08/15/2026
Standing with Quimbaya, Colombia.
On August 10, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Colombia, severely affecting Quimbaya and surrounding communities.
Our Program Director is currently in Quimbaya and, thankfully, she is safe. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has reached out to check on her, our artists, collaborators, families, and our MUSE Arts community. Your messages of concern, love, and solidarity mean so much to us.
We have already been in contact with artists in our network and their families to make sure they are safe.
At the same time, we recognize that the impact of this earthquake is different for every Quimbayuno and every Colombian affected. For many families, the days ahead will bring uncertainty, loss, displacement, damaged homes, and difficult decisions.
Quimbaya is not simply a place on a map for MUSE Arts. It is home to our Community Arts Residence in Colombia and an important part of our International Cooperation Program. It is a community that has welcomed us, inspired us, and shared its creativity and stories with artists from Colombia and beyond.
Right now, we believe it is important to allow emergency responders, engineers, health professionals, authorities, and other experts to do the urgent work of saving lives, assessing damage, and responding to immediate needs.
But we also know that reconstruction and recovery will take time.
And MUSE Arts will be there.
In the coming days, we will begin working with our local partners and allies to launch a campaign to support families affected in Quimbaya.
Our International Cooperation Program and our Community Arts Residence feel more relevant than ever. Art cannot replace emergency response, rebuild a damaged home, or repair infrastructure. But community, solidarity, creativity, and collective action can help people find strength and rise again.
For now, we are listening.
We are connecting.
We are standing with our community.
And when the time comes, we will join the work of rebuilding together.
Quimbaya, we are with you. ❤️🇨🇴
