Since 2017, the Ministry of Culture has implemented an active policy to combat gender inequalities. The Observatory on Gender Equality in Culture and Communication, which, since 2013, measures the share of women in administration, cultural institutions, professional and collective management organizations, is fully part of this movement. Born of a desire to objectively take into account the place of women in cultural professions, access to the means of production and artistic consecration, the Observatory makes it possible to measure the progress made but also to identify the necessary paths of progress.

For Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak: A source of inspiration and an echo of the debates of our society, culture must set an example! I welcome the significant progress made towards a more just place for women in the cultural sectors, but the road to full equality requires redoubling efforts. In particular, it is important for me to pursue a proactive appointment policy, in line with Roselyne Bachelot’s action. 2022 saw the appointment of 23 women out of 42 new appointments to head cultural institutions within the scope of the ministry. These appointments are key to breaking the glass ceiling and creating more women candidates in the future.”

The figures and data of this eleventh edition of the Observatory, Published on the occasion of International Women’s Rights Day on 8 March 2023, shows that the share of women is increasing in positions of responsibility in the cultural sector. This includes:

  • 41% women head public cultural institutions (versus 30% in 2017);
  • 44% of women cultural affairs managers (DRAC) (against 35% in 2019);
  • 68% of women in the management of the 41 national museums (against 41% in 2019);
  • 60% of women in the presidency of public broadcasting companies;.
  • 42% of women head national drama centres (against 27% in 2019)
  • 68% of women in the offices of exhibitions of national interest (against 41% in 2019)

The Observatory also testifies to the need to continue and intensify these efforts to promote women’s access to positions of responsibility, especially in national centres for musical creation, national choreographic centres, operas and contemporary music scenes. The majority presence of women among the pupils of cultural higher education institutions, which has been consistently observed for several years, guarantees the existence of a large pool of qualified and competent people to ensure a balanced succession in all sectors.

In addition, while it is to be welcomed that progress has been made in the access of women to the means of creation, production and distribution, with, for example, in the cinema, 41% of the advances on receipts granted by the National Cinema Centre (CNC) to women directors (compared to 15% in 2018) and in live entertainment, 36% of decentralized aid allocated to women (compared to 31% in 2018), the Observatory recalls that the average amount of aid granted is often lower for women, reflecting the fact that project budgets for women are often lower than those for men.

Finally, the Observatory underlines the Ministry of Culture’s ongoing commitment to the fight against sexual and sexist violence and harassment (VHSS): conditioning grants for the implementation of measures to prevent and treat VHSS, listening and support cells, training…

The Observatory and full figures are available here:

https://www.culture.gouv.fr/Thematiques/Etudes-et-statistiques/Publications/Collections-d-ouvrages/Observatoire-de-l-egalite-entre-femmes-et-hommes-dans-la-culture-et-la-communication

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Women appointed in 2022 to senior positions under the Ministry of Culture :

Janvier

  • Claire BERNARDI, Director of the Orangerie National Museum
  • Alexia FABRE, Director of the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts de Paris

Mars

  • Laurence DE MAGALHAES and Stéphane RICORDEL, directors of the Théâtre du Rond-Point

Apr

  • Victorine GRATALOUP, Director of the Centre d'art contemporain d'intérêt national, the Triangle-France-Astérides in Marseille (Friche Belle de mai)

May

  • Camille BARNAUD, Volcano Director, Le Havre National Scene
  • Emilie PELUCHON, director of La Maison, Centre de développement chorégraphique national (CDND) d'Uzès dans le Gard

Jul

  • Nathalie CIXOUS, Director of the Centre national des arts de la rue et de l'espace public, L'Abattoir in Châlons-Sur-Saône

August

  • Constance RIVIERE, Director General of the Public Establishment of the Palais de la Porte Dorée
  • Adeline LEPINE-DELABORDE, Director of the Centre régional d'art contemporain de Montbéliard

September

  • Christelle CREFF, Head of the French Museum Service, Deputy Director-General for Heritage and Architecture
  • Aina ALEGRE and Yannick HUGRON, directors of the Centre chorégraphique national de Grenoble - CCN2
  • Charlotte GINOT-SLACIK, director of the Orchestre Français des Jeunes
  • Kaori ITO, Director of the TJP Centre dramatique national de Strasbourg Grand Est
  • Nathalie BESANÇON, Director of the Albi-Tarn National Scene
  • Sarah SCHMITT, Director of the Clermont-Ferrand Contemporary Music Scene, La coopérative de mai
  • Christine MACEL, Director of Museums of Decorative Arts

October

  • Florence PHILBERT, Director of the Directorate-General for Media and Cultural Industries (DGMIC) of the Ministry of Culture
  • Yannick LINTZ, President of the Guimet National Museum of Asian Arts
  • Marion FOUILLAND-BOUSQUET, Director of the Ferme du buisson, Marne-la-Vallée national stage

December

  • Caroline GUIELA NGUYEN, Director of the National Theatre of Strasbourg
  • Delphine CHRISTOPHE, Director of the Regional Directorate for Cultural Affairs of the Great East
  • Christine DIACON, Director of the Centre-Val-de-Loire regional cultural affairs directorate
  • Laurence TISON-VUILLAUME, head of the General Inspectorate of Cultural Affairs (IGAC) of the Ministry of Culture