SWAN Day 2020 Re-Cap

This year marked the 13th Annual SWAN Day and boy was it a fabulous one! While many events faced cancellations due to COVID19, we were so inspired by the ways the arts community innovated to translate the vitality of in-person events to online, accessible spaces.

We seeing all of the new and existing content from incredible women and non-binary artists all over the globe being shared online as well. The many live events, digital portfolios, studio tours, shout outs, and comments circulating online spaces offered so much vital connection in a time of social distancing. Here’s a highlight reel of just some of the thrilling content that was shared!

Highlights from Virtual SWAN Day Spaces:

Through Women’s Eyes International Film Festival: Best Feature Winner "SEEMA", Directed by Macherie EKWA. Check out the trailer for this powerful and devastating film here:

Read & Rant is a new online book club hosted by Athena Project Arts! Click the image below to learn how you can participate:

Spoken word poet Shruti Chauhan is a featured artist this year with the "She Growls UK Poetry Tour". Here is Shruti performing her poem entitled "Relations".

Jasmine Gardosi is also a featured artist for the 2020 "She Growls UK Poetry Tour". Here is Jasmine performing her poem 'She' live at Funkenteleky in Birmingham:

Artist, author, and vlogger Gwenn Seemel shared a video called "Art in the time of Mass Suffering".

Panya Banjoko, a third featured artist from the "She Growls UK Poetry Tour”, performs her poem “Otobong Nkanga, Taste of a Stone”.

Frida Kahlo's legacy has inspired decades of artists to be bold, follow their path, and break down boundaries. Watch as multimedia artist Alexa Meade transforms musician and singer/songwriter Ely Guerra into living, breathing artwork inspired by Frida Kahlo’s work, life and legacy.:

The Resistance Revival Chorus has been hosting live virtual concerts! Click the image below to watch a recording from their last concert!

Megan Hicks is a featured artist this year at the Women's Storytelling Festival Video Viewing Partay! Here she is at the West Chester Story Slam in 2015:

SWAN DAY CT Presented Jennifer Hill (AKA The Murderous Chanteuse) in a Live Stream Concert! Click the image below to watch a recording of this concert!

Stories are our medicine. Listen to Oanh Ngo Usadi's beautiful story via The Moth, featured as part of the Women’s Storytelling Festival. Her story, “Sandwiches & Neighbors”, is about when she and her family arrived in Texas from Vietnam with high hopes and an American Dream.

Femspectives is hosting a fabulous at-home virtual Feminist Film club every Thursday night! Join the party to watch and discuss with other filmmakers and film lovers!

Spoken Soul Festival had a truly incredible lineup of artists last year. Here is one of their featured artists, Reshma Anwar performing her original piece “Runaway”.

HowlRound Theatre Commons plus a group of artists, arts administrators, and others from around the US to discuss how COVID-19 is impacting freelance artists (those who identify as independent contractors) in this powerful panel. The conversation focuses on shared resources (legal, advocacy, how to take your work virtual, finding emergency funding, and financial best practices in crisis) and building and grounding the national community.

Rebecca Jay (Nelems) was the winner of the Women’s Freedom Song Contest with her original song "Stealing Me Back From You". Give it a listen!

Special thanks to: Jamie Bilgo Bruchman of SWAN Day MKE, Sophie Dowllar of SWAN Day Kenya, Jennifer Hill of SWAN Day CT, Deborah Magdalena of SWAN Day Miami, Charné & Rachel of SWAN Day Chicago, Christine Kellogg of SWAN Day Pensacola, Vanessa Gendron of SWAN Day Prague, Sheila Kalkbrenner of SWAN Days Allegany County, Karin Hendricks of SWAN Day Central Coast, Deborah Gaffney of SWAN Day Houston, Martha Richards of WomenArts, Michaela Goldhaber and Bay Area WTF, Brenda Foley of The Bridge Initiative, Kristen van Ginhoven of WAM Theatre, Jennie Webb of Los Angeles Women’s Female Playwright Initiative, Avis Boone of Women in the Arts & Media Coalition, the League of Professional Theatre Women, SAG-AFTRA, The Kilroys, and so many others. You inspire us everyday!

Additional SWAN Day 2020 Blog Posts:

WTF North Carolina: Theatre-making in Virtual Spaces

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Support Women Artists Now Day is this Saturday, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you online. Today we’re spotlighting Women’s Theatre Festival North Carolina, and their SWAN Day related events! WTF, now in its 5th year, is bringing their work into virtual spaces for all of us to enjoy from the comfort of our homes. Scroll to the bottom of this feature to catch details on their upcoming events (the first of which is happening tonight!).

Photo via Proctor Photographics, WTFNC 2018

As theaters sent emails en masse to inform audiences of their plans to postpone planned productions or close runs early, WTF, fortunate to be far from the next scheduled production, believed the best way to serve the community in this moment was to provide an outlet to engage in discussions around great plays. The WTF community helped Executive Artistic Director Johannah Maynard Edwards choose Dance Nation by Clare Barron to read and discuss, and before they knew it, nationally acclaimed artists quickly joined WTF’s panel, live-streamed on Twitch. 

Thus began WTF’s Virtual Plays Club, filling the great need theater artists have to experiment and, more importantly, keep making and sharing art:  “The community grew fast and playwrights were eager to not only participate but to really get inventive with us in exploring what might be possible,” Johannah recalls. “In some ways, our theatre community was just made really small by forcing us all into our homes, but in other ways, it has expanded exponentially in that, suddenly, geographic proximity is no longer a barrier.”

Now WTF has committed to weekly panel discussions each Monday night, and live play readings each Thursday night to keep their community of artists thriving! Last week was Albemarle by Caridad Svich. “I have been experimenting with virtual and digital performance for some years,” Caridad shared, “often through grass-roots schemes such as this one. I am interested in how we can re-think [the] theatre's liveness in virtual realms, especially as a medium that can be accessible (in all ways) and reach more people, even through humble means.”

“Even beyond this pandemic, there are tons of reasons why people cannot always attend live events,” Mikki Stith, Marketing and Communications for Theatre Raleigh and WTF’s Twitch Consultant explains. “Right now, organizers are learning that we shouldn't penalize people for not attending our in-person events; We should accommodate them. Nothing is ever as good as being in ‘the room where it happens,’ so streaming your event does not cheapen the in-person experience. It is a chance to welcome people who otherwise couldn't participate, and I hope that everyone sees the incredible opportunity that streaming has to offer artists."

Upcoming Virtual Events:

WTF's Virtual Playreading Book Club Presents Natural Shocks by Lauren Gunderson

A live-stream virtual "staged" reading of the play, followed by a group discussion.

Date: Thursday, March 26, 7:30 p.m. EST

Virtual location: Watch it here: https://www.twitch.tv/wtheatrefestivalnc (no Twitch account needed)

SWAN Day Panel & Community Discussion: Taking the Patriarchy Out of Directing

The focus of this event is to unpack “traditional” directing practice in order to see what else is possible. Directing is often a solo endeavor grounded in a hierarchical/patriarchal/top-down structure. The director is frequently cast in the role of sole decision-maker and even sole knowledge-holder. In the face of this model, WTF has come to ask, “Are there other ways?” Locating the conversation within the lens of intersectional feminism, how can we change the established directing model to improve opportunity, representation, and career health/longevity for women+ directors? And, how does a change in directing methodology impact other elements of the creation and presentation of theatre? Special thanks to Rachel Blackburn and Molly Claassen of Columbus State University (GA) for initiating this formal discussion at the 2019 and 2020 Southeastern Theatre Conference annual convention.

