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
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.
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.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2023–2024
Kimberly Lamm, Chair, Duke University (2025)
Gabriela Aceves Sepúlveda, Simon Fraser University (2026)
Tanya Augsburg, San Francisco State University (2026)
Anonda Bell, Curator and Artist, Rutgers University (2024)
Zoë Charlton, American University (2024)
Monika Fabijanska, Art Historian and Independent Curator (2024)
Carey Gibbons, The Morgan Library & Museum (2025)
Elizabeth Hawley, University of South Alabama (2026)
Stacey Kalkowski, United Arab Emirates University (2025)
Natalie Marsh, ViVA Virtual Visiting Artists (2025)
Jodi McCoy, University of Oklahoma (2024)
Keren Moscovitch, Parsons School of Design, New School University (2025)
Jehan Mullin, Purdue University (2026)
Toni Pepe, Artist, Boston University (2024)
Nada Shabout, University of North Texas, CAA Board Liaison, Ex Officio