Anonymous Was a Woman

Introduction

Hello and welcome! Anonymous Was a Woman (AWAW) is partnering with SMU DataArts to administer this survey to better understand the needs and careers of women visual artists (which for us includes cis women, trans people, nonbinary people, genderqueer people, and any other ways of identifying as a woman not listed here).

Your participation and honest answers will help us get a complete picture of your experiences and insights. The survey takes an average of 10-12 minutes to fill out. We recommend taking the survey on a computer rather than a mobile device, if possible. You can stop midway through and click "save and continue later" to get a link emailed to you to follow later and complete your answers. Please click the Back/Next button before selecting that option; answers are saved when the Next or Back arrow/button is clicked.

Your responses will be kept completely confidential, and all reporting will be done in aggregate only. Everyone who completes the survey will be entered to win a drawing for one of several $100 cash prizes.

Why are we conducting this survey?

The goal of this survey is to collect information about your experiences that will support changes to make working as a woman artist more sustainable. The quantitative data that we’re collecting, particularly around finances, time, and treatment in the art world, will draw attention to any key disparities and practices that need to change.

How will this information be used?

AWAW intends to use this information to shape future grantmaking practices and identify areas where more support is needed.

We will also present and distribute this data publicly, with the goal of using it to influence other decision-makers, like other funders, museum board members, and gallerists.

Finally, we hope that artists can use this information for self-directed labor organizing and activist efforts.

Your responses will contribute to AWAW’s field-wide report, which will be publicly available in April 2025. The report will be produced in collaboration with SMU DataArts and journalists Charlotte Burns and Julia Halperin, together with Loring Randolph.

What else do I need to know about this survey?

This survey seeks participation from women artists of all ages in order to gain as comprehensive as possible an understanding of their needs, career development and overall experience.

We deeply appreciate your participation. Only researchers at SMU DataArts will see individual responses for the purposes of incentive distribution. Your decision to take the survey and any answers you provide will have no impact on award decisions by AWAW. Entering your email address at the end of the survey is optional.

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