a piece of sententious and possibly fatuous advice

Go buy something from a small and/or low-end gallery. The world's financial wizards have accomplished what the terrorists could not.

The time is now. The collapse of confidence becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, and it is far harder to rebuild networks than to keep them in precarious existence.

Only you know what your disposable income is at this point, and only you know which artspace you would miss most if it went away.

As it was not in September 2001, strategically situated spending is a patriotic act. At least as far the local artworld is concerned.

I know who I would like to recommend you do business with or donate to, but my opinion wouldn't mean much, anyway.

I do know that there are art institutions we can scarcely afford to lose, and too many of them operate too close to the edge in the best of times.

I would add that there are exceptionally cool objects on view right now at the institutions that will survive anything short of total apocalypse, and it would be shortsighted to forego seeing them just because those places don't need your money.

Just be aware that your present short-term decisions will affect the look of the long-term future in the entire community.