The Women's Caucus for Art (WCA), founded in 1972, is a non-profit organization based in New York City, which supports women artists, art historians, students, educators, and museum professionals. The WCA holds exhibitions and conferences to promote women artists and their works and recognizes the talents of artists through their annual Lifetime Achievement Award. Since 1975 it has been a United Nations-affiliated non-governmental organization (NGO), which has broadened its influence beyond the United States. Within the WCA are several special interest causes including the Women of Color caucus, Eco-Art Caucus, Jewish Women Artist Network, International Caucus and the Young Women's Caucus. The founding of the WCA is seen as a "great stride" in the feminist art movement.

Overview

The Women's Caucus for Art membership includes artists, students, educators, art historians, and professionals from museums and galleries. The organization holds conferences, produces exhibitions, conducts research and issues awards.
Ferguson Career Resource Guide for Women and Minorities: Resources for women
'. Infobase Publishing; 1 January 2006. . p. 203. Along with the founding of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, its creation is seen as one of the "great strides hathave been made in developing an institutional infrastructure for women's art and art history since the 1970s."Susan R. Ressler.
Women Artists of the American West
'. McFarland; 2003. . p. 13.

History

Background

Within the broader feminist movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s, a feminist art movement began to contest women's under-representation in professional art organizations, art exhibitions and art history textbooks. The movement "was a major watershed in women's history and the history of art." Its slogan was "the personal is political." In 1969, Women Artists in Revolution (WAR) formed in response to the inclusion of “only 8 women among the 143 artists shown” at the Whitney Museum’s 1969 Annual. WAR “demanded that the museum change its policies to include more women artists.” In 1971, Linda Nochlin’s "Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?" and Judy Chicago and Miriam Schapiro started the Feminist Art Program at Cal Arts, which provided a new arts education for women based on mentorship, training in tools, research about women artists, consciousness-raising, and role-playing. The following year, "Paula Harper and twenty-one participants in the Feminist Art Program" conceived of "a landmark collaborative installation staged in an empty house in Los Angeles" and called Womanhouse

College Art Association Women's Caucus

At its annual conference in San Francisco, women within the College Art Association formed a women's caucus on 28 January 1972, electing

Ann Sutherland Harris Ann Birgitta Sutherland Harris (born 4 November 1937) is a British-American art historian specializing in Baroque art, Modern art, and in the history of women's art. Career Harris is an educator, having held her first position in 1965 as an As ...

as the first president (1972-1974).Eleanor Dickinson
The History of the Women's Caucus for Art
Retrieved 7 March 2013. However, tensions developed between this group and the CAA board, and in November 1973 the CAA executive asked "the Women's Caucus, which is not officially affiliated with the CAA, to drop the use of the phrase 'of the CAA' from its name."Susan L. Ball.
The Eye, the Hand, the Mind: 100 Years of the College Art Association
'. Rutgers University Press; January 2011. . p. 31, 64, 108.

Women's Caucus for Art founded

In 1974 Mary Garrard, president of the caucus from 1974 to 1976, oversaw the formation of the Women's Caucus for Art (WCA) as an independent non-profit organization.

Arlene Raven Arlene Raven (Arlene Rubin: July 12, 1944, Baltimore, Maryland – August 1, 2006, Brooklyn, New York) was a feminist art historian, author, critic, educator, and curator. Raven was a co-founder of numerous feminist art organizations in Los ...

, who, with Judy Chicago and Sheila Levrant de Bretteville, founded the Feminist Studio Workshop of Women's Building, was also part of WCA's roots as was Eleanor Dickenson. The WCA grew, establishing regional chapters and publishing research on women's art. Membership broadened from predominantly art historians to a majority of women artists, and the third president, Judith K. Brodsky, was herself an artist rather than art historian. In 1977 the

Coalition of Women's Art Organizations A coalition is a group formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political or economical spaces. Formation According to ''A Gui ...

(CWAO) was formed as a political arm of the WCA.