Date: March 28, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Virtual location: Please join from your computer, tablet or smartphone here:

https://uky.zoom.us/j/254585245

You can also dial in using your phone:
United States: +1 (224) 501-3412
Access Code: 243-013-677

Other Upcoming Events:

Freakshow  By Carson Kreitzer
Co-Directed by Rachel Pottern Nunn and Rowen Haigh
Dates: May 29 - June 7 2020
Pure Life Theatre
3801 Hillsborough Street Suite 113
Raleigh, NC

The 5th Annual Women’s Theatre Festival
Dates: July 9-12 2020
Locations throughout the Royal Bakery Building (including Pure Life Theatre)
3801 Hillsborough Street
Raleigh, NC

The World Premiere of XIX by Jacqueline E. Lawton
Dates: October 2- 11 2020
Pure Life Theatre
3801 Hillsborough Street Suite 113
Raleigh, NC

Interested in adding your women-led art event to the 2020 SWAN Day Calendar? Please submit your information HERE.

SWAN Day Los Angeles: An Evening of Micro-Reads!

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Our spotlights continue today with SWAN Day Los Angeles, now in its 6th year of celebration. We caught up with Jennie Webb, SWAN Day LA coordinator and co-founder of LAFPI, to talk about what’s in store for this year’s celebration.

StateraArts: Tell us a little bit about what’s on the docket for SWAN Day LA this year.
Jennie Webb: This will be the sixth year LA Female Playwrights Initiative has organized a SWAN Day Los Angeles celebration. This year, we’re grateful to be hosted by Ensemble Studio Theatre LA! One of the things LAFPI includes at any of our performance events or gatherings is what we call “Micro-Reads,” which are 1-page plays or 1-page of a play (or whatever!) that are, pretty much, pulled out of a box and performed on-the-spot. It’s important to me that LAFPI is always inclusive. That’s the idea behind our “Micro-Read Hook-Ups.” We do these for the holidays in December, and this year for SWAN Day. The deal is, we assemble a team of women directors and a pool of actors, put out the call for Micro-Reads from local female-identifying writers, then throw them all together. It involves rehearsing and performing and even adding material from new writers the evening-of, with time built in for sharing food and drinks and stories (offstage). I guess our Micro-Read Hook-Up are a cross between artistic matchmaking and community building! It’s free and all-volunteer based, but we’re putting around 50 artists to work, most of whom identify as women. There’s an incredible, inspiring collective energy at these events. Plus, they’re a lot of fun for everyone – the artists and the audiences who join us!

SA: What makes you most excited about SWAN Day LA this year?
JW: I’m already excited by the material that’s coming in – the theme for these Micro-Reads is TRUTH. I’m always blown away by how much writers can accomplish in one page and 400 words or less! I also love that SWAN Day LA lets us catch up with artists who have been involved with LAFPI, but also introduces us to new artists. I kind of get ridiculously giddy when a submission comes in from a writer I’m not familiar with! But I guess I’m most excited by the opportunity to work with EST/LA artists. They’re really interested in moving new directions, supporting new voices and diversity. Their last mainstage was written by a woman, March LA Fest programming features outreach projects by artists of color, they are hosting SWAN Day Los Angeles 2020, they’ve got a late-night show running that’s femme-penned, and their upcoming One Act Festival includes 50% female playwrights. SWAN Day LA has a terrific team of directors this year, as well as some incredible playwrights and actors who have submitted to participate! LA is so spread out and it’s easy to just stay in your little corner of it, never venturing out. LA Theater is like that, too. Events like this are cool because they force us to meet and work with new artists. My hope is that this sets the stage for future collaborations and lasting connections!

SA: Can you tell us a bit about why you feel called to lead SWAN Day in this capacity?
JW: I was introduced to SWAN Day by WomenArts founder Martha Richards a few years after Laura Shamas and I founded LAFPI (in 2010). Martha is one of the most fabulous women I know, and I thought the idea of a “DIY” holiday to support women artists was the best thing ever. But because LAFPI is NOT a producing organization (we’re basically a service organization, working to promote, support and connect female-identifying playwrights), I had to figure out the right way for us to celebrate. It had to be an event that was open to all femme voices without barriers (read: free), but perhaps also gave writers more visibility. And what was essential to me is that anything LAFPI was involved in made for a positive, welcoming, non- judgmental environment. At that time, Samuel French Bookshop in Hollywood had opened up its doors to us to hold our quarterly gatherings, so in 2014 we convinced them to host our first public SWAN Day Los Angeles event: a day full of performances of 10-minute plays curated by Little Black Dress INK and two sessions of our Micro-Reads. Over the years we’ve varied the format, partnering with City Garage, Free Association Theatre, Green Light Productions, Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights and, last year, A Noise Within. But whatever shape SWAN Day Los Angeles takes – and wherever we find ourselves – it’s always a fantastic celebration. I mean: women, food, wine and theater. Really, what else do you need for a party?

DIRECTOR PROFILES

Virtic Emil Brown is an actress, writer, producer and director. She was the Oscar Press Guide Manager for the Academy Awards. Some producing and directing film credits include HINDSIGHT, MISSION IN KOSOVO, WILL UNPLUGGED. Some award winning acting credits, LIGHT IN DARK PLACES, JACOB STONE, d.o.G, THE SHIELD. Some recent credits include DR. FAUSTUS, HARLEM SOUTH, THE ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN and THE HUMAN SPIRIT. Her film ON TOUR premiered at The 70th Venice International Film Festival library. As a writer and director, her play Free! was performed at EST/LA’s Winterfest 2020. She is a member of WGA, SAG-AFTRA & AEA. She is also a Board Member of the Classical Theatre Lab and a member of many inclusion committees at the WGA.

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Lauren Campedelli is an LA-based director, intimacy director and actor. Director: 2019’s Shiva for Anne Frank, a solo show by comedian Rachel McKay Steele, at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, Intercession by Maia Villa, Evie, Duty Calls by Karen Rizzo, Lizzie by Jose Rivera—all for Ensemble Studio Theatre/LA, where she has helmed numerous staged and workshop readings for its development programs. Associate director: Theatre of Note’s recent Driving Wilde, Evidence Room’s Don Carlos and Hard Times. SoCal acting credits include productions with Evidence Room, Sacred Fools, The Actors’ Gang, Center Theatre Group, The Old Globe, EST/LA, and more. Visit www.laurencampedelli.com

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Taji Coleman is a native Angeleno and Spelman College graduate. She started as a dancer then a model, hated that and became a working actor.  Fast forward, Taji is now a multi-hyphen talent on a creative adventure. Her current hyphen adventure is lending her voice for an upcoming video game. Stay tuned - Taji is coming to a screen...or stage near you.

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Sarah Yejin Hahm is a director and actor based in Seoul, Los Angeles, and New York. Her multi-cultural background and experience as a classical musician influences much of her experimental art. A few of her favourite recent theatre directing credits include: Doubles (Skylight Theatre), The Girlfriend (New Opera West), Spring Awakening (USC), and Tongues & Savage/Love (USC). She was most recently seen as Masako in Kentucky directed by Tim Dang and Last Night in Town written by Julia Stier at Manhattan Repertory Theatre, which she also directed. She is a proud graduate of the University of Southern California, BA Theatre.

