With everyone across the country, we are devastated by the destruction in Los Angeles this week.
 
The OPERA America team has been in touch with our members — artists, administrators, trustees, and others — throughout the greater LA area. Many of them have been evacuated and a number of them have lost their homes. Even those whose homes were spared are experiencing the trauma of fear and uncertainty.

 
To our friends in Los Angeles: 

We have collected a broad selection of resources available to you, below. Please turn to these local organizations for assistance and support, and let us know if there are ways OPERA America can help you.

To our many friends who want to help: 

Consider making donations to these organizations that are lending support to the music workers impacted by this disaster.

• Entertainment Community Fund
• Sweet Relief Musicians Fund
• MusiCares 
• LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund
• American Red Cross, Los Angeles Region
• Divas from Coast to Coast

Thank you for coming together to aid in the recovery from this disaster. The arts have an important role to play in restoring community and healing. Our work has just begun and will continue.

Resources for Those Impacted

• Emergency Financial Assistance is available through:
  • FEMA
  • Entertainment Community Fund 
  • Sweet Relief Musicians Fund 
  • Divas from Coast to Coast
• For guides to Los Angeles support services including shelters, mental health resources, and more, visit:
  • Mutual Aid Los Angeles Network 
  • 211LA
• For additional lists of resources:
  • The Center for Cultural Innovation has compiled an expansive list of emergency and disaster funds for artists
    here.
  • Arts for LA has compiled a list of resources here.
• For organizations seeking support for how to respond during this disaster, check out:
  • Disaster Response for Performing Arts Organizations webinar recording from the Performing Arts Readiness Project
  • National Coalition for Arts Preparedness and Emergency Response: Arts Field Guide to Federal Disaster Relief

Guidance for Singers Experiencing Poor Air Quality

Provided by Dr. Michael Johns of the USC Voice Center, the Official Healthcare Provider for LA Opera and the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program. With thanks to Paul Hopper, Senior Director, Artistic Planning, LA Opera.

1. Avoidance as best as possible: Use recirculate mode in the car, keep windows closed, and add air filtration/filters as able.
2. Use nasal irrigations/neti pot to rinse irritants that deposit in the nose.
3. Use saline or steam nebulization/surface hydration - to moisten mucous membranes topically.
4. Use a humidifier to combat dry air.
5. Minimize unnecessary voice use. In an irritated and inflamed environment, vocal folds have less resilience and so resting whenever possible makes sense.
6. Be seen by a fellowship-trained laryngologist for assessment