspora memory, which gives the work particular resonance—these aren't outsiders documenting a crisis, but artists with deep roots in the communities being helped.
The institutional weight is substantial too. Jodie Turner-Smith, Alicia Keys, Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean, and Sean Penn are on the host committee. Major galleries—Hauser & Wirth, Perrotin, Thaddaeus Ropac—donated works. The auctioneer is Simon de Pury, one of the art world's most respected voices.
What separates this from typical celebrity benefit auctions is the alignment. The artists have genuine ties to the regions. The foundation running it, TBA21, has been advocating for environmental action for years. The relief organization has boots on the ground in both Jamaica and Haiti. And it's happening during Art Week, when collectors are already in Los Angeles and thinking about art.
The reception ticket is $1,000. Bidding opens at 8 p.m. that evening, then moves online for two weeks. One hundred percent of proceeds fund CORE's long-term recovery work—the kind that happens after cameras leave, when a community still needs to rebuild.
