2026 CERF+ Field Survey: What We Heard from Craft Artists

In 2026, the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+) conducted a national field survey to better understand the conditions shaping the lives and work of craft artists across the country, including those living and working in U.S. Territories and tribal communities. We heard from over 500 craft artists and spoke with craft leaders across the field about what they are experiencing and seeing in their communities. Join Ruby Lopez Harper, Executive Director of CERF+, and Alexis Green, theatremaker, program producer, community engagement strategist, and Founder and Director of (X) Collective, as they share what we heard and learned. The conversation will look at artists’ financial realities, readiness and risk, changes in the craft marketplace, and barriers to accessing resources and support. We’ll also look at what surprised us, what reinforced what we’ve been hearing from craft artists, and what we can carry forward from what we learned.