As Los Angeles is engulfed in flames, the illusion that wealth can shield individuals from climate disasters is rapidly disintegrating. The continuing wildfires have not discriminated, consuming the homes of A-list celebrities and everyday Angelenos alike. This shared devastation underscores a critical truth: in the face of escalating climate emergencies, class distinctions offer no refuge.
The fires of Los Angeles: a shared catastrophe
The relentless wildfires have ravaged affluent neighborhoods such as Pacific Palisades, reducing opulent estates to ashes. Actors and musicians, including Mandy Moore, Adam Brody, and Billy Crystal, have seen their homes destroyed. Yet, beyond the celebrity headlines, countless Angelenos have lost everything, often without the financial safety nets that the wealthy might possess.
Exacerbating this crisis is the recent trend among insurance companies to withdraw coverage for fire damage in high-risk areas. Homeowners who have dutifully paid premiums for decades now find themselves unprotected, abandoned by the very institutions that once promised security.
In the entertainment industry, the drive to maintain production schedules has led studios to compel film crews to work under hazardous conditions – thick smoke, unpredictable evacuations, and extreme heat – prioritising profits over human safety.
The immediate call to “rebuild” after such disasters often overlooks a fundamental question: Rebuild what, exactly? The same sprawling developments in fire-prone zones? The same studios and mansions on unstable ground? Climate barbarism is not a future threat – it’s here. Each reconstruction without addressing the core issues of environmental degradation – and the few who profit from it – merely invites the next catastrophe.
Moreover, the true strength of a city lies in its people. In the wake of the fires, acts of solidarity have emerged as beacons of hope. Individuals have opened their homes to offer shelter, provided safe havens for pets, and distributed essential supplies. Mask Blocs are distributing free respirator masks. Additionally, the Pasadena Humane Society is assisting animals injured or displaced by the fires. Indigenous communities offer invaluable knowledge in fire management and ecological balance. Their time-honored practices could guide us in creating environments that coexist harmoniously with nature’s cycles.
Such community-driven efforts highlight the importance of mutual aid in times of crisis.
The exploitation of a global health crisis
While flames consume the West Coast, a more insidious crisis continues to afflict the worldwide performance community: the Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 continues to devastate the performing arts, with illness-related cancellations at an all-time high. On Broadway, Audra McDonald’s Gypsy was forced to cancel seven out of eight holiday performances, and Romeo and Juliet saw four understudies step in (one with script in hand). Meanwhile, across the pond David Tennant’s Macbeth on London’s West End had four illness-related cancellations and only returned to the stage with the support of six understudies.
This relentless churn of illness has exposed performers to an occupational hazard that was once unthinkable. High-profile artists such as Matt McGorry, Alyssa Milano, Colin Farrell, and Dave Navarro have spoken out about debilitating symptoms that threaten their careers. Long Covid has become a grim spectre for artists who rely on their stamina, vocal strength, and physical agility. Researchers estimate that one in twenty people worldwide suffer from Long Covid, and this number is exponentially rising.
Yet, while performers struggle, mega corporations potentially profit.
Pandemic profiteering
Cancellations can lead to cost savings, as last-minute show halts may reduce expenses related to staff compensation and operational costs. Additionally, ticket holders left in the lurch might not always receive timely refunds, inadvertently benefiting the bottom line of large theatre conglomerates. Moreover, business interruption insurance policies often exclude coverage for Covid-19-related losses, classifying them as foreseeable risks, leaving performers and smaller production companies vulnerable.
A handful of elites are profiting from the ongoing devastation of people’s health. Billionaires like Elon Musk have been accused of spreading misinformation about the virus and vaccines. Private equity firms have capitalised on the increased demand for long-term care facilities, which will be the ultimate destination for countless people experiencing post-acute COVID health conditions, investing heavily in the sector. Pharmaceutical companies have also seen substantial profits from the pandemic due to the exponential increase in long-term illnesses in all sectors of society.
Authoritarianism’s assault on artistic expression
As climate disasters and pandemics wreak havoc, a political storm is brewing. Globally, far-right movements are actively working to dismantle democracies and suppress dissent, with artists often among the first targets.
In Russia, the persecution of cultural figures has intensified, with the country ranking among the world’s top jailers of writers. Playwrights like Svetlana Petriychuk and directors such as Zhenya Berkovich have been sentenced to prison on charges of “justifying terrorism” through their work, despite their art opposing such ideologies. Musicians expressing anti-war sentiments have been detained, and cultural figures are fleeing the country to escape persecution.
