A new report commissioned by the grant-giving body Anonymous Was A Woman and authored by journalists Charlotte Burns and Julia Halperin reveals that museums and galleries are failing women artists, particularly those over 65. Based on a survey of 1,263 female artists (91% based in the US), the report finds that 63% cite a lack of museum backing and 59% cite a lack of gallery support as hindering their careers. As a result, 55% of all respondents are selling work independently, with women over 65 leading the way—59% have sold directly to collectors in the past five years. The report also highlights that female artists work 49 hours per week but spend only 38% of that time making art, with the rest consumed by administrative tasks and other paid work, and that art sales provide only 16-18% of household income.
This matters because it quantifies systemic barriers that have long been anecdotally understood in the art world, showing that older women artists are not passively waiting for institutional recognition but are actively creating their own networks and sales channels. The data underscores a generational shift in how artists navigate the market, with older artists leveraging decades of community-building to bypass traditional gatekeepers. It also raises urgent questions about the sustainability of artistic careers, given the intense labor, caregiving burdens, and financial precarity documented—especially for artists of color and those without family support. The report challenges museums and galleries to reconsider their support structures or risk losing a significant portion of the artistic workforce.