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Kristen Lazarian is an award-winning playwright based in Los Angeles who has had her plays produced at many venues in L.A. including the Geffen Playhouse, Theatre 40, East-West Players, Theatre Geo, the Road Theatre, Pacific Resident Theatre, 68 Cent Crew, and the Blank Theatre. Her plays have also been staged across the United States and internationally. Her plays include Grace of God, Food & Drink, Push, Love Like Blue, Flesh & Tenderness, Inviting Karma, Sophisticated Barflies & Other Short Plays, and more. In addition to writing plays, Kristen is a screenwriter. She wrote the screenplay for THE SHIFT, based on the spiritual teachings of self-improvement pioneer Wayne Dyer (HayHouse). Kristen did the screenplay adaption of her play PUSH which is currently in production in NYC, starring Victoria Justice and Matthew Daddario.

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Tarah Pollock is a director, actor, and producer in LA Theater. She has been a member of EST/LA for five years and has worked on many developmental readings as well as full productions, including but not limited to the world premieres of Watching O.J. by David McMillian, Lost in Time by Tony Pasqualini, and Charlotte Stay Close by Christine Hamilton-Schmidt. Tarah is also a founding member and co-producer with the femme-led company Elan Ensemble, who won the Stage Raw award for Best Adaptation in 2019 for their Miranda July adaptation How We’re Different From Animals. www.TarahPollock.com @tarah_pollock

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Jennie Webb is an LA-based playwright and dramaturg in residence at Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum, with works produced and/or supported by theaters and programs including Rogue Machine, Playwrights Center’s PlayLab, Great Plains Theatre Conferences, La Jolla Playhouse, Theatre of NOTE, Road Theatre Summer Playwrights Festivals, Santa Monica Rep, Inkwell Theater, Blank Theatre, Rogue Artists Ensemble’s Rogue Lab, Little Black Dress INK, Virginia Avenue Project, National Winter Playwrights Retreat, PlayGround-LA & Moving Arts MADlab, and staged internationally in the UK, India and Iceland. She is currently a member of the Playwrights Union, EST/LA Playwrights Unit, Under Construction at the Road and the Dramatists Guild, and co-founder of LA Female Playwrights Initiative (lafpi.com). jenniewebbsite.com @jenniewebbsite

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Elena Campbell-Martínez is a bilingual Mexican-American actor-director. Currently, Elena is the neighborhood curandera Doña Lupe on three seasons of the Starz series Vida. Other recent TV & film appearances include This Is Us, Unbelievable, Papi Chulo, Atypical and Liza On Demand. Elena volunteers her time supporting new voices in the theatre as well as the National Hispanic Media Coalition’s Latino Scene Showcase. She recently directed a play about the family separation crisis at our border as part of the Latino Program of the Short+Sweet Hollywood festival. Elena and her husband Dennis share their cozy Highland Park home with their family of three adorkable rescue pups.

IG: @elenurcia Twitter: @ElenaCampbell FB: @ElenaCampbellMartinezActor

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SWAN Day LA will take place on Saturday, March 28th, 6-10pm at Ensemble Studio Theatre LA (3269 Casitas Ave, Los Angeles, California 90039). Collaborators (actors, directors, and playwrights with Micro-Reads) should arrive at 6 pm; community and audience members are welcome to join at 7 pm; presentation of Micro-Reads begins at 8pm!  To stay in the loop about SWAN Day LA, check out the FaceBook event here.

Interested in adding your women-led art event to the Statera Calendar? Please submit your information HERE.

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SWAN Day Milwaukee: Making Room for Motherhood

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All photos courtesy of Jake Hill.

As part of our ongoing efforts to increase the visibility of women artists, StateraArts puts the spotlight on them every March and April through Support Women Artists Now Day. Today we’re spotlighting SWAN Day Milwaukee, which is now in its 5th year of celebration. We had an opportunity to chat with Jamie Bilgo Bruchman, SWAN Day Milwaukee organizer, to talk about her experience stepping back and asking for help when she became pregnant last year.

“Planning an exhibit like this is basically a full-time job”, she shared with us. “I knew that I couldn’t put that on myself right as I was having my first baby. But it was a huge task, and I didn’t want to ask it of someone else, either.” Check out the video below to hear Jamie share how her volunteer team stepped up to the plate, and all the ways in which the community she created is now the one to catch her in her first few months as a mother.

SWAN (Support Women Artists Now) Day MKE - An annual exhibition advocating for gender parity in the arts and celebration of Milwaukee women's creativity! Over the past five years, hundreds of women-identified artists of all ages, disciplines, and levels of artistic experience residing in Milwaukee and surrounding areas have participated in an informal, non-juried celebration and exhibition. SWAN Day MKE partners each year with a local non-profit or cause to support women’s equality in all parts of life. SWAN Day MKE exhibitions explore broader themes of women’s artistic and spiritual connections to the environment, society, and each other, and how these roots nourish one’s work, activism, and daily living.

SWAN DAY MKE 2020 EVENTS

SWAN Day MKE 2020 Theme - "TRANSFORMATIVE POWER"

ARTISTS' RECEPTION at the Collective
9224 W. Burleigh Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53222
Saturday, March 28th, 2pm-5pm 
FREE and open to the public.
See the Facebook event page here.

COMMUNITY ART STUDIO at Bloom
2230 S. Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53207
Saturday, March 28th, 5:30 - 7:30pm
Pay what you are able / Suggested donation of $10
See the Facebook event page here.

EXHIBITION: March 6th - April 3rd
The exhibit at both locations is FREE to view.

SWAN INSPIRED COMMUNITY COLORING PARTY at Art*Bar
722 E Burleigh St, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212
Saturday, April 4th, 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM
See the Facebook event page here.

Donate to the SWAN Day MKE 2020 GoFundMe fundraiser here. Or donate via Fractured Atlas here.

Interested in adding your women-led art event to the 2020 SWAN Day Calendar? Please submit your information HERE.

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SWAN Day Chicago: A Celebration of Black Hair

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Today we’re spotlighting SWAN Day Chicago now in its 7th year of celebration. We caught up with Rachel Gadson, SWAN Day Chicago co-coordinator, to talk about what’s in store for this year’s celebration.

StateraArts: Tell us a little bit about what's on the docket for SWAN Day Chicago.
Rachel Gadson: Sure! This year we'll be featuring Black women hairstylists. Showcasing our hair as art is such an empowering and affirming tool that we are so excited to explore. We wanted to explore the creativity within the Black woman’s hair experience and how so much of it is representative of how we uniquely express ourselves. We’ve specifically hand-picked women in 5 different hairstyling categories: Natural Hair, Weaves, Colorist, Braider, Short Hair Stylist/Barber. We want this to not only be an exhibition of the expressions of Black women’s multifaceted hair care but a celebration of the innovative and talented women behind them. We hope the attendees of this year's SWAN Day Chicago leave with an enlightening experience.  

SA: What makes you most excited about SWAN Day Chicago this year?
RG: I think what's most exciting is being able to highlight and showcase such an expressive and unique art form that isn't celebrated as much as it could/should be. Black women have used hair in many ways to express style, creativity and influence culture. We are honored to accentuate the diversity of this immersive industry.