Historically, the arts have suffered under authoritarian regimes. During the Nazi era, Germany’s vibrant film industry was co-opted into a propaganda machine, brutally silencing dissent. Celebrated Weimar-era actor Conrad Veidt, known for his roles in films like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Casablanca, was incarcerated and tortured as a political prisoner for his opposition to the Nazis, ultimately fleeing the country and dedicating his career to fighting fascism while in exile.
Ending disaster capitalism: building resilience through solidarity
What we see today is not isolated incidents but a concerted global effort. Far-right movements are bolstered by significant financial and political resources, destabilising democratically elected governments in favour of reactionary regimes. This destabilisation not only threatens democracy but also directly undermines the arts, which thrive on freedom of expression and pluralism.
At the heart of these crises lies disaster capitalism. When communities lose their homes, health, and livelihoods, the ultra-wealthy exploit their vulnerability. From buying devalued properties after wildfires to profiting from the cancellation of cultural events and the devastation of people’s health, these elites hoard resources while exacerbating inequality. It is a deliberate strategy – profiting from annihilation while leaving the rest of us to fend for ourselves.
The interconnected crises of climate barbarism, pandemic devastation, and authoritarianism demand an equally interconnected response. Rebuilding must not mean restoring the systems that created these catastrophes but rather imagining and creating entirely new paradigms.
New paradigms
- Mutual Aid Networks:
The response to the fires in Los Angeles offers a blueprint for the power of mutual aid. From neighbours opening their homes to the LA Mask Bloc distributing respirator masks, everyday Angelenos have stepped up where systems have failed. Rebuilding must centre these grassroots efforts, with communities organising to pool resources, provide shelter, and share knowledge.
- Prioritising Indigenous Leadership:
Fire resilience and land stewardship practices developed by Indigenous communities are essential to any sustainable future. Their knowledge must guide urban planning, disaster prevention, and ecological restoration, supported by state and private investment.
- Protecting Performers and Workers:
In the performing arts, worker-led safety measures are vital. On-site molecular testing, improved ventilation, and comprehensive sick leave policies must become industry standards. Unions must hold mega corporations accountable for prioritising profit over health, and governments must legislate protections for vulnerable workers.
- Global Solidarity Against Authoritarianism:
The arts community must join forces across borders to resist the rise of the far-right. Funding asylum programmes for persecuted artists, resisting authoritarian regimes, and amplifying voices of dissent are essential steps. International coalitions of artists and activists can provide both resources and visibility to those fighting for freedom of expression.
- Ending Disaster Capitalism:
Governments must enact regulations to prevent profiteering in times of crisis. This includes anti-eviction protections, restrictions on speculative land purchases, and policies ensuring that relief funds reach affected communities rather than corporate interests. Public ownership of key resources and infrastructure can provide stability where private interests have failed.
- Investing in Public Infrastructure and the Arts:
Robust public investment in healthcare, housing, and the arts is essential to breaking the cycle of exploitation. The arts, in particular, must be protected as a public good, with funding structures that shield them from corporate profit motives and ensure accessibility for all.
Imagining a just future
Climate barbarism is the defining challenge of our time. Its interconnected crises reveal the fragility of our current systems and the urgent need for transformation. The arts have always been a mirror to society and a vessel for imagining new possibilities. Today, they stand at the crossroads of annihilation and renewal.
The temptation for the wealthy is to attempt to “build better fortresses” to protect themselves, but these fires demonstrate that this is futile. Silicon Valley millionaires are powerless to stop the wildfires constantly devastating their communities Northern California. Billionaires are constructing bunkers in places like New Zealand and Hawaii, but the most well-resourced celebrities will never amass the kind of wealth required to permanently escape these crises.
Instead, we must invest in strengthening our communities. A-list performers are already setting an example. In Wales, which is experiencing climate devastation and where arts funding has been brutally cut, actor and philanthropist Michael Sheen has stepped in to save the National Theatre in Wales. Sheen is using his personal wealth to rebuild the institution as a hub of Welsh cultural programming and a centre for transformative change for the whole world. His example highlights how those with greater resources can support not only survival but also the flourishing of art and community in the ashes of catastrophe.
By lifting one another up, those in the industry can ensure that the arts are not only preserved but also serve as a beacon of resilience and imagination, offering a way forward where we not only survive this crisis, but through our energy and creativity co-create a new, collective vision of resilience.
Featured image via the Canary
