Committees
COMMITTEE ON WOMEN IN THE ARTS
Judy Baca and Catherine Opie (Photograph by Rafael Cardenas)
DESCRIPTION
The Committee on Women in the Arts (CWA) promotes the scholarly study and recognition of women’s contributions to the visual arts and to critical and art-historical studies; advocates for feminist scholarship and activism in art; develops partnerships with organizations with compatible missions; monitors the status of women in the visual-arts professions; provides historical and current resources on feminist issues; and supports emerging artists and scholars in their careers.
RECENT PROJECTS
The Committee on Women in the Arts (CWA) researches and makes available published studies on the status of women in the arts while working with CAA to analyze women’s current professional status through questionnaires and databases. CWA collaborates with CAA affiliated societies such as ArtTable, the Feminist Art Project, the Women’s Caucus for Art, and the Queer Caucus (many of whose memberships overlap). Over the years, CWA has worked with other CAA committees—Diversity Practices, Education, and Student and Emerging Professionals, for example—to organize events for the CAA Annual Conference. CWA is involved in the ongoing project of identifying organizations and funding sources that support women in the arts. As this information comes to light, it will be available online to the CAA membership.
CWA PICKS
Quarterly, the CWA presents a selection of exhibitions, conferences, symposia, panels, lectures, and other events for the CWA Picks. CWA Picks highlights art and scholarship by women that address gender issues.
DISTINGUISHED FEMINIST AWARDS
The Distinguished Feminist Award was first established by the CAA Board of Directors in 2007 and honors a person, who, through their art, scholarship, or advocacy, has advanced the cause of equality for women in the arts. From 1996 to 2008, this award was presented by the CWA as an Annual Recognition Award to artists or scholars who have had a significant impact on feminist art, art history, theory, and/or criticism.
In 2017, the CWA proposed an expansion to the resolution which was again approved by the CAA Board. CAA now presents two Annual Distinguished Feminist Awards -- one to a visual artist or designer, and one to a scholar.
Feminist Interview Project
The Feminist Interview Project, organized by CAA’s Committee for Women in the Arts, examines the practices of feminism by interviewing a range of scholars and artists, preserving oral histories while expanding the boundaries of what might be considered feminist. Throughout its interviews, this project reimagines the possibilities of feminist practice and feminist futures. This collection of interviews aims to not only add underrepresented voices to the Smithsonian Institution’s Archives of American Art, but it also aspires to critically examine the relationships between feminism, feminist art, and the practice and daily lives of artists and scholars.
Additionally, to all interviews being archived with the Smithsonian, the Feminist Interview Project is proud to partner with CAA’s Art Journal Open to publish select interviews on its online platform.
Cassils in Conversation with Amelia Jones
Christine Sun Kim in Conversation with Tabitha Jacques
Senga Nengudi in Conversation with Daisy McGowan
Additional interviewees in the FIP archives have included: Anna Campbell, Anna Chave, Katy Deepwell, Jasmine Dillavou, Vita Eruhimovitz, Aikaterini Gegisian, Maud L. Lavin, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Laurie Jo Reynolds, Mira Schor, and Lowery Stokes Sims.
Every year, the Committee on Women in the Arts (CWA) identifies and nominates an artist and a scholar to be honored with CAA’s Distinguished Feminist Awards.
Current Committee Members
Kimberly Lamm, Chair, Duke University (2025)
Gabriela Aceves Sepúlveda, Simon Fraser University (2026)
Tanya Augsburg, San Francisco State University (2026)
Carey Gibbons, The Morgan Library & Museum (2025)
Gina Goico, Cornell University (2027)
Sharon Hecker, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, CAA Board Liaison, Ex Officio
Elizabeth Hawley, University of South Alabama (2026)
Micol Hebron, Chapman University (2027)
Stacey Kalkowski, United Arab Emirates University (2025)
Natalie Marsh, ViVA Virtual Visiting Artists (2025)
Keren Moscovitch, Parsons School of Design, New School University (2025)
Jehan Mullin, Purdue University (2026)
Alison Poe, Woman's Art Journal (2027)
Maura Reilly, Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers University (2027)
Jessica Rodriguez-Colón, School of Visual Arts, Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts (2027)
Bárbara Tyner, Centro de Cultura Casa Lamm (2027)
Su Yang, University of North Texas (2027)