The Statera Foundation Team – Top Row: Marti Gobel, Melinda Pfundstein Vaughn, Shelly Gaza, Sam White; Bottom Row: Erika Vetter, Sarah Greenman, Minita Gandhi, Erika Haaland

WomenArts is thrilled to announce that we will be partnering with Statera Foundation to coordinate Support Women Artists Now Day/SWAN Day 2018.  WomenArts Executive Director, Martha Richards, has already started working  on new web content and social media strategies with Statera’s Creative Director, Sarah Greenman, and she is looking forward to working with the rest of the Statera team.

“As SWAN Day starts its second decade, it is wonderful to have this burst of new energy and ideas from the Statera women,” said Richards.  “I have been very impressed with their skills and commitment, and I am confident that we will find ways to make SWAN Day bigger and better than ever.”

Statera Foundation derives its name from the Latin word for balance, and for the past three years they have focused on increasing opportunities for theatre artists who identify as female. They have hosted two national conferences, and they are planning a third for October 4 – 7, 2018 in Milwaukee, WI.  (Check out their call for conference proposals if you are interested in presenting.) They have also recently launched a mentorship program for women in theatre, as well as gender equity training programs for theatres and schools.

According to Statera’s Executive Director, Melinda Pfundstein Vaughn, “SWAN Day is a perfect fit with Statera’s goals.  We want to play a leading role in the international movement for gender parity in the arts, and SWAN Day is a terrific platform for that because it serves women in all art forms and artists at every level – from beginners to seasoned professionals.”

Vaughn continued, “At Statera we have been organizing conferences and building our mentorship program because we believe in the power of women artists sharing their skills and cheering each other on. Those are the core values of SWAN Day as well.”

Support Women Artists Now Day/SWAN Day is an annual international holiday designed to showcase the power and diversity of women’s creativity.  The official date for SWAN Day 2018 is March 31st, but since many people will be observing religious holidays that weekend, please feel free to celebrate any time during March or April. The spirit of SWAN events is far more important than the exact dates.  For more information about ways to participate in SWAN Day, please visit the SWAN Day section of the WomenArts website.

WomenArts Executive Director Martha Richards spoke at the second Statera Conference.
Shown here: Shelly Gaza, Martha Richards, Melinda Vaughn, and Sarah Greenman