SA: Can you tell us a bit about why you feel called to lead SWAN Day in this capacity?
RG: Creating space to empower our peers has always been the fuel to lead SWAN Day events. Charne Graham and I started the celebrations here in Chicago in 2014 under the guise of wanting to create opportunities for women to support other women. It is also vital that we make the artists feel appreciated for the amazing commitment they display to their craft. It's not often that women are credited and honored in the world of creative arts, especially black women. We found that if we continue cultivating these spaces to lift up our peers, then we have done our part in effecting a change to that narrative. Fostering a strong sense of community of extremely talented women from Chicago is the root of why we take on the mission each year. 

MEET THE ARTISTS

Courtney "Conay" Elzy is a licensed cosmetologist located in Chicago, Illinois, specializing in braids & protective styling. She aims to provide top of the line service to each and every client.
www.conay.as.me
IG: @conay_control

Latoya Johnson owns Laced Layers Beauty and specializes in natural hair care & protective styles.(Image is of LaToya’s work, on model @themonalena)
www.lacedlayers.com
IG: @lacedlayers_beauty

Sheena Renee is a well known hair expert and master stylist in the industry today. Known for her ability to create sleek, shiny curls and beautiful soft waves, her wide range of abilities have made her a sought after stylist in Atlanta for years. Sheena also specializes in remarkable sew-in extensions and wig installs.
www.sheenarenee.com
IG:@iamsheenarenee

For over 20 years, Chicagoland premier celebrity stylist Kesha Levy, continues to lead the beauty industry in expert salon services. As a visionary and trendsetter, her highly trained Chicagoland team provides a number of services; natural hair haircare, cutting edge hair styling, flawless extensions, the “Perfect ponytail” for any occasion, advanced cutting and protective styling. https://www.keystylist.com/.
IG:@keystylist

SWAN Day Chicago will take place on April 4th, 6-10pm at Pear Nova Studio (2150 S Canalport, Chicago). To stay in the loop about SWAN Day Chicago, check out and follow their FaceBook page here, or visit their website at http://www.swandaychicago.com/. We love SWAN Day!!

Interested in adding your women-led art event to the Statera Calendar? Please submit your information HERE.

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SWAN Days in Allegany County: Join the Fun!

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Today we’re spotlighting SWAN Days Allegany County, now in its 6th year of celebration. This year, their line-up is absolutely chock-full of fun gatherings! We caught up with Sheila Kalkbrenner, SWAN Day Allegany County coordinator and local visual artist to talk about what fuels this celebration each year. If you’re already familiar, feel free to scroll to the bottom of this page to see the amazing lineup of events!

Celebrated locally and in partnership with Belfast Organization for Artists, this chapter shines a light on local women artists and is held in honor of the many creative people working hard to keep the arts accessible to all members of this rural community. Sheila shared with us a poignant thought about why SWAN Day is so special to her community. She said, “Our county residents are quite spread out in this landscape, and winter weather makes it difficult to connect with others. As we honor the many people who volunteer their time to advocate for the arts and provide art and cultural activities to our local youth, SWAN Day is a perfect time to re-connect, appreciate the artwork, share a meal, and find out what everyone else has been doing all winter. This quality time together is its own reward.”

Sheila has been spearheading these events for the last six years. When asked why she feels called to lead in this capacity she stated, “For years I have seen how the women in our community dedicate long unrecognized hours to community wellness, volunteer groups, creative projects, etc. on top of working low-paying jobs, while in pursuit of long-term careers, while educating and/or raising children, and many other personal responsibilities. I wanted to create a family-friendly, equitable event that highlights the talent and creativity of the women who contribute the art in its limitless mediums to our lives without excluding the men who join them in these goals. Together, we create a county that we can be thankful to call "home" in the Western NY Wilds.”

PARTICIPATE IN THIS YEAR’S EVENTS

SWAN Days Allegany County, NY, invites artists, entrepreneurs, libraries, and other public venues are invited to host and post events and activities by, for, and about women in the arts. Send your event to Sheila Kalkbrenner at [email protected]. Through the months of March and April, updates are posted in the order in which they are received. Held annually in honor of the local creators and patrons keeping the arts accessible to all members of our rural community, 2020 SWAN (Support Women Artists Now) Days Allegany County, NY invites you to join them in celebrating women in the arts. For more information please take a look at their most recent newsletter.

$100 #SWANShelfie fund for a local library One Allegany County, NY Library participating in the 2020 SWANShelfie social media contest March 1st – 25th will be selected to receive a $100 SWANfund toward the purchase of any women in arts media of their choice.

$100 SWANSongs fund for a local female acoustic artist
One local female acoustic artist will be the recipient of a $100 stipend to perform a thirty-minute set at the SWAN Day Party on March 28th. Accepting Digital Submissions March 1 – 15th. Late entries will not be considered.

SWAN Days Annual Art Show & Sale CALL FOR ARTISTS Local women artists age 18 and up residing or working in Allegany County, NY, are invited to display their work in the annual art show & sale in the David A. Howe Library exhibition room. Pre-registration is required by March 6th. Ready-to-Display Media Accepted: Illustration, Drawing & Painting, Fabric Arts, Wood Works, Mixed-media, and Up-cycled Art. Participating artists who submit a bio will be featured on the event pages.

The 2020 SWAN Days Art Show & Sale
Free and open to the public March 16th–March 27th and March 30th–April 3rd during regular library hours. Winners are determined by visitors’ votes. Voting will take place at the library March 18th 4:30-7pm. Light refreshments provided. Each visitor wishing to vote will sign in at the door to receive ONE ballot. Winners will be selected based on the number of votes received for each award category.

AWARD Categories: “BEST IN SHOW” $100, “Best Craftsmanship & Presentation” $50, “Most Unique” $50, “Favorite Entry Featuring a Swan” $45 Winners TBA at the SWAN Day Party on March 28th.

SWAN Day Party
March 28th, 11:30-1:30 at David A. Howe Library Exhibition Room in Wellsville, NY. Receive your ticket to attend when you RSVP by March 6th. The SWAN Day Party is a free event to celebrate the local women artists and those keeping the arts accessible to all members of this rural community. Attendees are asked to bring a dish to pass. Those wearing or bringing a swan (no live animals please) will be entered for a chance to win a fun door prize. A table will be available to present your artsy news and business cards.

If you would like to make a Tax-deductible contribution, you can do so to Charitable Art Projects and Events at SheilaLynnK Art Studio HERE. 

Interested in adding your women-led art event to the Statera Calendar? Please submit your information HERE.

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12,000 Voices Inspires Voter Registration and Civic Engagement

The Black is Beautiful Project “12 Angry Men” team: Gabrielle Reid, Kimber Sprawl, Tiffany Evariste, Ashley Alexandra Seldon, Ashley Blanchet, Alex Hairston, Bahiyah Hibah, TyNia Brandon, LaQuet Sharnell Pringle, Housso Semon, Salisha Thomas, Gabrielle Elisabeth, Schele Williams, and Jasmin Walker (Photo by Julia Johanos)

By Sarah Greenman

Inspired by the successful reading of the classic play, “Twelve Angry Men,” by Reginald Rose featuring 12 extraordinary Broadway actresses, producer Lauren Class Schneider has invited women in law schools, universities, high schools, community and regional theaters, and community centers across the country to raise their voices – with scripts in hand – in readings of the play with all-female casts over the weekend of April 5-8, 2019.

Schneider said she chose the name “12,000 Voices” for the initiative because of its aspirational value. “Over the course of time, imagine the reading being performed in 1000 locations, making 12,000 voices.”