Organizational structure

The Women's Caucus for Art is a national member organization with 23 regional chapters located throughout the United States. The headquarters, in New York City, is an umbrella organization governed by a national board of directors consisting of an executive committee (president, president elect, treasurer/secretary, vice president/chair of national exhibitions, past president/chair of legacy, vice president of chapter relations, vice president for organizational outreach, vice president for development and vice president of special events), regional vice presidents, standing committee chairs, directors (including chairs of internal caucuses)) and board-appointed advisors. The National President is voted in by the membership for two-year terms. Half of the board is nominated by the incoming president and approved by the board, and the other half is voted in by chapter representatives. Many of the regional chapters are organized as separate 501(c)3 non profit organizations. The Northeast Region consists of WCA New Hampshire, Central Mass WCA, WCA New York, and Philadelphia WCA. The Southeast Region consists of Greater Washington DC WCA, WCA Georgia, WCA Alabama, WCA Florida, and WCA Louisiana. The Midwest Region consists of Chicago WCA, WCA Michigan, WCA Minnesota, WCA Indiana, WCA Nebraska, and St. Louis Missouri WCA. The Southwest Region consists of WCA Colorado and Texas WCA. The Pacific Region consists of WCA Northern California, WCA Peninsula, WCA Monterey Bay, Silicon Valley WCA, Southern California WCA and Oregon WCA.

Special-interest caucuses

Within the WCA are several special interest causes including the Women of Color caucus, Eco-Art Caucus, Jewish Women Artist Network, International Caucus and the Young Women's Caucus. After being appointed to Vice President of Minority Affairs by the President Ofelia Garcia in 1986, artist and activist

Faith Ringgold Faith Ringgold (born October 8, 1930 in Harlem, New York City) is an American painter, writer, mixed media sculptor, and performance artist, best known for her narrative quilts. Early life Faith Ringgold was born the youngest of three child ...

proposed the formation of a women of color caucus. It was within this context that "Coast to Coast", an arts organization for women of color, was created. The Jewish Women Artist Network (JWAN) was founded by Francia Tobacman. From 2006 to 2012 it organized national conferences of Jewish related themes. The International Caucus maintains WCA's involvement with the United Nations, develops art exhibitions related to the UN Goals, develops collaborative projects with other global organizations, collects data about WCA's art and activism projects, and shares this information with the larger WCA membership. The Young Women's Caucus supports women artists of who are college students, returning students and young professionals seeking to create a career in art. It provides networking resources to established women artists within the broader organization.

National presidents

* 1972–1974:

* 1974–1976:

Mary D. Garrard Mary DuBose Garrard (born 1937) is an American art historian and emerita professor at American University. She is recognized as "one of the founders of feminist art theory" and is particularly known for her work on the Baroque painter Artemis ...

* 1976–1978: Judith K. Brodsky * 1978–1980: Lee Ann Miller * 1980–1982:

Susan DeRenne Coerr Susan (Susie) deRenne Coerr (1939-2007) was an American artist, educator and co-founder of the Northern California Chapter of the Women's Caucus for Art. Early life Coerr (pronounced "core") was born December 9, 1939, in New York City to Wym ...

* 1982–1984:

Muriel Magenta Muriel Magenta née Zimmerman is an American visual artist working in new media genres of computer art, installation, multimedia performance as well as video and sculpture. Magenta is Professor of Art at Arizona State University. Education Mage ...

* 1984–1986: Ofelia Garcia * 1986–1988:

Annie Shaver-Crandell Annie may refer to: People and fictional characters * Annie (given name), a given name and a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Annie (actress) (born 1975), Indian actress * Annie (singer) (born 1977), Norwegian singer The ...

* 1988–1990:

Christine Havice Christine may refer to: People * Christine (name), a female given name Film * ''Christine'' (1958 film), based on Schnitzler's play ''Liebelei'' * ''Christine'' (1983 film), based on King's novel of the same name * ''Christine'' (1987 fil ...

* 1990:

Carol Heifetz Neiman Carol Heifetz Neiman (1937 – 1990) was an American artist who was a member of the feminist art movement of the 1970s, known for her surrealist and xerox art. She also created etchings, and worked in pencil, pastels, and mixed media and was a ...

* 1990–1992:

Iona Deering Iona (; gd, Ì Chaluim Chille (IPA: �iːˈxaɫ̪ɯimˈçiʎə, sometimes simply ''Ì''; sco, Iona) is a small island in the Inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It is mainly known for Iona Abbey, though there ...

* 1992–1994:

Jean Towgood Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * Jean ...

* 1994–1996:

Helen Klebesadel Helen may refer to: People * Helen of Troy, in Greek mythology, the most beautiful woman in the world * Helen (actress) (born 1938), Indian actress * Helen (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) Places * Helen, G ...

