Empowering women is great, but activating women gives them the power to change the world.

In 2013, I started an event to showcase women in visual and performing arts while celebrating women in male-dominated industries like tech, whose work was making an impact. The event was birthed after I read an article that at the time less than 15% of women in visual arts were being showcased in museums around the WORLD. I kept hearing stories of women within arts and entertainment being told that they were “good at what they did for being a woman.” I wanted to do something to make a difference. After the event, I noticed that artists who participated still had a need for support and funding. In 2021, I introduced The State of Fem Art as an entity branching out of my agency (Love Life Media), so that the work we did to advocate for and support artists could continue to happen on a continuum through podcasts, media, events, funding, resources, and overall support for women in the arts. We realized there were barriers that prevented them from growing as artists because there was a fundamental lack of the tools and opportunities they needed being given to them that would ultimately help them to be successful—so we’re doing something about it.

The current state of women in the art world

There is a lack of gender parity, funding, opportunities, and resources for women in visual and performing arts and male dominated industries.  While work is being done to level the playing field, it simply isn’t enough when art collections at 18 of the major U.S art museums are 87% male and 85% of that work is by white artists. It’s not enough when only 11% of all acquisitions at 26 prominent U.S. museums feature female artists (Women in the Arts). It is not ok that women make up only 21.7% of artists, 12.3% of songwriters and 2.1% of producers in the music industry (USC Annenberg). It is sad that women only accounted for 12% of directors from the top 100 grossing films in 2021 (San Diego State University). Again, it is not enough, when women account for nearly half of graduates from architecture programs, but only make up about 15 percent of licensed architects (Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture).

For women artists it is an uphill battle, and they have shared the barriers that continue to exist. The top responses included lack of funding, resources, education, and active gatekeeping within arts and entertainment industries.

At the State of Fem Art we don’t just want to level the playing field, we want to change the narrative. We realize there is more we can do to ensure that women artists and their creative works are seen, heard, funded, executed at the highest level, and amplified to the fullest extent.

What we’re doing about it.

Here’s how we will resource and support women artists:

Advocacy & Research

Working with key decision makers and influencers to hold the arts and entertainment industry and corporations accountable in order to ensure gender parity, equal opportunities, and representation exists for women artists. Working with data analysts to uncover gaps, disparities, and inequities that continue to create barriers for the growth, trajectory, and recognition of women artists.

Artist Discovery & Support

Amplifying the work or artists through curated experiences to introduce them to new audiences. Providing an end-to-end membership platform that connects women in visual and performing arts with community, funding, resources, and the education they need to succeed within their perspective industries.

Education & Resources

Providing courses, workshops, events, and career development opportunities for women in visual and performing arts to hone their skills, understand the business, and connect with industry mentors and decision makers.

Changing the Narrative

Through the media we produce , we will have the necessary conversations that helps to tell the stories of women artists and reframe gender biases and false perceptions about the education, skill, intellect, or talent of women creatives across arts and entertainment industries

Getting Women Artist & Their Creative Works Seen and Funded

Increasing visibility and work-for-hire opportunities available to women artists through grant initiatives like our artist fund, partnerships, art auctions, and programs to increase funded projects and opportunities for women artists.

What we’ve done

The Virtual State of Fem Art Virtual Gallery

Designed by a woman, curated by a woman, with Art by women to celebrate the essence of our creativity and innovative works.

The Artists Fund Initiative

Funding women artists so they can launch their creative projects and endeavors.

Artist Fund Recipient 2021

Artist Fund Recipient 2022

The Podcast

The State of Fem Art podcast  is a space where we celebrate and amplify the voices of women artists and creative entrepreneurs taking a deep dive into the successes, barriers, and joys of what it means to be a woman navigating creativity, personal life, and the arts industry.

The State of Fem Art Survey

We've currently designed a survey to analyze the state of the arts industry and current barriers for women artists. Our goal is to survey a minimum of 250 female artists. If you are a women in visual and performing arts, please consider taking this survey: https://bit.ly/3o9iyj9

SheROCKS Event

The event created nearly a decade ago to celebrate women in visual and performing arts and male-dominated industries is now moving as one of the many events underneath The State of Fem Art brand house.

http://sherocksevent.com

How your support helps

We’re raising $18,500 for a proprietary web development project and  application that will provide a central hub for women artists to get everything they need through our web and mobile app. Yes, we have hired a woman developer to take on this project and need your help for proof of concept to go-to-market and get women artists seen, commissioned, and HIRED.

The money will also help us reward our next artist grants, and kickstart our expansion through marketing and event initiatives to showcase women artists.

This is the start of many seed-funding rounds to grow and expand The State of Fem Art platform.

Funding Goal Timeline

More about Timea Faulkner

Timea is a social entrepreneur, philanthropist, speaker, and author who has spent nearly a decade advocating for women artists and entrepreneurs. She was awarded with the Prince George’s County Social Innovation Fund’s 40 under 40 recognition for her work in Arts & Humanities. She is the founder of Love Life Media agency and The State of Fem Art.