Following each staged reading of “Twelve Angry Men,” audience members, cast, and staff will have the opportunity to update their voter registration. Information will also be shared about how to increase voter registration and voter turnout locally.

“Harnessing the power of storytelling by simultaneously presenting this timeless play around the country, we hope to stimulate community engagement on a local level” said Schneider, who has served as campaign staff on several presidential campaigns along with her experience as a Broadway producer. “Because the play makes a powerful argument for the value of civic involvement, it’s a great platform for a voter registration event” she said.

“Rose wrote the original courtroom drama as a teleplay in 1954, some 19 years before women could serve on juries in all 50 states. An all-female cast of this play, at this time, is relevant on so many levels,” Schneider said.

“Right now, we are working with different groups across the country on their April 5-8th readings,” adds Schneider. “I am excited to see how organizations across the country embrace, participate, and lend their voice with their own presentations!”

“When we created the event in September, many of Broadway’s brightest female stars lent their talent, showing their desire to strengthen public service. With the help of League of Women Voters, we saw voter registration and involvement increase.”

Diane Lees, a League of Women Voters volunteer recalled, “After the reading in September, I saw a change in the audience. An all-female reading of ‘Twelve Angry Men’ was such a strong motivator to transform spectators into engaged citizens. Watching the audience get in line to register or update their voter information was really gratifying.”

Today, The Black Is Beautiful Project (pictured above), comprised of cast members from Broadway’s “Beautiful” kick-off this nationwide initiative with their own staged reading at 3:30 PM at the Manhattan Comprehensive Night and Day School.

The Black is Beautiful Project was first created by cast members of “Beautiful, the Carole King Musical" as a celebration of Black History Month. Noting the greater impact this initiative could have, TBIBP began to explore ways to advocate for artists of color year round. Our mission is to show the importance of representation and opportunity, to celebrate the contributions and achievements of black artists, and perform community outreach for young artists in need of mentorship and inspiration. 

Co-producers of The Black in Beautiful Project’s reading, Daniel Torres and TyNia Brandon said, “We’re thrilled to join forces with 12,000 Voices as the kick-off to this amazing national initiative. Presenting their first and only all African-American Female reading of "12 Angry Men" by 12 Impassioned Women fits our mission. We strongly believe having an all black female cast for "12 Angry Men" will give our audience a new perspective to comprehend and connect with this classic play as well as inspire voter participation and civic engagement."

You can learn more about 12,000 Voices on the SWAN Day Calendar. Readings are happening all over the country today through April 8th. To find a reading near you, please visit the 12,000 Voices website at www.12000voices.com.

Happy Support Women Artists Now Day!

Support Women Artists Now. 
Simple idea. Big Impact.

SWAN Day, now in its 12th year, is an annual international celebration of women’s creativity and gender parity activism. Last year, StateraArts was chosen to lead SWAN Day 2019. And this year we are thrilled to announce that there are over 200 SWAN events on the 2019 calendar! 

Can't catch a SWAN Day event in your area? Then join StateraArts for a Virtual SWAN Day Party on Facebook today! It's happening all day long - SWAN Day interviews, photos from SWAN events all over the globe, live feeds from events, video trailers from SWAN Day projects, and more! Join us HERE and invite your friends.
 

Follow SWAN Day on social media:
 

SWAN Day Instagram

StateraArts Instagram

SWAN Day Facebook

StateraArts Facebook

Today, we celebrate women artists all over the world. 
JOIN US!

SWAN Day Pensacola: Artist Profiles

International Support Women Artists Now Day has seen enormous growth during its 12-year history and this year is no different. StateraArts is thrilled to celebrate SWAN Day Pensacola as they launch their inaugural art festival organized by Christine Kellogg, Victoria Grace O'Dell, and PenArts Inc.

From the organizers: “SWAN Day is about women supporting women, about artists supporting artists, about showcasing brilliant local talent, and uplifting others in our community. Artists often forget to celebrate themselves and to open our hearts and minds and share what we feel passionate about with each other.”

Join SWAN Day Pensacola in celebrating Women’s History Month on March 30th from 1:00pm - 11:00pm at Live! Juice Bar on Garden Street in Pensacola. Admission is only $10 for the whole day and can be purchased at the door.

SWAN DAY PENSACOLA SCHEDULE | MARCH 30th

1:15 PM - 1:45 PM: Morokeen - Local Singer & Musician

1:45 PM - 2:00 PM: Dominique & Maria Baroco - Mother/Daughter Duo, piano & poetry

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM: PenArts Inc - The Women of PenArts will perform songs from 3 shows

2:30 PM - 3:15 PM: Improvable Cause - The Women of Pensacola's Top Improv Troupe

3:15 PM - 3:30 PM: Shelby Tudor - University of West Florida Student Singer/Songwriter

3:45 PM - 4:15 PM: Arrant Knavery Inc - Scenes from Lysistrata - See full play at FemFest 4/27

4:20 PM - 4:35 PM: Dani Barrie - Poetry readings

4:45 PM - 5:15 PM: Visual Artists of SWAN Day Q&A

5:20 PM - 5:50 PM: Emily Bishop - Salsa/Bachata demo and class for the public. Come kick of SWAN Day AFTER DARK with some MOOOOOVES!

6:00 PM - 6:30 PM: Victoria Grace - Scenes from Antigone

6:30 PM - 6:45 PM: Lena Sakalla & Gracie Wallace - Scene from Emotional Creature by Eve Ensler.

7:00 PM - 7:30 PM: Tris Weeks - Touring local Pensacola singer/songwriter

7:30 PM - 9:30 PM: Kayla May & Kerry Sandell - COLLECTED STORIES by Donald Marguiles

9:45 PM - 11:00 PM: Mixer with the Artists of SWAN Day - mingle, enjoy the art exhibit, and have a glass of wine!

10:15 PM: Raffle Drawing - Opportunity to win a SWAN Day goodie bag! Includes SWAN Day T-Shrit, StateraArts Bag, & memorabilia!

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MEET SOME OF THE 2019 SWAN DAY PENSACOLA ARTISTS

Kerry Sandell (left) and Kayla May (right) will perform Collected Stories by Donald Margulies this Saturday at SWAN Day Pensacola 2019. The performance starts at 7:45pm.

Kayla May (LISA) is a native to the Gulf Coast and holds a BA in Theatre Performance from the University of West Florida. She has performed professionally along the Gulf Coast and in New England. Favorite productions include Picasso at the Lapin Agile, The Secret Garden, On the Verge, A Christmas Carol, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Annie Get Your Gun, The 39 Steps, Guys and Dolls, and WebCamelot: The Series. Kayla serves on the Board of Directors for Arrant Knavery, Inc, is a member of EdTA (Educational Theatre Association) and an Equity Membership Candidate.

Kerry Sandell (RUTH) has a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance and a Master’s degree in Communication. She is delighted to be participating in the SWAN Festival in a role that explores female relationships, mentoring, and boundaries. Some of Kerry’s past credits include the titular role in Medea, Kate in Dancing at Lughnasa, Meg in Crimes of the Heart and Mary in On The Verge, in which she shared the stage with Kayla May.

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Karin Gudmundson is a self-taught contemporary abstract painter whose work will be on display at SWAN Day Pensacola. She creates mixed media acrylic and oil pieces. The paintings emerge through layers and layers of content using vivid color, words and bold strokes of paint with more detailed figures and images arising towards the finish. She mixes neo-expressionism and expressionistic art combining the two styles with a modern twist. Karin says, "My goal is to lure you into a place that produces happy feelings yet conveys political, social and cultural significance."