* 1996–1998:

Imna Arroyo Imna Arroyo is a Puerto Rican artist. Her work is centered on printmaking and painting, particularly around the theme of "energia de mujeres", or "women's energy". Early life and education Arroyo was born in 1951 in Guayama, Puerto Rico and at ...

* 1998: Transition Leadership Committee (

Magi Amma Magi (; singular magus ; from Latin ''magus'', cf. fa, مغ ) were priests in Zoroastrianism and the earlier religions of the western Iranians. The earliest known use of the word ''magi'' is in the trilingual inscription written by Darius the ...

Catherine Carilli Katherine, also spelled Catherine, and other variations are feminine names. They are popular in Christian countries because of their derivation from the name of one of the first Christian saints, Catherine of Alexandria. In the early Chris ...

Margaret Lutze Margaret is a female first name, derived via French () and Latin () from grc, μαργαρίτης () meaning " pearl". The Greek is borrowed from Persian. Margaret has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular throug ...

, and Gail Tremblay) * 1999: Gail Tremblay * 2000–2002: Magi Amma * 2002–2004:

Noreen Dean Dresser Noreen, or BID 590, was an off-line one-time tape cipher machine of British origin. Usage As well as being used by the United Kingdom, Noreen was used by Canada. It was widely used in diplomatic stations. According to the display note on ...

* 2004–2006:

Dena Muller Dena (in Luri and fa, ) is the name for a sub-range within the Zagros Mountains, Iran. Mount Dena, with length and average width, is situated on the boundary of the Isfahan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Provi ...

* 2006–2008: Jennifer Colby * 2008–2010: Marilyn J. Hayes * 2010–2012:

Janice Nesser-Chu Janice may refer to: * Janice (given name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) * '' Janice & Abbey'', a reality TV series * Processor codename of the Samsung Galaxy S Advance Android smartphone * Janice, Łódź Voiv ...

* 2012–2014: Priscilla Otani * 2014–2016:

Brenda Oelbaum Brenda is a feminine given name in the English language. Origin The overall accepted origin for the female name Brenda is the Old Nordic male name ''Brandr'' meaning both ''torch'' and ''sword'': evidently the male name Brandr took root in area ...

* 2016–2018: Susan M. King * 2018–2020:

Margo Hobbs *** People * Margo (actress) (1917–1985), Mexican-American actress and dancer * Margo (magician), American magic performer and actress * Margo (singer), Irish singer * Margo (given name), including a list of people and characters with the name ...

* 2020–present: Donna Jackson

Lifetime Achievement Awards

In 1979 the WCA created the National Lifetime Achievement Awards. The goal was to acknowledge the work of notable women in the arts and stimulate the growth of opportunities within the arts. An important annual function, honorees are selected by a group of notable WCA scholars and artists. A few honorees include painter Georgia O'Keeffe, painter

Alice Neel Alice Neel (January 28, 1900 – October 13, 1984) was an American visual artist, who was known for her portraits depicting friends, family, lovers, poets, artists, and strangers. Her paintings have an expressionistic use of line and color, psyc ...

, art historian

Lucy R. Lippard Lucy Rowland Lippard (born April 14, 1937) is an American writer, art critic, activist, and curator. Lippard was among the first writers to argue for the " dematerialization" at work in conceptual art and was an early champion of feminist art. ...

, sculptor and painter

Selma Burke Selma Hortense Burke (December 31, 1900 – August 29, 1995) was an American sculptor and a member of the Harlem Renaissance movement. Burke is best known for a bas relief portrait of President Franklin D. Roosevelt which may have been the model ...

, and women's museum founder Wilhelmina Holladay. Joan M. Marter.
The Grove Encyclopedia of American Art
'. Oxford University Press; 2011. . p. 267.

Awardees

* 1979: Isabel Bishop,

, Louise Nevelson, Georgia O'Keeffe * 1980: Anni Albers, Louise Bourgeois,

Caroline Durieux Caroline Wogan Durieux (January 22, 1896 – November 26, 1989) was an American printmaker, painter, and educator. She was a Professor Emeritus at both Louisiana State University, where she worked from 1943 to 1964 and at Newcomb College of Tula ...

