Voices of Culture | Gender Balance in CCS

July 5, 2019, 3:02 pm

Culture Action Europe is among 35 organisations participating in the structured dialogue between the European Commission and and the cultural sector on Gender Balance in the Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS).

The Brainstorming Session on GENDER EQUALITY: Gender Balance in Cultural and Creative Sectors represents the opportunity for a group of around 35 European civil society stakeholders in the cultural sector to exchange ideas on this topic and to present these to the European Commission.

The group will brainstorm on 4-5 September 2019 in Prague, and then discuss the main ideas (to be summarised in a Brainstorming Report) with representatives of the European Commission at a Dialogue Meeting in Brussels on 5- 6 of November 2019.

Why is it important?

Several gender gaps exist in nearly all cultural fields in the world and across the EU. Women are not only underrepresented in the workforce, mainly in creative jobs and in leadership and decision-making positions, but also paid less than their male colleagues.
Moreover, gender stereotypes and sexual harassment are still widely taking place, while access of female artists to resources and to the art market is often limited. The conditions on the labour market make women artists particularly vulnerable, in particular as far as labour segregation, social rights related to pregnancy, maternity and pensions are concerned.

Questions covered during the discussions will include:

  1. What is the role of the public authorities (at national, regional and/or local levels) in ensuring a level playing field for female and male artists and cultural professionals? What works? What doesn’t work?
  2. What, if any, cultural policies and legislations need to be revised and/or introduced to include explicit affirmation of gender equality?
  3. What is the role of sectoral initiatives put in place to close the gender gaps in particular cultural and creative sectors?
  4. What should be done to increase the number of women in the cultural and creative occupations and sectors where they are under-represented?
  5. How to increase the gender balance at the leadership and decision-making positions?
  6. Is there a need for measures that promote equity in access to resources and access to the art market? If yes, what would be the most effective measures to be introduced?
  7. How to remove impediments that stand in the way of women’s involvement and advancement in cultural professions of their choice?

The discussion is of course not limited  to these questions. Participants are encouraged to share their opinion on what other aspects they deem important.

Do not forget to have a look at the CAE analysis of on “Gender Equality in the Arts” and watch the contributions from the “What if Europa asks Zeus out?” event, organised by Culture Action Europe in 2016.

Image for: Voices of Culture | Gender Balance in CCS