You can find Karin’s work on Facebook or at www.gudmundsonart.com.

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Lena Sakalla and Gracie Wallace will perform a scene from Emotional Creature by Eve Ensler at SWAN Day Pensacola.

Sakalla and Wallace are both Junior Musical Theatre majors at the University of West Florida. Passionate about sharing art with meaningful messages, they think this story is one that needs to be told. Given today’s society, Lena and Gracie want women to feel empowered and speak their truth unapologetically. Hope you are as moved by this piece as they are.

They’ll take the stage at 6:30pm.

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Ember Looten is a mixed media artist whose work will be on display at SWAN Day Pensacola.

Legally blind. Fine art. Mixed media. Ember Looten is a professional artist with a developed methodology for visually articulating detail. Her limited sight spectrum is fueled by imaginative arrays of spectacular color and curious movement. Non-profit charities, commission seekers, and devout followers cherish her ability to accomplish the utmost emotional projects demanding personal meaning. Additionally, Ember produces playful and whimsical art to create visually pleasing focal points.

Learn more about Ember’s work at www.artistemberlooten.wixsite.com.

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Dani Barrie is a poet, singer, musician, and actor. Originally from Green Cove Springs FL, Dani is a BFA Musical Theatre major at the University of West Florida. She has appeared in several shows at UWF Department of Theatre including: The Skin of Our Teeth, Romeo and Juliet, and Evita. She has worked with PenArts, Inc. in Woodie Guthrie’s An American Song and See What I Wanna See.

Here’s a taste of Dani’s work:

“and when we are close enough that our eyes meet / I wonder / why such an attractive force has chosen to focus upon a lump cobalt and Nickel / rough around the edges / dull and saddening / but you / you are the sunset painted by God's own hand / you coax the sunshine to peek through the rumbling storm clouds overhead”

Dani takes the stage at 4:20pm.

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Valerie Aune is a contemporary painter who embraces many styles and subjects. Her work will be on display at SWAN Day Pensacola.

"Color rules my mind, my heart and my paintings. My compositions are decided by what colors I want to juxtapose. I apply paint to canvas in the old masters tradition of layering paint, directly contrasting contemporary design. The place I most love to be is at my easel in my studio. Images clutter my head and I paint because I have to."
- Valerie Aune

You can find Valerie’s work on Facebook.

All of the visual artists of SWAN Day Pensacola will be part of a Q&A Panel starting at 4:45pm.

For more information and tickets to SWAN Day Pensacola please visit them on Facebook. For more information about PenArts Inc., please visit them at www.penarts.org.

SWAN Day Connecticut: Artist Profiles

Now in its 12th year, SWAN Day Connecticut brings trailblazing women artists together for a multi-genre music and arts festival. This one-of-a-kind event attracts people from New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. SWAN Day CT founder and organizer, Jennifer Hill, says, “This is really about women’s empowerment in the arts. We are giving them promotion, we are sending them to radio stations, we’ll play their music on air. It’s really a big effort to push everyone who’s involved for that year to help them gain recognition for their art work and their music.”

Hill, who attended Statera’s National Conference as part of the SWAN Day Convening in 2018, is a staple in the Connecticut music scene. Her work as The Murderous Chanteuse is a vehicle for self discovery and Hill hopes that SWAN Day CT inspires other women artists to be themselves and take space.

Besides the musical acts, SWAN Day CT features burlesque artists, live body painting, fashion collections, and arts vendors. At the end of the event, participants are invited for an onstage dance party led by DJ Breakadawn. Kiersten Sieser, front-woman of the psychedelic folk-rock band Tiny Ocean, says, “SWAN Day is more than just an event—I feel like it’s a philosophy,”

SWAN Day CT is happening on March 30th at Trinity on Main in New Britain. Doors open at 5pm. For more information and tickets, please visit www.swandayct.com.

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MEET SOME OF THE 2019 SWAN DAY CT ARTISTS

Scarlett (Photo by Mandi Martini)

Introducing Swan Scarlett of Sarajuana.

Scarlett 17 years old and this is her third time playing the Swan Day CT Music/Arts Fest.

Sunny days, break ups and life choices. Sarajuana brings nostalgic vibes and relatable poetry to whoever needs it. Her songs are all uniquely put together for you as the listener to understand the raw emotions conveyed  - resulting in a better understanding of what it’s like growing up as a young adult in today’s society.

Listen here:
www.soundcloud.com/sarajuanahoney

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HannaH’s Field brings love, spirit, and organic fresh flavor to the people with their "modern hippie Rasta folk". In a time where connections are made with clicks and tweets, their songs encourage people to lead with their hearts and love their brothers. Nominated best female vocalist in the Hartford Advocate for many years, this powerful songstress, HannaH, has shared the stage with such great acts as the Average White Band, the Brothers Johnson, Gov’t Mule (members of the Allman Brothers Band), Derek Trucks, Donna Jean (from the Grateful Dead), the Samples, Percy Hill, Spiritual Rez and Sound Tribe Sector Nine. They have performed at such venues as Toad’s Place, The North West Organic Brewers Festival, Pearl Street Nightclub, Woodstock Reunion at Yasgurs Farm, Unifier,  the Bite of Oregon, and Ziontific Music Festival. 

Listen here: www.hannahsfield.com

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Jennifer Hill (Photo by Mandi Martini and Dress by Kristin Costa

Murderous Chanteuse (Jennifer Hill) mends broken hearts with glitter glue, rage, and a dance beat. She gives a compelling musical voice to the urge for justice and healing that fuels her activism as organizer of SWAN Day CT.

“Killing songs since the day she was born” is the motto of Murderous Chanteuse. She is not a femme fatale but a femme vitale, distilling hope and energy out of the darkness. Hill’s  point of view includes her own experience as a domestic abuse survivor, as well as with PTSD from earlier traumas, so what she’s sharing through music is heady, honest, and intimate. Turning struggle into something beautiful is the impetus behind SWAN Day CT.

Listen here:  www.murderouschanteuse.com

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That Virginia (Photo by Mandi Martini)

That Virginia is a reminder of what it means to be fearless - an invitation to follow your bliss. The songs are a discussion on the urgency of experiencing life, with a hint of infectious empowerment.

Virginia offers thought provoking lyrics and peculiar melodies, while delivering a rich performance that hits softly in the audience's emotional gut, bringing tears, joy, happiness, and sorrow, quite often in one punch. Born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil, she brings the tropical warmth of her roots to her genre-bending performance, while singing about the truth of emotions, humanity, and other oddities.

Listen here: www.thatvirginia.com

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Kierstin Sieser (Photo by Mandi Martini)

Kierstin Sieser is the lead singer-songwriter of the band Tiny Ocean, which has a dreamy, noir Americana sound. Sieser is joined by Jeremy Coster on guitar, Keith Newman on bass and Jon Morse on drums.

Their debut album “Sometimes You’re Right” was chosen by the Hartford Courant as one of the top 20 albums by Connecticut artists in 2018 by the Hartford Courant. The New Haven Independent says the songs “feel lived in, pared down to their essence, no words wasted. Every song has a line to bring you up short...like a hook in the skin.”

