Women in UK arts feel they do not have equal opportunities for roles, says report
Exclusive: Research says sector is fixated with young talent, with most women experiencing unconscious bias or sexismWomen working in the arts believe they do not have equal opport
By The Guardian
Women working in the arts believe they do not have equal opportunities for roles, with the problem felt most strongly as they get older, according to a report published on Sunday. The research said the industry remains fixated on “young and emerging” talent.
The survey questioned 76 arts professionals. It found that 95% of women believed gender inequality still persisted, while 75% said they had experienced unconscious bias or sexism.
The report also found that 69% felt age had a negative effect on their career success. Among those in artistic roles rather than managerial ones, that figure rose to 100%.
The findings came from a five-year research project by Women in the Arts, run with the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, Equity, WOW, Sphinx Theatre, ERA 50:50 and the Women in Theatre Lab.
The report said gender discrimination and ageism were being made worse by the use of AI in hiring, which can penalise women who have taken career breaks for caring responsibilities.
It called for more targeted action to tackle discrimination, including more funding, representation targets, leadership programmes and audits of hiring algorithms.
The research will be handed to ministers on 12 October as part of a campaign for an all-party parliamentary group on women in the arts.