Can We Break the Glass Ceiling of Arts Leadership?

Gender inequality is not ignored in the arts world, but the underlying causes behind it, and the effect that has on the structure of arts organizations, is not deeply discussed. I would like the field to directly address these questions: why are so many directors men when a majority of women work in the arts in entry and middle management-level positions and have strong professional experience and education? And how does this impact arts organizations’ capacity for innovation and dynamic change?

Linda Norris on her blog the Uncataloged Museum posed a similar the question with a blunt sense of humor. She asked, “What does it take to be an art museum director?” The answer she found was, “Evidently, be a white man!” She conducted informal research by monitoring the Art Museum Partnership Facebook page, where new directors for art museums are announced, from August to November of 2011. She found that, “Of the 15 directors named, only 4 were women, that’s just 26 percent… Admittedly, this is a highly unscientific survey, but revealing nonetheless.”

These issues are further explored in the “Women in arts and cultural heritage” video from the UK-based Creative Choices that was released in 2010. The video highlights the challenges facing women who pursue careers in arts management. These frustrations will sound familiar to readers no matter what their gender: low pay, burnout from balancing long hours at work with other life commitments, frustration generated from passionately pursuing a chosen career and finding few opportunities for advancement.