A new report has found that 95% of women working in the UK arts believe gender inequality still exists, despite years of efforts to improve representation and opportunity across the sector.
The research, based on a survey of 76 arts professionals, also found that 75% had experienced unconscious bias or sexism during their careers.
Age emerged as another significant barrier, with 69% saying their age had negatively affected their career success. Among women working specifically in artistic roles rather than management, that figure rose to 100%.
Opportunities decline as women get older
The findings suggest that opportunities can become increasingly limited as women progress through their careers.
Respondents described an arts sector that frequently focuses on “young and emerging” talent, potentially leaving experienced women with fewer opportunities for roles, funding and professional development.
Some performers said the number of roles available to them appeared to fall sharply as they got older, while older male performers continued to have access to a wider range of parts.
Women working in writing and other creative disciplines also raised concerns that development schemes can favour younger or recently graduated artists rather than recognising people building careers later in life.
Ageism affects artistic careers
The issue appears particularly acute for women in performance.
The report found that every woman surveyed who worked in an artistic rather than managerial role said age discrimination had affected their career.
Actor Maureen Beattie, who has worked extensively in theatre and television, said the findings reflected a longstanding problem in the industry, particularly for older women seeking substantial roles.
The research argues that this not only restricts women's careers but also means the arts sector risks losing the experience and knowledge accumulated by professionals over decades.
AI recruitment raises new concerns
The report also raises questions about the increasing use of artificial intelligence in recruitment and selection.
Researchers warned that automated systems can potentially reproduce historic inequalities if they are trained on data reflecting previous recruitment patterns.
Women who have taken career breaks because of caring responsibilities could also be disadvantaged if automated systems interpret gaps in employment history negatively.
The issue goes beyond the arts. Employers across different sectors are increasingly being encouraged to examine how AI tools are used in recruitment and whether automated decision-making could unintentionally discriminate against particular groups.
For arts organisations, the findings suggest that technology should not be treated as automatically neutral simply because a recruitment decision has been partly automated.
Calls for action across the sector
The research forms part of a five-year project led by Women in the Arts and supported by organisations including Equity and Arts Council England.
Recommendations include greater targeted funding, stronger leadership programmes, improved representation and greater scrutiny of AI systems used in recruitment.
The findings are expected to be presented to MPs in October, with proposals including the creation of an all-party parliamentary group focused on gender inequality in the arts.
The latest evidence adds to wider concerns about inequality within Britain's cultural workforce, affecting who has access to opportunities and who is able to build and sustain a career.
For employers and organisations across the creative industries, the message is clear: increasing the number of women entering the sector is only one part of achieving equality.
Ensuring women continue to have access to meaningful roles, progression and opportunities throughout their careers may be the much harder challenge.
Source: Women in the Arts research, reported 30th August 2026.