CERF+ - the Artists Safety Net was started by artists for artists as a grassroots mutual aid effort in 1985 and has since emerged as the leading nonprofit organization that uniquely focuses on safeguarding artists’ livelihoods nationwide. CERF+ serves artists who work in craft disciplines by providing a safety net to support strong and sustainable careers. CERF+’s core services are education programs, advocacy, network building, and emergency relief. After a career-threatening emergency CERF+ provides direct and timely assistance to artists so that they can recover and get back to work as soon as possible. Since it was founded, CERF+ has provided almost $2 million in financial assistance and more than $400,000 in donated services to professional artists in craft disciplines nationwide.