Listen here: www.tinyoceanband.com

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DJ Breakadawn (Photo by Mandi Martini)

DJ Breakadawn (Dawn Melesko) has been heating up the turntables at Swan Day CT Music and Arts fest for the past 5 years!! A staple in the dance music community since the early 2000’s, Breaka Dawn has been representing the female DJs with style and grace in New England and beyond. She has held several club residencies in Connecticut, and has DJ’d at a variety of night clubs, art shows and festivals around the country. Her captivating sounds span from infectious dance grooves to body rocking breaks with hip hop influences.

Listen here: www.soundcloud.com/breakadawn

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Nicole Ma Guerrero (Photo by Katrina Kelly)

Nicole Ma Guerrero is the artist behind the SWAN Day CT poster. Known as Nixie Pixie, Nicole has been drawing since she could hold a paintbrush. Nicole says, “My sister Claudine was the one who taught me how to draw the shapes and curves of a woman and I never stopped drawing women ever since. I love drawing the flow of the hair and the shape of the eyes and the lips and putting life and color into what I do. I, of course, also draw men but I find women more challenging and fun to play around with in terms of color and design. My art is a huge representation of who I am as a person and it will definitely be growing and improving as I do.”

Learn more about Nicole’s artwork on Instagram.

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Mandi Martini (Photo by Luke Haugwout)

Mandi Martini is the official photographer for SWAN Day CT. When she is not out making Swans look  gorgeous she is shooting bands, celebs, the Air Force Academy (she does their graduation photos), and all kinds of events from the mundane to the insane - doing it all while driving her bad ass car and wearing cheetah print.

Learn more here: www.facebook.com/mandimartiniphotog

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Kaylee Doll is a body paint specialist, and she will be painting live at Swan Day CT. She specializes in a wide range of themes; anywhere from fantasy to horror. She has brought to life many body paints for special events, competitions, and photo-shoots. Kaylee is sought after for music video special effects makeup. She runs her own business, Kaylee Doll's Extreme Makeup, and also manages the makeup department at one of New England’s largest haunted attractions, The Haunted Graveyard. Kaylee travels across the U.S. for various artistic opportunities.

Learn more here: www.facebook.com/Kayleesextrememakeup

Spoken Soul Festival 2019 Features Phenomenal Artist Line-Up

Spoken Soul Festival, the flagship event for SWAN Day Miami, boasts a powerhouse line up of women artists this year. Now in its twelfth year, Deborah Magdalena has built an ambitious three-day spoken word festival in celebration of women artists in Florida. The theme this year is #WordIsBond. Magdalena says, “#WordIsBond explores how in the digital age words have no boundaries and comments on how, because of this, words are more powerful than ever before in our history.”

DAY ONE | MARCH 22
Spoken Soul Festival kicks off on March 22 from 10 am - 1 pm,  with a SWAN Community Program. The SWAN team, made up of SSF alumni and organizers, is hosting a cash prize Youth Poetry Slam competition with VIP judges, in conjunction with and held at the Miami Dade Public Library Main Branch. There will also be a mystery poetry scavenger hunt with prizes sponsored by ICA, MOCA, and YoungArts. This free event is open to the public and features SSF alum 13-year-old DJ Slaya spinning classic hip-hop.

DAY TWO | MARCH 23
On March 23, join SWAN Day Miami for the Spoken Soul Festival 2019 main event! The open admission showcase will experience the rich cultural diaspora that they have come to expect from the SSF’s signature event: women dancers, poets, visual artists, vocalists, and a female DJ, all representing different cultures and unique voices. 

DAY THREE | MARCH 24
Join the Miami community for the Annual Vanessa Baez Memorial Women’s Brunch starting at 11am. Thie brunch provides a moment to remember the short life of Vanessa Baez, a mother, daughter, and sister who demonstrated extraordinary courage while battling sarcoidosis. Each year this brunch fosters a growing sisterhood of creative and inspiring women in Miami joined together while “Celebrating Everyday Women With Extraordinary Courage.” 

Spoken Soul Festival 2019 Featured Artists from left to right: Munirah Rimer, Ronavia Williams, Angie Lopez, Habian, Perla Gonzalez, Esther Rose McCant, Jarbath Art, Cheri Vice, Alana Da Costa, and Reshma Anwar. Not pictured: Beláxis Buil, Jacquea Mae, Dynasty Steppers, Sharonda ECCentrich Richardson, and Alejandra Romero aka DJ Musicat. (Photo by Moment 77)

ARTIST PROFILES FROM SPOKEN SOUL FESTIVAL 2019:

Perla Gonzalez, a Miami-based poet, was born in Cuba as the daughter of a singer and guitarist. She will be performing at Spoken Soul Festival with her grand daughter Angie Lopez. When asked about her intention for performing at Spoken Soul Festival 2019, she says she wants to inspire young women. She says, "There is no age to love, to laugh, to create, to write or to be an artist! Just do it!” Read more about Gonzalez’ journey on the Spoken Soul Festival website.

Sharonda ECCentrich Richardson was born and raised in Pompano Beach Fl. Where she founded and hosted Cuisines & Poetry, in Pompano Beach, FL. She proudly hosts shows from poetry, to fashion shoes, workshops more throughout the Broward County. As a poet, she has graced the stages of over 45 venues from Florida to California and is currently the 14th ranked female poet in the world according to her placement during the Women of the World Poetry Slam. More about her work on the Spoken Soul website.

Munirah Rimer is a Batik artists and educator. Her business, Teratai Malaysia was born out of Rimer’s desire to share her Malaysian culture and explore the world of batik. Rimer teaches batik painting to students in her home studio as well as various venues (art studios, retirement communities, offices, private homes) primarily in South Florida – including Miami, Broward, and Palm Beach. Learn more about her work on the Spoken Soul website.

Alana DaCosta is an interdisciplinary artist who uses various mediums as a creative community builder, artist activist, singer/songwriter, musician, and poet. Alana’s eclectic music blends neo-soul with jazz, reggae, hip hop and a drop of funk. She says, “My music and expressive art initiatives will inspire the minds, hearts and souls of people across the world, and will ignite change, social responsibility, awareness, and our purpose to live life freely, without regrets and without bounds.” More about DaCosta’s work on the Spoken Soul website.

Ronavia Williams is a poet and a mother. Her work is focused on the art of becoming whole. Through her spoken word poetry she encourages her audience to believe that they have the power and ability to rediscover themselves in a new light. This year at Spoken Soul Festival, she’ll be sharing her work “Come Forth: An Untold Story”. Learn more about Ronavia Williams on the Spoken Soul website.

Reshma Anwar was born and raised in Leipzig, Germany. She graduated from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Hons.) in Dance and a minor in Music Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology in Music. At UArts she worked with various choreographers including Kim Bears-Bailey, Roni Koresh, Iquail Shaheed, Douglas Becker and Sidra Bell. During the Summer, she volunteered to teach dance in Jamaica and Haiti. More about her work on the Spoken Soul website.

Cheri Vice is a visual artist and muralist who recently created a 210 x 5-foot mural for Briar Bay Park in Miami. Aided by local teacher, Jovany Corzo, and several local middle and high school students, Vice’s tireless work to beautify the park has had a deep impact in the community. A local, whose house neighbors the park said, “The mural really brings the area to life. It’s just so beautiful!” To read more about Vice’s Briar Bay Park mural, visit the Spoken Soul website.