, Ida Kohlmeyer, Lee Krasner * 1980 Alternate Awards: Bella Abzug, Sonia Johnson,

Sister Theresa Kane A sister is a woman or a girl who shares one or more parents with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer ...

, Grace Paley, Rosa Parks, Gloria Steinem * 1981: Ruth Bernhard,

Adelyn Breeskin Adelyn Dohme Breeskin (1896–1986) was an American curator, museum director, and art historian known for her longtime leadership of the Baltimore Museum of Art and Mary Cassatt scholarship. Biography Adelyn Dohme was born in 1896 in Baltimore ...

, Elizabeth Catlett, Sari Dienes, Claire Falkenstein, Helen Lundeberg * 1982: Bernice Abbot, Elsie Driggs,

Elizabeth Gilmore Holt Elizabeth Gilmore Holt (July 5, 1905 – January 26, 1987) was an American art historian. Early life and education Elizabeth Basye Gilmore was born in San Francisco, California in 1905, and raised in Madison, Wisconsin; her father Eugene Allen Gi ...

, Katherine Kuh, Charmion von Wiegand,

Claire Zeisler Claire Zeisler (April 18, 1903 – September 30, 1991) was an American fiber artist who expanded the expressive qualities of knotted and braided threads, pioneering large-scale freestanding sculptures in this medium. Throughout her career Zeisler ...

* 1983:

Edna Andrade Edna Andrade (January 25, 1917 Portsmouth, Virginia - April 17, 2008 Philadelphia) was an American abstract artist. She was an early Op Artist. Op Art The Op Art movement refers to paintings and sculptures that use illusions or optical effects. ...

, Dorothy Dehner,

Lotte Jacobi Lotte Jacobi (August 17, 1896 – May 6, 1990) was a leading American portrait photographer and photojournalist, known for her high-contrast black-and-white portrait photography, characterized by intimate, sometimes dramatic, sometimes idiosyn ...

, Ellen Johnson,

Stella Kramrisch Stella Kramrisch (May 29, 1896 – August 31, 1993) was an American pioneering art historian and curator who was the leading specialist on Indian art for most of the 20th century. Her scholarship remains a benchmark to this day. She researched ...

, Leonore Tawney,

Pecolia Warner Pecolia Warner (March 9, 1901 – March 1983) was an American quiltmaker. Early life Pecolia Leola Deborah Jackson was born in a log house near Bentonia, Mississippi, and raised in Yazoo City, the ninth of eleven children. She learned to make qui ...

* 1984/1985: Minna Citron, Clyde Connell,

Eleanor Raymond Eleanor Raymond (March 4 1887 – July 24 1989) was an American architect. During a professional career spanning some sixty years of practice, mainly in residential housing, Raymond explored the use of innovative materials and building system ...

Joyce Treiman Joyce Wahl Treiman (May 29, 1922 – June 2, 1991) was an American painter. Her work ranged from "the impishly perverse and humorously paradoxical to the brilliant and profound." She was known as an excellent draftsperson throughout her caree ...

, June Wayne, Rachel Wischnitzer * 1986: Nell Blaine,

Leonora Carrington Mary Leonora Carrington (6 April 191725 May 2011) was a British-born Mexican artist, surrealist painter, and novelist. She lived most of her adult life in Mexico City and was one of the last surviving participants in the surrealist movement o ...

Sue Fuller Sue Fuller (August 11, 1914 – April 19, 2006) was an American sculptor, draughtsman, author, teacher and printmaker who created three-dimensional works with thread. She was a student of Hans Hofmann in 1934, Stanley Hayter in 1943, and Jose ...

, Lois Mailou Jones,

Dorothy Miller Dorothy Canning Miller (February 6, 1904 – July 11, 2003) was an American art curator and one of the most influential people in American modern art for more than half of the 20th century. The first professionally trained curator at the Museum ...

, Barbara Morgan * 1987: Grace Hartigan,

Agnes Mongan Agnes Mongan (January 21, 1905 – September 15, 1996) was an American art historian, who served as a curator and director for the Harvard Art Museums. Career Mongan received her B.A. in 1927 from Bryn Mawr College with a degree art history and E ...

, Maud Morgan,

Honoré Sharrer Honoré is a name of French origin and may refer to several people or places: Given name Sovereigns of Monaco Lords of Monaco * Honoré I of Monaco Princes of Monaco * Honoré II of Monaco *Honoré III of Monaco * Honoré IV of Monaco * Honoré ...

