How to Proclaim SWAN Day in Your City:  Obtaining a Mayoral Proclamation

A proclamation is a great way to increase public awareness surrounding SWAN Day, your organization, and the need to support women artists in your community.  They are surprisingly easy to obtain, and we have provided general instructions and a model proclamation below.

After you have obtained a proclamation, we suggest that you use it to create photo opportunities with the Mayor, or any other V.I.P.'s who might attend your event. 

General Instructions

Proclamations are considered a ceremonial document, and are provided as a public service by the Mayor’s Office.  Each city handles this service in a slightly different way.  The best approach is to contact the Mayor's office in your city and ask them what steps to take.  Usually there is a standard application form.  

Once you have identified the steps to obtaining a Mayoral Proclamation in your city, download the Sample SWAN Day Proclamation here.  You may also scroll to the bottom of this page to view the sample proclamation text.  Then, create your own prclamation with the names of your city and Mayor, and submit the proclamation to your Mayor's Office according to their instructions.  Please bear in mind that it usually takes a month for a city to complete a proclamation request.

We ask that you please request two copies of the proclamation, and send one to us for our records at the address listed at the bottom of this page.  We'd also love to hear of any publicity generated by your event!

Please email us at info@WomenArts.org to let us know if you are working on a Mayor's Proclamation in your town.  We will post a list of cities where proclamations are in progress on our website, so that you do not duplicate someone else's efforts.

Please note that The Fund for Women Artists is already working to obtain a proclamation in our home town of San Francisco. 

Sample Proclamation Text (Note: Please be sure to replace the bracketed items with the correct information for your town.)

PROCLAMATION

[City and County of San Francisco] 

Whereas, women artists inspire the citizens of [San Francisco] with the power of their imaginations, and create works that heal, uplift and transform our community;

Whereas, women artists create works in all art forms that reflect a wide range of women’s experiences and perspectives;

Whereas, the appreciation of the full diversity and complexity of women’s lives is crucial for the common good of our local, national, and international communities;

Whereas, women artists play a leading role in shaping public attitudes about gender and provide valuable role models for future generations;

Whereas, women artists create work that touches our deepest emotions and builds bridges among people of all ages, abilities, races, religions, and sexual preferences;

Whereas, the city of [San Francisco] is the home of many talented and hard-working women artists;

Whereas, The Fund for Women Artists, in collaboration with WITASWAN (Women in the Audience Supporting Women Artists Now) and women artists around the world, has organized a new international holiday called Support Women Artists Now Day or SWAN Day, which will henceforth be celebrated annually on the last Saturday of Women’s History Month;

Whereas, citizens of [San Francisco] are joining with artists, audiences, and arts supporters around the world to celebrate women artists during Women’s History Month and on the first international SWAN Day on Saturday, March 29, 2008;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that I, [Gavin Newsom, Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco], do hereby proclaim March 29, 2008 as the first annual

Support Women Artists Now Day /SWAN Day

In [San Francisco]