Our mission:
Care for artist mothers.
The First Ten, is an arts program supporting the career advancement of mid-career women artists who are mothers to children under the age of ten offering professional services, community, and general care at a time of great transition.
Why The First Ten?
Data has finally begun to confirm what women artists—especially mothers—have long known firsthand: the art world is built on structural inequities that limit their cultural visibility, earnings, and opportunities. Auction reports and the landmark report, Artists Speak: The Anonymous Was A Woman Survey commissioned by Anonymous Was A Woman, now provide concrete evidence to replace decades of anecdote. These findings affirm our mission and underscore the urgent need for The First Ten.
Numbers Speak
Below are some of the findings from the Artist Speaks Survey.
Art sales account for only 17% of household income of women artists
women artists report negative impacts from gender discrimination
women artists feel they are treated equitably
1 in 3 women artists earn less than $50,000 annually
Caregiving continues to constrain time, opportunity, and professional growth for artists who are mothers.
Mother artists spend 29% less time making art than their peers without children
Fewer women artists have children & 40% less children if they have any
Those with children have significantly fewer children — an average of 1.17 children under 18 compared to the U.S. average of 1.94 children.
Where do women find support?
Data shows that women artists do not solely rely on institutions. They find communities and networks crucial to their careers.
Nearly 8 in 10 (79 %) identify community and networks as crucial to their careers
59 % describe a strong or very strong sense of artistic belonging
