Art World Gathers to Address Gender Inequities

Making Their Mark forum in Washington, D.C. tackles underrepresentation and undervaluation of women artists

Mar. 10, 2026 at 9:19pm

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Last weekend, figures from across the art world came together for the Making Their Mark forum in Washington, D.C. to address enduring gender inequities in the art world. The 350 attendees, overwhelmingly female, discussed issues of recognition, valuation, and perception of women artists across the industry, from museums to the art market.

Why it matters

The forum was a call to action to address the significant gender disparity in the art world, with data showing that only 11% of museum acquisitions between 2008-2022 were works by women, and that works by female artists sell at an average 19-42% discount compared to men in the auction market.

The details

The event kicked off at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, featuring an exhibition of 80 works by 69 female artists from the Shah Garg Collection. Panels covered topics like the challenges of mounting all-female artist shows, the importance of systemic change starting in art education, and the interconnected nature of the art market ecosystem. A heated discussion between gallery, auction house, and academic perspectives highlighted the complex dynamics driving gender inequities.

  • The Making Their Mark forum took place over three days last weekend in Washington, D.C.
  • The exhibition at the National Museum of Women in the Arts is the latest stop on a national tour.

The players

Komal Shah

Founder of the Making Their Mark Foundation, which conceived the forum to celebrate female artists and address gender inequities in the art world.

Chelsea Clinton

The first panelist at the forum, who referenced the "volume and velocity of vile" directed at her mother during Congressional hearings.

Ava DuVernay

Film director who talked about the importance of challenging the status quo and embracing the current moment as a "time to incubate".

Christa Blatchford

CEO of the Joan Mitchell Foundation, who discussed who gets to be remembered in the art world.

Charlotte Burns and Julia Halperin

Journalists who presented data on the underrepresentation and undervaluation of women across the art world.

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What they’re saying

“The canon is a construct.”

— Komal Shah, Founder, Making Their Mark Foundation

“Help us imagine a way out of this moment.”

— Chelsea Clinton

“The biggest obstacle to creativity is fear.”

— Jodie Foster, Actress

“If the price of auction is the only determinant for a woman artist to achieve success, it is ignoring the majority of other indicators.”

— Mary Sabbatino, Vice President/Partner, Galerie Lelong

“I just want to say, there weren't any artists on that last panel. I felt a little infantilized at times, because we don't always make art just for the market.”

— Andrea Bowers, Artist

What’s next

The Making Their Mark Foundation plans to continue championing women artists through exhibitions, scholarships, and future forums.

The takeaway

The Making Their Mark forum highlighted the systemic gender inequities that persist in the art world, from museum acquisitions and auction sales to institutional leadership and public perception. Addressing these challenges will require coordinated action across the industry to reshape the systems that determine artistic recognition, valuation, and preservation.