Happening now: CERF+'s Summer Campaign has Begun!
Dr. Richard Kurin, the Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-Large, joined the CERF+ board for lunch during their spring meeting in Washington D.C. on April 26. The insight he shared with respect to Russia’s attack on Ukrainian culture and our collective responsibility to protect Ukrainian heritage felt so poignant and pertinent to our community that we […]
After 25+ years of leadership at CERF+, Cornelia Carey has announced that she will step down as executive director in October 2022. During her tenure, Carey has guided CERF+ through extraordinary growth and evolution from its early years as a grassroots mutual aid initiative to a national leader in the emerging field of arts emergency […]
February 3, 2022 The House Small Business Committee Chairwoman, The Honorable Nydia M. Velázquez In re: “The Power, Peril and Promise of the Creative Economy” It is an honor for the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (DBA CERF+ – The Artists Safety Net) to submit this written testimony in response to the House Small Business Committee’s […]
CERF+ – the Artists Safety Net is pleased to announce we have been approved to receive an American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to help the arts and cultural sector recover from the pandemic. CERF+ is recommended to receive $100,000, and the organization will use the special operating funds […]
CERF+ concluded its annual board meeting yesterday, which was held virtually. Lively discussions about new programs, fundraising initiatives, and exciting opportunities for CERF+ in the coming year filled the day. The board honored departing board members, Donald Friedlich, Reed McMillan, and Paul Sacaridiz and welcomed five new members: Vivian Beer, Molly Bell, Dan Friday, Marjorie […]
During a year of unprecedented tragedy and weather-related disasters of historic proportions, CERF+ — The Artists Safety Net provided over $1.2 million in direct relief assistance to 815 materials-based craft artists across the nation and its territories – a record-breaking number for the 36-year-old Vermont-based nonprofit. This is just one milestone in a long list […]
CERF+ — the Artists Safety Net is offering a fourth round of COVID-19 Relief Grants. The $1,000 grants are for artists working in craft disciplines who are facing dire circumstances due to food, housing, and/or medical insecurities as a result of the ongoing pandemic. In the first three cycles of the program, CERF+ awarded 888 grants […]
Tomorrow, June 19, marks the 156th anniversary of Juneteenth – a holiday that recognizes the emancipation of African Americans and commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Recognizing the historical significance of this day, CERF+ is celebrating and honoring Black artists and Black-led arts organizations by sharing some of the outstanding artists and […]
KNOW YOUR RISKS: What assets are critical to your artistic career? What can you least afford to lose? What’s most important to you in your artistic practice? What kinds of emergencies are you vulnerable to based on your geography, the materials you use, or the space where you make your work? How would […]
Kevin Pourier – Oglala Lakota Buffalo Horn Artist, Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota Kevin Pourier has spent the past 30 years as an artist with a rather unique medium, buffalo horn. He carves the buffalo horn into jewelry, traditional buffalo horn cups and spoons, boxes, sunglasses, thimbles, and stand-alone sculptures. His talents have taken him […]