Jacquea Mae is a singer, actress & creative artist. She is known for her powerful, soulful & from the gut performances. Jacquea has also starred as Alberta ‘Pearl’ Johnson with actress Julie Beroes in Black Pearl Sings, under the direction of New Horizons Theater in 2013 and once again, as Bessie Smith in Queens Of The Blues last year. In 2016 Jacquea Mae released her first EP, ‘The Makings Of Me’. She also teaches young artists with 1Hood Media. More about her work on the Spoken Soul website.

Angie Lopez is an 18-year old spoken word artist. Her writing deals with themes of heritage, identity, gender, and social issues affecting minority and youth voices. She believes spoken word more than any other medium serves as a bridge connecting people both to their own voices and to the narratives of others due to the medium’s intrinsic vulnerability. Learn more about Lopez’ work on the Spoken Soul website.

Haibian is a poet and author. Performing since the age of 18, Haibian’s interest has always been in the captivation of her listener’s attention with topics that are for the everyday person. She also focuses on staying true to her LGBT community. Learn more about Haibian’s work on the Spoken Soul website.

Beláxis Buil is a performance artist. Her creative practice integrates looming topics needing urgent discussion in human rights advocacy, women and gender issues, identity politics, and the crisis of human conditioning, weaving poetic and absurd arrangements of sculpture, installation, video, photography and choreography into provocatively bold and challenging environments where the public and objects become a part of the narrative. More about her work on the Spoken Soul website.

Esther McCant is a poet from Miami, Florida. Her family emigrated from Port-au-Prince, Haiti over 30 years ago. When she is not creating, “journaling”, or snapping pictures from her life, she lives her life’s dream of helping families thrive as a doula and certified lactation counselor. She says, “Doing birth work is an art because I am helping mothers have their babies in a way that is visually beautiful and emotionally empowering.” Learn more about her journey on the Spoken Soul website.

Katiana “Jarbath Art” Smith is painter based in Palm Beach County. Using bold colors, Smith paints the African Diaspora, more specifically, people of Haitian descent. Her artwork focuses on facial expressions and the stories that people tell through their eyes, poise, and features. Smiths desire to paint people of color stems from her upbringing but now serves as a political statement, a reminder that the African Diaspora has a place in the American story. Learn more about Jarbath Art on the Spoken Soul website.

Alejandra Romero AKA DJ MUSICAT was born in Venezuela and lives in Miami. Her DJ style is a result of blending old school with new school, with large and varied influences from 70’s, 80’s and 90’s dance music and Latin beats, bringing decades of joy to her crowd. She says, “Music inspired me to work in the entertainment industry for more than 25 years. MUSICAT is a tribute to my loves: Music, My Cats, My Country and ALL those who have dared to pursue their dreams.” More about her work on the Spoken Soul website.

VISIT spokensoulfestival.com for more information!

SWAN Day Milwaukee 2019: Artist Profiles

Now in its 4th year, SWAN Day Milwaukee is celebrating the power and diversity of women’s creativity with “Water: Reflection, Ritual & Resource”, an art exhibit at the Urban Ecology Center. SWAN Day MKE exhibitions explore themes of women’s artistic & spiritual connections to nature, and how these roots nourish one’s work, activism, and daily living.

Over one-hundred women-identified artists of all ages, disciplines and levels of artistic experience residing in Milwaukee and surrounding areas have been invited to participate in an informal, non-juried celebration and exhibition. SWAN Day MKE participants reflect on the topic of water and create a piece that expresses their thoughts, relationship, experience, or practice related to water and  how it connects us to place, people, ritual, and ancestry.

Jamie Bilgo Bruchman, the lead organizer of SWAN Day MKE says, “The response to this year’s theme has been outstanding, and we are delighted once again to welcome dozens of new artists from a diverse range of artistic backgrounds, ages, cultures, and mediums.”  Women from all over the greater Milwaukee area are coming together for what promises to be an amazing celebration.

The exhibition runs from March 23rd to June 1st. There is also an opening reception on Saturday, March 23rd from noon to 3pm. For more information, connect with SWAN Day MKE on Facebook.

Selection of Artist Profiles from SWAN Day MKE 2019:

Rozalia Hernandez-Singh, known as Aya, started drawing from a young age. Her work includes indoor and outdoor murals in the Milwaukee area and she has worked as a professional caricaturist for over 20 years in the Wisconsin and Illinois area. She is also illustrator for the book, "I am a girl of color," with author Deanna Singh. Learn more at www.artsbyaya.com.

Brianna Joy Seipel is an artist and designer whose work celebrates stories of dynamic women and the landscapes that inspire us. You can find her on Instagram.

Nova Czarnecki is a Milwaukee-based figurative oil painter and muralist. Learn more at www.novaczarnecki.com.

Rosy Petri is a quilter, print-maker, chef, artist, and owner of Paradise Home. She is also the recent recipient of the Pfister Artist in Residence. You can find Rosy on Etsy, Instagram, and at www.thisisparadisehome.com.

Whitney Salgado is an artist and illustrator. A graduate from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, Whitney is a 27 year-old digital artist studying and living in Wisconsin. She enjoys exploring color and is inspired by nature, dreams, and surrealism. While she prefers working digitally, she is also practiced in traditional media and picks up acrylics from time to time. Find her work at www.whitneysalgado.com.

Tara Monnink is a papermaker, printmaker, and photographer. She is also a RedLine Milwaukee Artist in Residence. You can find Tara on Instagram.

Liala Amin’s artwork is an interpretation of spiritual experiences and an exploration of religious symbols. Her ultimate goal is to share the importance of the arts, keep art education accessible, and create welcoming spaces where all are free to express themselves. Liala also serves as the Community Outreach Coordinator for SWAN Day MKE 2019. Find Liala on Instagram and at Creative Mornings Milwaukee.

Stacy Lee Ollmann is a Milwaukee artist working primarily in mixed media sculpture and alcohol ink. She lives and works a short walk from the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan. You can learn more about her work at www.stacyleeollmann.com.

Megan Johnson is a mixed media artist living in West Bend, WI. By layering vintage paper ephemera with paint, various drawing media and found objects she tells evocative stories which speak to universal experiences as well as personal memories. You can find Megan’s work on Instagram and at www.meganwoodardjohnson.com.

Enter the 2018 SWAN Day Song & Photo Contests

The deadlines for the Support Women Artists Now Day Song and Photo Contests are only 12 days away!  If you want a chance to win our cash prizes, be sure to enter by midnight on Monday, April 30, 2018! 

As you probably already know, SWAN Day/Support Women Artists Now Day is an international holiday designed to showcase the power and diversity of women’s creativity. Every year, you can be a part of SWAN Day by creating or participating in a local event or online activity that celebrates women artists!

This year, WomenArts invited Statera Foundation to co-organize SWAN Day efforts. While SWAN Day has officially passed (it was March 31st) the celebration continues with ongoing events and the SWAN Day Photo and Song Contests. Please send your entries to WomenArts by using the links below! Also be sure to watch last year's winning SWAN Song music video of "SWAN Girls" by Lydiah Dola below. It will make you want to hop up and dance! 

Be sure to check out the full contest guidelines to make sure your photo will qualify.  If you want to enter, all you have to do is upload your photos to Facebook, Flickr, your website, or some other online service, and then use the handy SWAN Photo Submission Form to send WomenArts your links.

The top prize for the Support Women Artists Now Day Song Contest is $1,000, the second prize is $500, and WomenArts will create other prizes depending on the entries we receive. The winning songs will be featured in the WomenArts Blog, newsletters and social media. If you have written a great song that fits their guidelines below, please send it in!