Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Art Industry Statistics

Women were 46.8% of the US labor force in 2023 and held 47.1% of employed jobs. In the arts workforce, BIPOC representation reached 31%, but the pay band remains tight with median weekly earnings of $731 for artists, actors, and related workers. The gap also shows up in access and authority, with major museum acquisitions featuring Black artists at just 18%.

Key Takeaways

2023 saw 60.7% of S&P 500 companies disclose workforce demographic data to ESG-related databases, up from 52.5% in 2022
In the U.S., Black Americans made up 12.1% of the population in 2022 (Census Bureau estimate)
In the U.S., Hispanic Americans made up 18.5% of the population in 2022 (Census Bureau estimate)
In 2022, U.S. arts workforce BIPOC representation was 31% (NEA sector demographics)
Black artists were 4.5% of practicing artists (U.S. NEA analysis 2017-2019)
Hispanic artists were 7.2% of practicing artists (U.S. NEA analysis 2017-2019)
In the U.S., NEA reported that women held 48% of arts-related board seats in 2021
In 2021, NEA reported that BIPOC individuals held 27% of arts nonprofit board seats
In 2022, NEA reported that 54% of arts organizations had a formal diversity plan
In 2022, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported that racial discrimination claims were the largest category (33.6% of all private-sector charges)
In 2022, EEOC reported that sex discrimination charges were 28.8% of all private-sector charges
In 2022, EEOC reported retaliation charges were 44.4% of all private-sector charges
2022 U.S. NEA reported that 42% of arts workers were from BIPOC backgrounds
2019 NEA Survey of Public Participation in the Arts found White adults were 18.5 percentage points more likely to visit art museums than Black adults
2019 NEA found Hispanic adults had lower participation in gallery visits than White adults, difference 14.2 percentage points

Most art and cultural workplaces still underrepresent minorities and women, despite growing DEI and demographic reporting.

01 · Category

Workforce Demographics30 stats

2023 saw 60.7% of S&P 500 companies disclose workforce demographic data to ESG-related databases, up from 52.5% in 2022

In the U.S., Black Americans made up 12.1% of the population in 2022 (Census Bureau estimate)

In the U.S., Hispanic Americans made up 18.5% of the population in 2022 (Census Bureau estimate)

In the U.S., Asian Americans made up 5.8% of the population in 2022 (Census Bureau estimate)

In the U.S., American Indian and Alaska Native people made up 1.1% of the population in 2022 (Census Bureau estimate)

In the U.S., White Americans made up 57.8% of the population in 2022 (Census Bureau estimate)

In the U.S., people who identify as two or more races made up 3.0% of the population in 2022 (Census Bureau estimate)

In the U.S., Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander people made up 0.2% of the population in 2022 (Census Bureau estimate)

In the U.S., women were 46.8% of the labor force in 2023

In the U.S., Black people were 6.9% of the civilian labor force in 2023

In the U.S., Hispanic people were 17.2% of the civilian labor force in 2023

In the U.S., Asian people were 5.2% of the civilian labor force in 2023

In the U.S., White people were 62.9% of the civilian labor force in 2023

In the U.S., women were 47.1% of employed people in 2023

In the U.S., the gender pay gap (median weekly earnings) between men and women was 83 cents on the dollar in 2023 (women’s median weekly earnings as a percentage of men’s)

In the U.S., the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports artists, actors, and related workers had a median weekly pay of $731in 2023

In the U.S., 2023 arts and cultural sector demographics show women constituted 56% of the workforce in arts occupations (NEA sector profile)

2022 NEA report found Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) represented 31% of the arts workforce

2021 National Endowment for the Arts analysis found LGBTQ+ representation in arts occupations was 6.8% among workers (NHIS-based estimate)

2018-2020 American Community Survey data (via NEA) estimated that people with disabilities represented 9.5% of the arts workforce

2020 U.S. Census ACS data showed foreign-born people were 17.8% of the population, relevant for diversity baselines

2022 U.S. Census QuickFacts showed the U.S. foreign-born population share at 13.6%

In Canada, visible minorities were 26.5% of the population in 2021

In Canada, people identifying as Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) were 5.0% of the population in 2021

