International SWAN Day (Support Women Artists Now Day) will celebrate its 10th anniversary on Saturday, March 25, 2017. The holiday, also observed throughout the months of March and April, highlights the creative feats of female artists and their audiences.
The holiday encourages women to celebrate, appreciate and honor fellow women in their creative endeavors. It serves as a call to action to connect with artists, via participation in their work or a direct connection via phone call, email or social media outreach.
Since International SWAN Day’s launch, thousands of events have been held in at least 36 countries (including a celebration in Nairobi, Kenya with more than 700 people in attendance). In the United States, the holiday was officially recognized by the mayors of New York, Boston, San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and Portland along with several smaller cities.
SWAN Day has also found famed supporters in writers Isabel Allende and Arlene Goldbard along with actresses Famke Janssen and Sandra Oh.
Originating in Chicago, SWAN Day began as a way to connect women artists and women audience members; a collaboration between WITASWAN (Women in the Audience Supporting Women Artists Now) founder Jan Lisa Huttner and WomenArts Executive Director Martha Richards. “On SWAN Day we celebrate our global unity and also the unique individual voices of the women artists next door,” said Richards. “There are thousands of talented women artists all over the world who are making wonderful contributions to their communities year after year. SWAN Day is a day to recognize and thank these women.”
Find out how you can participate in SWAN Day events or create your own: https://www.womenarts.org/swan/swan2/participate/
© Brigid K. Presecky (3/16/17) FF2 Media
Photo Credits: WomenArts
