Think about the painterly courage of Artemisia Gentileschi against all obstacles, Lubaina Himid and Sonia Boyce paving the way for black British women artists in the 80’s, right the way through to Yayoi Kusama’s iconic polka dots – now affiliated with one of the biggest luxury brands in the world. But trailblazing the creative industry is no easy feat, as there are still many gendered and discriminatory barriers that women face.
As we are invited to embrace equity this International Womens Day, we’re sharing a range of resources for women and non-binary artists of all backgrounds to support your creativity.
5 Online Resources
© Fanny Michaëlis
Are you looking for an online archive to discover women artists? Or perhaps an empowering creative opportunities portal designed for women and non-binary artists to rise up in the art world? These 5 resources will enrich your knowledge and broaden your horizons.
1. AWARE Archives of Women Artists, Research and Exhibitions (@awarewomenart) are a bilingual non-profit organisation aiming to re-write art history with a gender-equal footing. There are many free resources on their website, including this animated series talking about great women artists, an archive where you can browse artists by themes, and weblinks of women artist collections, networks and much more.
2. UK Friends of the NMWA (@ukfriendsnwma) are an independent charity who champion women artists, specifically those with a connection to the UK. Become inspired by their Women to Watch Biennial – an exhibition showcasing and celebrating Women artists who are making a big impact on the art world right now. Sign up to their newsletter and browse their newsletter archive, and check out their List of UK exhibitions by Women – a useful tool when you’re looking to see something new!
3. Weekly Rise by (@artgirlrising + @repaint.history) is a creative opportunity and listings portal for women and non-binary artists. Including articles, grants, open calls, residencies and exhibitions, the portal covers a range of international opportunities happening in the art world right now.
4. Songtrust (@songtrust) have created a jam-packed Women In Music Resource List in to combat gender disparity in music. Including names of organisations who support women musicians, useful reading, as well as visual and audio resources for women in the music industry, this guide aims to support and empower women with a career in music.
5. I Like Networking (@ilikenetworking) is a leading creative career platform for women and non-binary people, specializing in mentoring and networking services. They have a number of free downloadable resources, including a creative careers guide and cover letter guide, as well as a useful articles and videos library covering topics like feeling more comfortable with uncertainty and tips for freelance writers.
8 Grassroots Organisations and Communities to Watch
There are so many incredible women-led projects who build and empower creative communities. From festivals and workshops to galleries and networks, make sure you keep your eye on these 8 grassroots organisations.
1. Sisterhood (@oursisterhood) is a social enterprise using creativity as a vehicle for social change to empower teenage girls through workshops and projects. Hear more about their projects on this exclusive IG Live episode.
2. Grrrl Zine Fair (@grrrlzinefair) is inspired by the 1990’s riot grrrl culture combining zine making with art and music to bring women, transgender, non-binary, and gender fluid communities together through events, talks, workshops and more.
3. Black Girl Fest (@blackgirlfest) is a creative studio for black women and non-binary folk who run creative programmes, festivals, funding opportunities, and an online learning hub.
4. Procreate Project (@procreateproject) supports the professional development of contemporary artists working across different disciplines who are also (m)others.
5. Spilt Milk (@spiltmilkgallery) is a social enterprise based in Edinburgh whose mission is to promote the work of artists who identify as mothers and empower mothers in the community.
6. Women Working Class (@women_working_class) is a space for all identifying women artists and producers from working, benefit, or under council class backgrounds.
7. ART MAMA (@art___mama) is a platform running pop-up style short-run exhibitions to enable authentic and supporting relationships between gallery, artist, and collector.
8. Black Women Artist Network (@bwartist_) is a platform that promotes and connects black women artists in the UK – keep your eyes peeled for future events and talks.
5 Instagram Accounts You Must Follow
Social media can be an amazing tool to fill you with inspiration, discover new artists and be part of a supportive and uplifting community. Here are 5 empowering creative accounts to follow:
This account was made in 2015 by Katy Hessel, Author of Waterstones book of the year 2022 ‘The Story of Art Without Men’. It a space that celebrates both historical and contemporary women artists – many of which Hessel explores in her Great Women Artists Podcast.
Championing women artists from Latin America, Spain and Portugal, Amalgama art regularly showcases a variety of women artists on their feed, often providing a bitesize informative description about their life and work in the caption. There are so many fabulous artists to discover here!
The official Instagram account of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in New York, who provide inspiration of great women artists like Paula Modersohn-Becker, Doris Lee, Katharina Cibulka and more.
4. @allshemakes
All She Makes is a community organisation who share a variety of tips, artist features, and motivational posts to inspire your creativity.
Black Girls in Design have some great video content to follow including reels on how to overcome failure as a designer, to positive and affirming posts that will brighten up your day and give you a supportive boost.
4 Top Podcasts For Women Creatives
You need these podcasts in your life! From critics talking about historical women artists, to emerging creatives talking about topics such as failure, taking breaks and self-promotion, there’s something for every creative in these little nuggets of wisdom.
1. The Great Women Artists Podcast by Katy Hessel interviews a mixture of high-profile women artists such as Marina Abramović and Tracy Emin, emerging women artists like Deborah Roberts and Jadé Fadojutimi as well as art world critics and authors commenting on historical women artists like author Jennifer Higgie on artist Suzanne Valadon. Make sure you take advantage by listening to bonus episode The Story of Art Without Men (Audiobook Taster) if you haven’t already read Katy’s bestselling book on women artists yet.
2. Women United ART PODCAST hosted by Mona Lerch has talks with leading women gallerists, artists and curators who share their experience in the industry as well as tips and advice. Featured guests include author of How Not to Exclude Artist Mothers (and other parents), Hettie Judah, and founder of Unit 1 Gallery | Workshop, Stacie McCormick.
3. Thriving Women Artists Podcast by Ping, Dorien & Sarah is a lighthearted, warm chat between friends who draw from their experiences as creatives to answer some very important questions in the industry. We recommend listening to the episode ‘How to Deal with Failure’ and their views on interpreting failure as a starting point and learning curve.
4. Empowered Artist Collective Podcast hosted by Jennifer Apple empowers women and non-binary artists in the creative industry by diving into topics like finding balance, cultivating resilience and embracing social media. There are some incredible industry guests from the performance and theatre sector, and we recommend listening to the ‘Understanding Boundaries’ episode with Teniece Divya Johnson.
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