ACE mulls gender advisory panel to tackle under-representation in the arts

Arts Council England is poised to launch a gender advisory panel following a “historic” meeting with theatre leaders including Stella Kanu.

The talks followed on from initial discussions in March, with ACE saying it would write a “feasibility paper” for a group to advise on gender imbalance in the arts, and present this paper to its governing body.

Partners on the five-year Women in Theatre research project including Kanu, chief executive of Shakespeare’s Globe, and former Equity president Maureen Beattie met with ACE on October 14 to discuss potential solutions to gender disparity in the arts.

Others in attendance included ACE’s chair Nicholas Serota and director of theatre Neil Darlison, while Women in Theatre was represented by figures including Parents and Carers in Performing Arts chief executive, Cassie Raine.

Areas discussed included how to examine collected experience data – which highlights areas such as the well-being of those working at funded organisations – in a way that could illuminate how people of different genders might experience employment in the arts.

It comes as partners from Women in Theatre revealed that they would develop their research focus into an organisation that provides events, awards, and mentoring, with further details to be announced.

Jennifer Tuckett, lead on the Women in Theatre research project, said the team was delighted by the “watershed moment”.

She added: “As ACE already has a race and disability advisory group, proposing a gender advisory group to the National Council is a historic moment to ensure women are also considered during decision-making processes. We are grateful to the Arts Council for the seriousness with which it has considered these issues.”

ACE confirmed the details of the meeting.