What we do
The Women’s Art Register is Australia’s living archive of women’s art practice and an artist-run, not-for-profit community and resource. Assessed as a ‘Collection of National Significance’ through the Heritage Collections Council in 2009, this unique archive houses documentation of over 5000 artists.
Since 1975 the Women’s Art Register has provided an inclusive, independent platform for research, education, advocacy and support, enhancing the status of women artists and addressing issues of equity, professional practice and cultural heritage.
‘W.A.R. Stories: The Women's Art Register at the Roundtable’, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2018. Photo by Caroline Phillips.
Our work
The Women’s Art Register archive is open to the public and provides free access and research services to artists, students, curators, institutions and the general public. We’re here to respond to the need for information about, and images of, the work of Australian women artists. We have an open and inclusive policy of collecting items from all artists who identify as women (cis and trans inclusive) or gender diverse. In caring for our unique archive, we support our volunteers and student placements with training and experience in collection management and conservation. Our volunteers are available to provide educational services and outreach to students and community groups upon request.
We advocate for the representation of women artists and their work in Australia’s cultural discourse including media engagement, submissions to Parliament, and regular Art+Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-thons.
Through dynamic public programs we collaborate with others to present innovative exhibitions, discussion formats, workshops and special events. We host an annual Artist-In-Residence and publish our regular Bulletin journal in July and December of each year.
