The Cultural Leadership Programme (CLP) has launched a Women to Watch list that aims to boost emerging and mid-career women in the cultural and creative industries.
Director-level figures and senior independent consultants are invited to nominate women who have made an impact in areas such as museums, libraries, visual arts and the historic environment.
The top 50, selected by a panel chaired by Radio 4 Woman’s Hour presenter Jenni Murray, will be unveiled in March. The deadline for entries is 29 January.
According to a CLP report published in February, Women in Leadership in the Creative and Cultural Sector, there are 32,800 female and 82,450 male chiefs.
CLP director Hilary Carty said: “By launching this list, we hope to encourage a variety of senior leaders in supporting the advancement of talented women across
our industries.”
Last month, the appointment of Penelope Curtis, curator at the Henry Moore Institute in Leeds, as director of Tate Britain made national headlines. Curtis is only the third female director in the Tate’s 112-year history (Susan Daniel-McElroy was head of Tate St Ives from 2000 to 2007, while Andrea Nixon is executive director
of Tate Liverpool).
Virginia Tandy, director of culture for Manchester City Council and a member
of the CLP board, said: “With the appointment of a woman to another senior national museum post, it’s good to see that progress is being made in addressing the low number of women directors at major institutions.”