Income inequality

Between 2002 and 2022, an average of 400 artists graduated annually from autonomous visual arts programs in the Netherlands. Of that total, 64 percent were women. Ultimately, female visual artists chose a different career more often than their male colleaguesère. In fact, of the total number of people working as visual artists between 2017 and 2022, 54 percent were women.

Female visual artists had an average gross annual income of 16,900 euros between 2017-2021. Male visual artists had an average gross annual income of 20,200 euros. This is a difference of almost 20 percent. An exception is the age group 35 to 44, where women had a higher income because they are more likely to have a second job then.

The average income disparity is smaller, however, compared to all other creative occupations. There, the income difference between women and men is 33 percent. At the same time, the average income of visual artists (18,500 euros gross per year) was significantly lower than for other creative professions (35,100 euros gross per year).

Less subsidy

Research on three Mondrian Fund grant programs shows that 52 percent of the total amount honored went to men, 45 percent to women and 3 percent to non-binary creators and others who did not fill in gender on their application forms.

One explanation is that men are more likely to apply for a scheme with a higher fixed grant amount. Men more often apply for the Artist Basic scheme, where women more often apply for the Artist Start scheme. In addition, women on average apply for slightly less money when they apply for a project grant.

Artists are also eligible for art awards. The breakdown between the number of female (54 percent) and male (43 percent) winners reflects the labor market ratio. The remaining 3 percent comprise an artist collective. The same gender ratio applies to the composition of juries. Thereby, the analysis shows that there are no non-binary winners and jurors yet.

Unequal representation

Some claims about the disadvantaged position of women in the labor market can be qualified. At the same time, the Boekman Foundation notes that inequality of opportunity between men and women in the visual arts sector persists.

Particularly in the area of representation, women have a disadvantaged position. This includes the composition of the collection and how these works are presented. It is necessary, according to the researchers, to bring the gender ratio in representation at the level of museum, gallery, exhibition and presentation institution into sharper focus.

In the report, the researchers emphasize the responsibility of individual institutions to measure. They specifically point to the role of umbrella organizations that have the reach and resources to monitor this sector-wide. For this data collection, the researchers see a task for the Museum Association and the Dutch Gallery Association (NGA), among others.

Download the publication here (via the Boekman Foundation website)