Studies show extent of gender inequality in Aus music, arts

A number of studies released as part of International Women’s Day 2016 yesterday highlighted the extent of gender inequality in the Australian music and arts sectors.

A survey by triple j’s current affairs show Hack as part of the broadcaster’s Girls To The Front programming found that one in five APRA members (21.5%) registered between July 1 2014 to June 30 2015 were women (a 3.8% increase from the previous year), and compared to 16% of the UK equivalent PRS for Music.

31% of public board members on peak music bodies are women.

Of the 225 artist managers surveyed at the Association of Artist Managers, 102 (or 45%) were women.

40 women (and 39 men) are employed at triple j, Double J and triple j Unearthed in music related positions.

Of 120 independent labels registered with AIR (Association of Independent Record Labels), 80% are run by men.

As far as award nominations are concerned, last year’s female representation was 46% for the APRA awards, one in three (33%) for the ARIAs and 40% for the J Award.

Of festival bills, women are poorly represented, whether as solo artists or part of a band. According to Hack, their representation was 32% of Splendour In The Grass, 38% of Laneway, 31% of Falls, 37% of Groovin With The Moo, 9% of Listen Out and 10% of Stereosonic,

See the full report and figures here.

According to The CoUNTess Report by artist and researcher Elvis Richardson of the arts sector, 2014 figures showed that 56% of 37 major arts prizes went to women but they only received 47% of the total prize pool of $1.35 million. Women creators only made up 34% of articles and reviews in arts magazines and 20% of cover stories. See report here.

According to Richardson, the problem is that works created by women are not taken as seriously. “You are always fighting against an assumption that when a man creates work it represents the universal, but when a women makes an artwork it is more considered to be about her own life or being a woman.”

Tonight (March 9) in Brisbane, QMusic and the Brisbane Multicultural Art Centre (BEMAC) are presenting a Women In Music Industry Development Panel as part of the inaugural Queensland Women’s Week.

Chanel Lucas from Women in Docs has put together a panel including Roz Pappalardo of Women In Docs, BEMAC producer and performer Ruth Ghee, BIGSOUND co-programmer and artist manager Maggie Collins and singer songwriter and arts administrator Carol Lloyd(just cop

The panel will explore the important contributions women make to the music industry and how these can develop and evolve.