The Fund for Women Artists

Mission Statement

The Fund For Women Artists is a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation based in Western Massachusetts. The organization's two primary goals are:

To increase the diversity of the images of women in theatre, film, and television, and
To increase the employment of women in the arts.

Many sociological studies have shown that mainstream theatre, film, and television productions present a disproportionate number of images of women who are under 40, white, middle or upper class, slender, heterosexual, and not particularly career-oriented. This narrow range of images encourages harmful stereotypes, ignores reality, devalues female experience, and limits the hearts and minds of both men and women. The Fund For Women Artists is dedicated to providing financial and other support to artists who create works that reflect the full diversity and complexity of women's lives.

Economic research indicates that women suffer from employment discrimination in the performing arts, as they do in every other sector of the economy. There are fewer employment opportunities for women artists, and women are often paid less than men for the same work. To help increase the employment opportunities for women, The Fund For Women Artists will only fund projects in which women receive more than 50% of the total salaries and fees paid.