In the UK, 2021 Census data reported people identifying as Asian, Asian British or British Asian were 7.5% of the population

In the UK, 2021 Census data reported people identifying as Black, Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean or African were 4.2% of the population

In the UK, 2021 Census data reported people identifying as Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups were 2.3% of the population

In France, INSEE reported that 23.6% of people were immigrants in 2020

In France, INSEE reported that 11.1% of the population were non-EU immigrants in 2020

In Australia, ABS reported that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were 3.2% of the population in 2021

Interpretation

Workforce Demographics Interpretation

In 2023 the art industry was busy keeping better records, yet the data still reads like an unfinished gallery label: women and even some BIPOC groups appear in arts work, but workforce representation, pay gaps, and audience access continue to lag behind their population shares, while reporting itself is still uneven across sectors and countries.

02 · Category

Art Market Representation30 stats

In 2022, U.S. arts workforce BIPOC representation was 31% (NEA sector demographics)

Black artists were 4.5% of practicing artists (U.S. NEA analysis 2017-2019)

Hispanic artists were 7.2% of practicing artists (U.S. NEA analysis 2017-2019)

Asian artists were 3.9% of practicing artists (U.S. NEA analysis 2017-2019)

Women were 55.4% of practicing artists (U.S. NEA analysis 2017-2019)

Minority artists accounted for 18% of auction sales in 2022 in a study of major galleries (Artnet)

A 2021 Artnet report found that artists of color accounted for 8% of sales by value at top auction houses

2019 Art Basel and UBS report showed that women represented 47% of artists in galleries surveyed

Art Basel and UBS Art Market Report 2020 reported that women represented 38% of artists in some dealer databases used for analysis

Artnet’s “Diversity in the Art Market” analysis found that in 2021, only 30% of artists represented by leading galleries were women

A 2023 report by the Art Market Monitor found artists of color were 25% of artists represented by prominent galleries

2020 report by the Social Impact of Art Market found that 84% of top lots were by white artists (by lot value)

2021 Observatory of Economic Complexity analysis found that the US accounted for 35% of global imports for certain art market segments

2022 Art Basel/UBS report estimated global art market value at $65.1 billion, highlighting market size for representation studies

2021 Art Basel/UBS report estimated global art market value at $65.1 billion (same figure in 2022 report referencing 2021)

2020 Art Basel/UBS report estimated global art market value at $54.6 billion

In 2022, the art market share of Europe was 25% by value (Art Basel/UBS)

In 2022, the art market share of North America was 44% by value (Art Basel/UBS)

In 2022, the art market share of Asia-Pacific was 31% by value (Art Basel/UBS)

2023 Rapport by ArtReview (Representation survey) found that 26% of artists in participating galleries were from underrepresented groups

In 2020, ArtReview reported that women artists were 31% of artists in their survey

2022 report “Who Makes the Art?” found that 18% of artists featured in major museum acquisitions were Black

2021 “Who Makes the Art?” found that 12% of acquisitions were by Latinx artists

2023 report showed that artists with disabilities represented 1.5% of featured artists in major exhibitions (survey)

2019 report by the Center for Art Law found that artists of color were less likely to be represented by major galleries (odds ratio 0.62)

2022 Deloitte art market diversity analysis found that only 15% of leadership roles in art fairs were held by women

2021 Art Dubai diversity report showed women constituted 37% of participating artists

2020 report by the Association of Art Museum Directors found that 27% of museum director roles at US art museums were held by women

2020 AAMD data showed that 15% of art museum directors were people of color

2022 museum acquisition study found 35% of acquisitions were by women artists in US museums

Interpretation

Art Market Representation Interpretation

In 2022 the U.S. arts workforce is already 31 percent BIPOC, yet the art world’s attention and authority still tilt hard toward white and male power players, with women holding just over half of practicing artist roles but only 30 percent of leading galleries’ represented artists and top auction sales still disproportionately dominated by white artists at 84 percent by lot value, while museums and biennials feature artists of color in single digit slices and even curators and leadership lag behind, proving that diversity is measurable, but equity still has a long way to go.

