A hurricane, a flood, a studio fire, or a health crisis; any of these can strike without warning and threaten the career of a craft artist. CERF+ responds to career-threatening emergencies with assistance focused on helping the artist get back to work as soon as possible.
Because emergency assistance alone is often not enough to ensure recovery of a business, CERF+ is committed to helping artists build more resilient businesses and to prepare for unexpected threats to their careers.
CERF+’s emergency relief programs provide assistance to help sustain a craft artist’s career when an emergency occurs. Emergency relief assistance includes:
CERF+ provides grants and no-interest loans.
Show promoters offer qualifying applicants booth fee reductions or waivers for select shows.
CERF+ offers qualifying applicants discounts on and/or donations of craft-related supplies and equipment.
CERF+ provides training, information, and resources to help craft artists prevent emergencies and to protect themselves and their businesses when emergencies occur.
While CERF+’s primary focus is on emergency relief, recovery, and readiness services, CERF+ also works to advance craft artists’ careers.
CERF+ promotes and advances issues related to emergency relief response, preparedness, and prevention for craft artists within the cultural, business, insurance, and human services sectors. Beyond its direct services to craft artists, CERF+ actively engages in documentation, analysis, and information dissemination about the status and needs of craft artists to public and private decision-makers at the state, regional, and national levels.