The Women in Art Fair (WIAF) is returning to London from October 9 to October 12.
Art events company Frieze will host the capital’s largest annual art week – with its second edition taking place Yesat Mall Galleries.
The fair has secured exclusive representation of 200 female artworks sourced from 20 galleries.
WIAF founder Jacqueline Harvey said: “We need radical innovation to address the glaring gender imbalance in the industry.”
The fair’s main objective is to craft a more prominent platform for women in the creative industries.
An open call by WIAF had 2000 submissions showcasing the fundamental desire for artists to not only create art, but for it to be consumed by an audience.
A study conducted by a Freelands Foundation report found that although women make up the majority of creative arts graduates, 68% of artists represent in London galleries are their male counterparts.
This prioritisation of male art continues to flow throughout the UK’s secondary market where men take up 88% of sales.
Harvey wanted to dispel the myth that this initiative sought to hinder men.
She said: “This is not about excluding men.
“It’s about disrupting the established model which isn’t serving us, as it’s failing half of the artistic community, women.”
Notable participating artist Megan Baker agrees with Jacqueline’s cause.
She said: “WIAF felt like a very natural step for all of us. I am really looking forward to seeing what kind of audience they’ll bring in and how they will react to my work.”
Megan’s pieces will be displayed at Gillian Jason Gallery, the first gallery in the UK to exclusively champion female-identifying artists.
WIAF have also announced a collaboration with Rise and Repaint, formerly known as ArtGirlRising and Repaint History.
Rise and Repaint is a social enterprise that has spent the last six years supporting and advocating for women and non-binary artists globally.
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