No one equates artists with firefighters or EMTs. But artists, as Californians for the Arts CEO Julie Baker likes to say, are “second-responders.” When we feel utterly alone, they remind us of our humanity and reunite us with our brethren. When we need to keen with grief, they give voice to our sorrows. When our surroundings crumble to ash, they envision new worlds and nudge us toward them. That’s true of rock stars and Academy Award nominees, but it’s also true of makeup artists, cleaning staff, stage managers, security guards, wardrobe assistants and riggers.