Older women artists go it alone as new report reveals how the traditional art world is failing them

Museums and galleries are failing women artists—and the majority, particularly those over 65, are now bypassing the traditional art world to create their own networks and sell their art directly to collectors.

According to a new survey of 1,263 female artists, commissioned by the US grant-giving body Anonymous Was A Woman and written by the journalists Charlotte Burns and Julia Halperin, well over half (63%) of respondents say that a lack of museum or institutional backing hinders their career, while 59% feel the same about galleries. (It should be noted that 91% of respondents live in the US, so the report, published on 9 April, largely relates to US institutions and galleries.)

Sisters are doin’ it for themselves

As a result, women are bypassing the mainstream art world, which they say no longer serves them. More than half of artists (55%) say they are selling work independently of galleries and advisers, with women over 65 leading the way in selling art directly—59% of them have done so in the past five years, compared with 53% of artists under 40.

Burns thinks older artists may have more expansive networks simply because they’ve had more time to develop their careers: “They’ve been around long enough to recognise the value of what they are doing themselves, and to have built a community that feels the same way. So they are charging ahead in making the work they want to make, and frequently selling and advocating for it on their own.”

She also points out that women over 65 are not necessarily being supported less than younger artists overall. In fact, Burns says, “they say they have more support from galleries than their younger peers”. As much as 41% of older artists cite gallery support as one of the top three professional resources that have been most crucial in their careers (compared with 32% of artists aged between 40 and 64, and 26% of artists younger than that).

The underlying financial reality for all women artists is that they are not making a living from their art alone, despite putting in long hours. Art sales for artists across all generations only provide between 16% and 18% of household income. As the report notes, the picture of day-to-day life for women artists is “one of intense labour, fragmented creative time, and persistent caregiving responsibilities”. One-third of artists make less than $50,000 annually.

According to the report, female artists work 49 hours per week compared with the average American woman who works 36 hours every week. But they spend less than half that time (39%) actually making art. The rest is consumed by administrative tasks (25%) and other paid work (30%). Artists over 65 take on the most administrative work: 12.7 hours per week compared with 11.1 for younger and 11.9 for middle-aged artists.

Older artists also cite issues of legacy and the cost of archiving their life’s work as a source of concern. As one respondent puts it: “As a senior, single Black woman without a spouse, significant other, or adult children, I am concerned about my creative legacy of at least 50 years, so I’m preparing to archive my work—however, that process is very tedious and expensive, requiring paid assistance, especially due to my partial blindness.”

Rising cost of housing

Housing, healthcare and debt have a significant impact on artists’ careers, and this is where older artists seem to fare better. Housing instability affects nearly half (49%) of artists under 40, but this stress factor decreases over time, with only 9% of older artists worried about housing. Several decades ago, it was much easier for artists to buy their home or studio—something the younger generation is unlikely to benefit from. As one respondent who bought a small house 30 years ago and later built a studio on the property says: “Without this, I would surely have been forced by economic circumstances to stop making art seriously.”

Burns says that the data shows that artists aged 65 or over “have found greater financial independence, affording them more shelter from the vicissitudes of the art market by finding significant income beyond their practice”. As she notes, the majority of income for artists aged 65 or older comes from investments outside the art world, with 24% reporting passive income from real estate or stock and shares, compared with just 1% for artists under 40, and 4% for those aged between 40 and 64.

Debt is a particular issue for younger artists. As much as 28% of younger artists say that they have unmanageable debt, as do 22% of middle-aged artists and 6% of older artists. Even those who are supported by top galleries and museums say their livelihoods are precarious. As one says: “Because I am represented by a major gallery, people assume I am doing well and do not realise I am struggling financially and in the process of having to give up my studio and downsize my life.”

As the report notes, there is no “right” age for women artists. Older and middle-aged artists overwhelmingly say they experience age discrimination, but youth comes with its own drawbacks, too: 41% of respondents under 40 say their age works against them. And despite the MeToo movement, 30% of those under 40 and 20% of artists between 40 and 64 continue to experience sexual harassment.

Though much discussed, progress for women artists remains painfully slow. And the future does not necessarily look brighter: many resources that older artists have depended on are not guaranteed for the next generation. Nonetheless, artists of all ages continue to prove their resilience by finding alternative ways of navigating the art world on their terms. And young artists who feel unsupported by their galleries could have much to learn from their older counterparts.

As Halperin says: “All of the generations stand to learn from one another: they face shared challenges as well as specific ones unique to this moment. They could be allies for one another in seeking out alternative pathways for support and exposure.”