Support Women Artists Now!

by Dorothee Royal-Hedinger · 2009-03-12 14:12:00 UTC
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It's that special time of year again! Not only is March Women's History Month, it's also a time to celebrate women artists around the world.

SWAN Day is an international holiday started in March 2008 by the Fund for Women Artists to inspire communities to recognize and support the creative contributions of women in their region.

Everyone is invited! Your SWAN Day event can be a party, performance, exhibit, rally, parade, auction, or any other activity that draws attention to women artists and/or raises money for women artists.  It can be on March 28th or any time in March or early April. You can share your event with supporters around the world by posting your event on the SWAN Day Map at http://events.womenarts.org.

Here are some ideas from the Fund for Women Artists about how you can make this month special:

1)  CELEBRATE WITH YOUR FRIENDS OR CO-WORKERS

  • Go to Women's Events - Gather your friends to go to an arts event featuring women or to watch a film by women. Check our SWAN Day Map, to find out if anyone has organized a SWAN Day event in your area.

  • Get Inspired - Get together with friends and tell each other stories about women artists who inspire you.  Make gifts or write letters together to send to your favorite women artists.
  • Host a Trunk Show - Host a "trunk show" party where a woman artist in your community can display and sell her art or craft items to your guests.

2)  SHOW YOUR FAVORITE WOMEN ARTISTS THAT YOU CARE

  • "Do It Yourself" SWAN Day Awards - Organize a party and ask everyone to make a small donation when they come. Use the money to create your own "SWAN Day Award".  (If 10 people give $10 each you can make a $100 award.) Discuss your favorite women artists, and decide as a group who should receive the award.  Send the artist the money with a note explaining that she has received a SWAN Day Award as part of the second international Support Women Artists Now Day.  If you have time, you can send out a press release!
  • Take Up a Collection - Find a woman artist that you would like to support, and then take up a collection at your workplace or at the next meeting of your favorite social group, club, or church group. Send the artist the money and tell her how much you appreciate her work. You can search the WomenArts Network by theme or keyword to find women artists or women-led arts organizations that are working on issues that your group cares about.
  • Personal Celebrations - Send letters or gifts to your favorite women artists and wish them a happy SWAN Day.  You can search for women artists by name, theme, geographic region, art form and more on the WomenArts Network.

Who are your favorite women artists and how do you plan to support them this month? Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Photo via amayzun

Dorothee Royal-Hedinger
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