This report was commissioned by Stichting Niemeijer Fonds and carried out by the Boekman Stichting. It was presented to State Secretary Fleur Gräper of Culture and Media on March 28, 2024 at the Mauritshuis in The Hague.

Platform BK was a discussion partner during one of the focus group sessions in this study. This highlighted many different aspects from sexism to the visual arts canon and the curriculum at art academies. We are therefore pleased that this report is available and look forward to further research into the topics that the Boekman Stichting advises. Such as further research into career progression and impact on parenthood and the cause of the high outflow of female visual artists.

The report shows that the annual income of female visual artists is 20 percent lower than that of male colleagues, and it also showed once again that the income position of visual artists is very precarious. In general, visual artists have a much lower average personal income (18,500 euros) than workers in other creative professions (35,100 euros).

In addition to these results, there was also room for discussion and the following statements emerged (can be found in the report): ‘The visual arts sector is child and family unfriendly’, ‘Building a career and thinking about children is – biologically speaking – at the same stage of life for women’ and ‘Art by women is often linked to the identity or womanhood of the artist, rather than the subject that is central to the artwork itself’. This shows that we need to talk to each other more to make the visual arts a child and family friendly place and also a place where your art can be central, regardless of your identity.

Read the entire report for the outcome and recommendations.