The Gender Pay and Promotion Gap Is Rampant in the UK Arts Sector, a New Study Shows

Connecting the Dots – #YesThisIsAnArtsStory Repost from Artnet News

Henri Neuendorf | 12 December 2018

Gender-based pay inequality is still a major problem in the UK’s arts sector, according to the findings of the 2018 ArtsPay survey, commissioned by the advocacy group Arts Professional.

A lack of career progression is the biggest contributor to disparity, according to the survey, with women only half as likely as men to reach senior roles by their mid 30s, and earning less than men as their careers progress.

The group collected more than 2,600 responses from an online survey in September and October across three categories: full-time workers, part-time and freelance workers, and business owners and managers. The findings showed that only 15 percent of women under the age of 35 occupy senior roles, compared to 31 percent of men. And, on average, women in full-time employment in the cultural sector earn 10.6 percent less than men.

The differences are starkest among full-time employees, where men earn an average of £33,000, while their female counterparts earn just £29,500. A gender pay gap was also found in senior positions (among owners and managers), with men earning £1,750 more annually than women, on average. Meanwhile, 45 percent of senior-level men earn more than £40,000, compared with 42 percent of women.