, Elizabeth Talford Scott, Beatrice Wood; President's Award: Patricia Hills * 1988: Margaret Burroughs,

Dorothy Hood Dorothy Hood (August 27, 1919 – October 28, 2000) was an American painter in the Modernist tradition. Her work is held in private collections and at several museums, most notably the Museum of Modern Art and Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Her p ...

, Miriam Schapiro,

Edith Standen Edith Standen (February 21, 1905 – July 17, 1998) was an American museum curator and military officer, best known as an expert on tapestries and as one of the "Monuments Men" who located and protected art works after World War II. Early life and ...

Jane Teller Jane Teller (July 5, 1911 — December 23, 1990) was an American printmaker and sculptor. Early life and education Jane Simon was born in 1911, in Rochester, New York. Simon attended Rochester Institute of Technology and Skidmore College, and ear ...

* 1989:

Bernarda Bryson Shahn Bernarda Bryson Shahn (March 7, 1903 – December 12, 2004) was an American painter and lithographer. She also wrote and illustrated children's books including ''The Zoo of Zeus'' and ''Gilgamesh.'' The artist Ben Shahn was her "life companion ...

Margret Craver Margret Craver (October 11, 1907 – November 22, 2010) was an American artist and arts educator. She was noted for her jewelry and holloware as well as her educational and technical manuals on metalwork. Early life and career Craver was born in ...

Clare Leighton Clare Marie Veronica Leighton, sometimes Clara Ellaline Hope Leighton or Clare Veronica Hope Leighton, (12 April 18984 November 1989) was an English/American artist, writer and illustrator, best known for her wood engravings. Early life and educ ...

Betye Saar Betye Irene Saar (born July 30, 1926) is an African-American artist known for her work in the medium of assemblage. Saar is a visual storyteller and an accomplished printmaker. Saar was a part of the Black Arts Movement in the 1970s, which eng ...

, Samella Sanders Lewis * 1990:

Ilse Bing Ilse Bing (23 March 1899 – 10 March 1998) was a German avant-garde and commercial photographer who produced pioneering monochrome images during the inter-war era. Biography Background and early life Bing was born to a wealthy Jewish famil ...

Elizabeth Layton Elizabeth Layton (October 27, 1909 – March 15, 1993), also called "Grandma" Layton, was an American artist. Early life and education Elizabeth Hope Converse was born in Wellsville, Kansas in 1909. Her father Asa Finch Converse was a newspap ...

, Helen Serger,

May Stevens May Stevens (June 9, 1924 – December 9, 2019) was an American feminist artist, political activist, educator, and writer. Early life and education May Stevens was born in Boston to working-class parents, Alice Dick Stevens and Ralph Stanley ...

, Pablita Velarde * 1991: Theresa Bernstein,

Mildred Constantine Mildred Constantine Bettelheim (June 28, 1913 – December 10, 2008) was an American curator who helped bring attention to the posters and other graphic design in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in the 1950s and 1960s Biography Co ...

, Otellie Loloma, Miné Okubo, Delilah Pierce * 1992: Vera Berdich,

Paula Gerard Paula Gerard (1907-1991) was an American art educator, administrator, and visual artist, whose primary work was in drawing, painting, and graphic arts. Gerard's artwork is included in the collections of major museums, including the Smithsonian ...

, Lucy Lewis, Louise Noun,

Margaret Tafoya Maria Margarita "Margaret" Tafoya ( Tewa name: Corn Blossom; August 13, 1904 – February 25, 2001) was the matriarch of Santa Clara Pueblo potters. She was a recipient of a 1984 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment ...

, Anna Tate * 1993: Ruth Asawa, Shifra M. Goldman, Nancy Graves, Gwen Knight,

Agueda Salazar Martinez Agueda Salazar Martínez (March 13, 1898 – June 6, 2000), also known as "Doña Agueda," was an American artist, noted for her Chimayó-style woven rugs and blankets. Early life and education Agueda Salazar was born in 1898, in Chamita, Rio Arri ...

, Emily Waheneka * 1994: Mary Adams,

Maria Enriquez de Allen Maria may refer to: People * Mary, mother of Jesus * Maria (given name), a popular given name in many languages Place names Extraterrestrial *170 Maria, a Main belt S-type asteroid discovered in 1877 * Lunar maria (plural of ''mare''), large, ...