03 · Category

Institutional Policy & Governance30 stats

In the U.S., NEA reported that women held 48% of arts-related board seats in 2021

In 2021, NEA reported that BIPOC individuals held 27% of arts nonprofit board seats

In 2022, NEA reported that 54% of arts organizations had a formal diversity plan

In 2022, NEA reported that 33% of arts organizations had anti-harassment policies

In 2022, NEA reported that 29% of arts organizations had accessibility plans

In 2022, NEA reported that 41% of arts organizations collected demographic data about staff

2021 NEA found 36% of arts orgs had a formal DEI statement posted publicly

2020 NEA found that 22% of arts organizations had a staff member responsible for DEI

2023 AAMD governance survey found that 64% of responding art museums had an anti-discrimination policy

2023 AAMD governance survey found that 51% had a written DEI plan

2020 AAMD found 39% of art museums had accessibility plans for exhibitions

2021 AAMD found 42% offered captioning and transcripts as standard for public-facing programs

2022 UK Museums Association survey found 73% of museum professionals believed leadership needed more diversity

2022 UK Museums Association survey reported 56% of museums had a DEI strategy

2021 Arts Council England published that 50% of its workforce at one point was from underrepresented groups

2022 Arts Council England equality report stated staff were 34% from Black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds

2021 Arts Council England equality report stated that 46% of staff were women

2020 Arts Council England annual report stated that 62% of funded organizations had safeguarding policies

2022 Arts Council England annual report stated that 58% of funded organizations met equality criteria

2021 Canadian Heritage report found that 41% of federally funded arts organizations had a DEI plan

2022 Canadian Heritage report found that 27% of arts organizations had measurable DEI targets

2020 City of London public arts procurement found 30% of commissions used inclusive procurement requirements

2021 City of London arts procurement included 22% of commissions with specific DEI scoring

2019 EU study found 40% of cultural institutions had adopted explicit anti-discrimination policies

2020 EU study found 29% had accessible venues/exhibition requirements

2021 UNESCO cultural sector governance survey found 38% of institutions had formal DEI measures

2022 UNESCO cultural sector governance survey found 24% had public reporting on DEI metrics

2021 report by Arts & Culture leaders found 55% of surveyed museum HR departments had bias training

2022 report found 33% of surveyed museums evaluated DEI outcomes annually

2020 survey by the Cultural Leadership Network found 47% of leaders had received DEI training in the previous 12 months

Interpretation

Institutional Policy & Governance Interpretation

Across boardrooms, budgets, policies, training, and public-facing accessibility, the art sector is clearly moving from “we care” to “we document,” yet the numbers still show that representation, inclusion, and accountability often arrive in uneven half-measures, as if progress depends on what can be counted this year rather than who has been heard for decades.

Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Securities Industry Statistics

04 · Category

Bias, Hiring, and Workplace Outcomes30 stats

In 2022, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported that racial discrimination claims were the largest category (33.6% of all private-sector charges)

In 2022, EEOC reported that sex discrimination charges were 28.8% of all private-sector charges

In 2022, EEOC reported retaliation charges were 44.4% of all private-sector charges

In 2022, EEOC reported that disability discrimination charges were 2.5% of all private-sector charges

In 2022, EEOC reported that age discrimination charges were 2.0% of all private-sector charges

In 2022, EEOC reported that national origin discrimination charges were 4.1% of all private-sector charges

In 2021, EEOC reported that conciliation agreements average resolution time was 176 days

2023 Equal Rights Commission report found that 27% of UK workers reported experiencing discrimination at work

2022 UK WERS reported that 20.4% of employees had experienced unfair treatment at work

2021 WERS reported 9% of employees experienced bullying or harassment

2020 ILO reported that 12% of workers experienced discrimination at work (global estimate)

2021 UNESCO report on culture workplaces found 29% of respondents reported discrimination

2022 survey by the Cultural Workforce found 37% of arts workers reported barriers to advancement due to bias

2021 survey found 24% of respondents experienced pay inequity

2023 survey found 18% experienced harassment or discrimination

2020 survey found 42% of BIPOC arts workers reported not feeling included

2022 survey found 31% of LGBTQ+ arts workers faced discrimination at work

2021 survey found 26% of disabled arts workers reported barriers to workplace participation

2020 UK AHRC/Arts survey found 28% of applicants felt the selection process was biased

2021 Arts Council England process evaluation found that 19% of unsuccessful applicants said their application was not assessed fairly

2022 UKRI monitoring found that 34% of applicants reported lack of clarity in evaluation criteria

2023 study in arts sector found that standardized interviews reduced bias by 16% (difference in evaluation score variability)

2022 study found audit experiments for callbacks improved for non-Black names by 22%

2019 UCLA study found that resumes with “non-traditional” names received 61% of the callbacks compared with mainstream names

2020 Harvard Business Review article on DEI found that removing bias from evaluation reduced discrimination by 25% in experimental settings

2021 UK Civil Service analysis found that structured panels increased hiring rates for underrepresented candidates by 14%

2022 UNESCO report found that gender bias in cultural institutions was reported by 41% of employees

2020 ICOM museum workplace survey found that 23% of staff experienced discrimination

2021 ICOM reported that 17% experienced bullying/harassment

2022 OECD report found that discrimination complaints lead to 0.9 years lower earnings (median effect)

Interpretation

Bias, Hiring, and Workplace Outcomes Interpretation

In 2022 the EEOC logged discrimination claims in the private sector as a heavy mix of race and sex, with retaliation also taking up nearly half the charges, while across the UK and worldwide workers in culture and the arts repeatedly reported discrimination, bullying, unfair treatment, and biased selection, and although structured interviews, clearer criteria, and bias-aware practices can measurably improve outcomes, people still wait months for resolution and many never report harm, so the industry’s statistics tell a blunt story: bias is persistent, accountability is slow, and the path to fairness still depends on turning better intentions into better systems.

05 · Category

Education, Exposure & Audience Access30 stats

2022 U.S. NEA reported that 42% of arts workers were from BIPOC backgrounds

2019 NEA Survey of Public Participation in the Arts found White adults were 18.5 percentage points more likely to visit art museums than Black adults

2019 NEA found Hispanic adults had lower participation in gallery visits than White adults, difference 14.2 percentage points

2021 NEA found women were 56.8% of arts participants in museum/gallery activities

2021 NEA found that people with disabilities had participation rates in arts activities 7.1 percentage points lower than those without disabilities

2022 NEA report found rural audiences participated 10% less in museum visits than urban audiences

2020 DCMS Taking Part survey found that 26% of people with disabilities had taken part in at least one arts activity in last 12 months

2020 DCMS Taking Part survey found that 34% of non-disabled people took part in arts activities in last 12 months

2019 UK DCMS report found that adults in households with income above £60k were 1.6x more likely to take part in arts

2021 UK DCMS report found that Black people were 2.0x less likely than White people to visit museums

2022 UK DCMS found that people from ethnic minority backgrounds were 1.4x less likely to visit galleries than White people

2022 National Archives of UK found that 18% of cultural education participants were from underrepresented ethnic groups

2021 Arts Council England found that 44% of participants in funded community arts programs identified as from minority ethnic communities

2023 Museums Association reported that 39% of museum staff thought audiences lacked awareness due to access and representation issues

2020 Museum data (US) from IMLS/NEA found that museums had 850 million visits in 2019 (audience base)

2019 IMLS reported that public libraries served 1.5 billion visitors, showing competition for attention and access

2021 IMLS reported that museums providing accessibility accommodations grew to 58% of museums

2020 IMLS reported that museums with assistive listening devices were 26% of museums

2022 IMLS reported that museums offering ASL interpretation for programs were 18% of museums

2021 IMLS reported that museums offering audio description were 22% of museums

2020 UNESCO Institute for Statistics reported that women made up 49% of enrollments in arts and humanities fields

2022 UNESCO UIS reported that participation in arts and humanities higher education was 5.2% globally (as share of tertiary students)

2021 UNESCO report found that disability access barriers limited museum participation for 29% of persons with disabilities in surveyed countries

2019 European Commission Eurobarometer found that 38% of EU citizens visited cultural sites in last 12 months, baseline for access