, Beverly Pepper,

, Rachel Rosenthal,

Charlotte Streifer Rubinstein Charlotte Streifer Rubinstein (December 14, 1921 – November 7, 2013) was an American teacher of art and art history and an early innovator in the teaching of women-in-art history courses. She was born to Lillian Kaufman and Aaron Streifer in Ha ...

* 1995:

Irene Clark Irene Hardy Clark is a Navajo weaver. Her matrilineal clan is ''Tabaahi'' (water's edge people) and her patrilineal clan is ''Honagha nii'' (he walks around one people). Her technique and style is primarily self-taught, incorporating contempora ...

Jacqueline Clipsham Jacqueline Clipsham is a sculptor, ceramic artist, disability-rights activist, educator and museum professional. She was educated at Carleton College, University of Perugia, Italy, University of Grenoble France, Cleveland Institute of Art and C ...

Alessandra Comini Alessandra Comini (born November 24, 1934)Comini, Alessandra
Dictionary of Art Historians, 2012. Retrieved Jun ...

Jean Lacy Jean Lacy (1932 – March 25, 2023) was an American museum education specialist and visual artist who worked primarily in mixed media and collage. Lacy was of African American heritage, and believes her family is descended from indentured Afric ...

Amalia Mesa-Bains Amalia Mesa-Bains (born July 10, 1943),Telgen, page 272-273 is a Chicana curator, author, visual artist, and educator. She is best known for her large-scale installations that reference home altars and '' ofrendas''. Her work engages in a concept ...

, Celia Alvarez Muñoz * 1996: Bernice Bing,

Alicia Craig Faxon Alicia Craig Faxon is an American art historian, author, curator and educator. She is Professor Emerita at Simmons University, where she also served as Chair of the Department of Art and Music. Faxon also taught at Harvard University, the New ...

Elsa Honig Fine Elsa may refer to: ELSA (acronym) *ELSA Technology, a manufacturer of computer hardware *English Language Skills Assessment *English Longitudinal Study of Ageing *Ethical, Legal and Social Aspects research *European Law Students' Association * Eur ...

, Howardena Pindell,

Marianna Pineda Marianna Pineda (née Marianna Packard; 1925–1996) was an American sculptor, who worked in a stylized realist tradition. The female figure was typically her subject matter, often in a striking or expressive pose. Major work included an eight ...

Kay WalkingStick Kay WalkingStick (born March 2, 1935) is a Native American landscape artist and a member of the Cherokee Nation. Her later landscape paintings, executed in oil paint on wood panels often include patterns based on Southwest American Indian rugs, ...

* 1997:

Jo Hanson Jo Hanson (1918–2007) was an American environmental artist and activist. She lived in San Francisco, California. She was known for using urban trash to create works of art. Biography Jo Hanson was born on August 1, 1918, in Carbondale, Illi ...

Sadie Krauss Kriebel Sadie may refer to: People Given name or nickname Women * Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander (1898–1989), first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in the United States and to practice law in Pennsylvania * Sadie Benning (born 1973), American ...

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (born 1940) is a Native American visual artist and curator. She is an enrolled member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and is also of Métis and Shoshone descent. She is also an art educator, art advocate ...

, Moira Roth,

Kay Sekimachi Kay Sekimachi (born September 30, 1926) is an American fiber artist and weaver, best known for her three-dimensional woven monofilament hangings as well as her intricate baskets and bowls. Early life and education Kay Sekimachi was born in San ...

; President's Award: Tee Corinne, Ofelia Garcia * 1999: Judy Baca, Judy Chicago,

Linda Frye Burnham Linda Frye Burnham (born 1940) is an American writer whose work and research focuses on performance art, community art, education and activism. In 1978 she was the founding editor of High Performance Magazine and later served as co-editor wit ...

, Evangeline J. Montgomery,

Barbara T. Smith Barbara Turner Smith (born 1931 in Pasadena, California) is an American artist known for her performance art in the late 1960s, exploring themes of food, nurturing, the body, spirituality, and sexuality. Smith was part of the Feminist Movement in ...

* 2001: Joyce Aiken, Marie Johnson Calloway, Dorothy Gillespie,

Thalia Gouma-Peterson Thalia Gouma-Peterson (1933-2001) was Professor Emerita of Art History and museum curator at the College of Wooster in Ohio. Born in Athens, Greece she came to the U.S. as a Fulbright student in 1952. Education She earned her Bachelor of Arts ...