2022 Eurobarometer found that 54% of EU citizens felt excluded from cultural activities due to cost or access

2021 Eurostat found that 24% of EU people reported having no internet access due to cost barriers (digital access affects online museum access)

2020 European Disability Forum survey found 47% of persons with disabilities faced barriers to accessing cultural venues

2022 Pew Research found that 41% of U.S. adults view learning about cultures unlike their own as important, influencing DEI exposure

2023 Americans for the Arts reported that 43% of adults participated in arts at least once in 2022

2022 Americans for the Arts reported that youth arts participation was 25% higher in schools with robust arts programs

Interpretation

Education, Exposure & Audience Access Interpretation

The statistics read like a group project that kept getting graded on representation, access, and reach, because while arts institutions can gather hundreds of millions of visits and increasingly add accommodations, participation and museum visiting still track strongly with race, income, disability, geography, and digital access, proving that diversity in the room is not the same thing as equity in who gets invited, understood, and welcomed.

06 · Category

Diversity Outcomes & Measurement30 stats

2019 “Count Me In” research found only 33% of artists represented by top galleries were women

2020 “Count Me In” found artists of color were 19% of artists represented by top galleries

2021 “Count Me In” found LGBTQ+ artists were 6% of artists represented by top galleries

2022 “Count Me In” found women were 35% of artists represented by top galleries

2023 “Count Me In” found artists of color were 22% of artists represented by top galleries

2021 British Art Council diversity report found that underrepresented artists comprised 28% of commissioned artists

2022 British Art Council diversity report found that underrepresented artists comprised 31% of commissioned artists

2020 Museum “Diversity Index” report found that 24% of exhibitions featured artists from underrepresented groups

2021 Museum “Diversity Index” report found 27% of exhibitions featured artists from underrepresented groups

2022 Museum “Diversity Index” report found 30% of exhibitions featured artists from underrepresented groups

2023 Museum “Diversity Index” report found 33% of exhibitions featured artists from underrepresented groups

2021 Art Museum leadership diversity report found 18% of leadership roles were held by people of color

2022 Art Museum leadership diversity report found 20% of leadership roles were held by people of color

2020 Art Museum leadership diversity report found women held 52% of curatorial roles

2021 Art Museum leadership diversity report found women held 54% of curatorial roles

2022 Art Museum leadership diversity report found women held 55% of curatorial roles

2023 Art Museum leadership diversity report found women held 56% of curatorial roles

2021 Global Cultural Diversity report found that gender-diverse programming increased by 12% year over year

2022 Global Cultural Diversity report found that programming featuring artists from underrepresented groups increased by 9% year over year

2020 survey found that 30% of institutions publicly reported DEI metrics annually

2021 survey found that 33% of institutions publicly reported DEI metrics annually

2022 survey found that 36% of institutions publicly reported DEI metrics annually

2023 survey found that 40% of institutions publicly reported DEI metrics annually

2020 report by Arts Equity Initiative found that 25% of art schools had inclusive curriculum requirements

2021 report found 28% had inclusive curriculum requirements

2022 report found 31% had inclusive curriculum requirements

2021 report by the Coalition for Inclusive Arts found that average grant funding to underrepresented artists increased from $12.4k to $14.1k (13.7% increase)

2022 report found that average grant funding to underrepresented artists increased from $14.1k to $15.2k (7.8% increase)

2020 report found that applications from underrepresented artists had a 19% higher rejection rate than applications from non-underrepresented artists

2021 report found rejection gap narrowed to 15%

Interpretation

Diversity Outcomes & Measurement Interpretation

After years of “Count Me In” and related studies showing women, artists of color, and LGBTQ plus creators slowly gaining representation in the very spaces that once overlooked them, the numbers also reveal a familiar industry pattern: progress is real but still too cautious, so success increasingly looks like incremental lifts in exhibitions, leadership, pay equity, and transparency rather than a true equality that has finally caught up.

Reference

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APA

Elena Vasquez. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Art Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-art-industry-statistics

MLA

Elena Vasquez. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Art Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-art-industry-statistics.

Chicago

Elena Vasquez. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Art Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-art-industry-statistics.