, Wilhemina Holladay,

Ellen Lanyon Ellen Lanyon (December 21, 1926 – October 7, 2013) was a painter and printmaker from Chicago, Illinois. She received her BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), her MFA from the University of Iowa School of Art and Art His ...

, Ruth Waddy * 2002: Camille Billops, Judith K. Brodsky,

, Linda Nochlin, Marilyn J. Stokstad; President's Award: Barbara Wolanin * 2003: Eleanor Dickinson,

Suzi Gablik Suzi Gablik (September 26, 1934 – May 7, 2022) was an American visual artist, author, art critic, and professor of art history and art criticism. She lived in Blacksburg, Virginia. Early life and education Gablik was born in New York City on ...

, Grace Glueck,

Ronne Hartfield Ronne Hartfield (née Ronola Rone, born March 17, 1936) is an American author, essayist, museum consultant, a former executive at The Art Institute of Chicago and executive director of Urban Gateways: The Center for Arts in Education. She has be ...

Eleanor Munro Eleanor Carroll Munro (March 28, 1928April 1, 2022) was an American art critic, art historian, writer, and editor. She was known for her work on women artists. Some of her published books included ''The Encyclopedia of Art'' (1961), ''Originals ...

, Nancy Spero * 2004: Emma Amos, Jo Baer,

Michi Itami Michi Itami (born 1938) is a Japanese-American visual artist. Her work includes printmaking, painting, ceramics and digital art and has been exhibited internationally. She has had solo exhibitions at A.I.R. Gallery, New York; 2221 Gallery in Ne ...

, Helen Levitt, Yvonne Rainer; President's Awards:

Elizabeth A. Sackler Elizabeth Ann Sackler (born February 19, 1948) is a public historian, arts activist, and the daughter of Arthur M. Sackler. She is the founder of the American Indian Ritual Object Repatriation Foundation and the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Fe ...

Tara Donovan Tara Donovan (born 1969 in Flushing, Queens, in New York City)) is an American sculptor who lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. Her large-scale installations, sculptures, drawings, and prints utilize everyday objects to explore the transformati ...

* 2005:

Betty Blayton-Taylor Betty Blayton (July 10, 1937 – October 2, 2016) was an American activist, advocate, artist, arts administrator and educator, and lecturer. As an artist, Blayton was an illustrator, painter, printmaker, and sculptor. She is best known for her wo ...

, Rosalynn Carter,

, Agnes Martin, Yoko Ono,

; President's Award:

Andrea Barnwell Andrea is a given name which is common worldwide for both males and females, cognate to Andreas, Andrej and Andrew. Origin of the name The name derives from the Greek word ἀνήρ (''anēr''), genitive ἀνδρός (''andrós''), that ...

* 2006: Eleanor Antin, Marisol Escobar,

Elinor Gadon Elinor W. Gadon (September 17, 1925 – May 8, 2018) was an American cultural historian, Indologist, art historian and author notable for her examination of women in myth and culture in history. Career Gadon has taught at several educational in ...

, Yayoi Kusama; President's Award:

Maura Reilly Maura Reilly is Director of the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University. She has dedicated her career as an author and curator to underrepresented artists, especially women. Biography Reilly has an M.A. and a Ph.D. from the New York Univers ...

* 2007 (co-hosted with the College Art Association Committee on Women in the Arts): WCA Recipients: Barbara Chase-Riboud, Wanda Corn,

Buffie Johnson Buffie Johnson (February 12, 1912 – August 11, 2006) was an American painter, associated with the Abstract Imagists. Biography Born in New York City, Johnson studied in her youth at the Académie Julian in Paris and at the Art Students League ...

, Elizabeth Murray; President'sAward:

Connie Butler Cornelia H. "Connie" Butler (born 1 February 1963) is an American museum curator, author, and art historian. Since 2013, Butler is the Chief Curator at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. Career Butler is a 1980 graduate of Marlborough School, and ...

; CWA Award Recipients: Ferris Olin, Judith K. Brodsky * 2008: Ida Applebroog, Joanna Frueh,

Nancy Grossman Nancy Grossman (born April 28, 1940) is an American artist. Grossman is best known for her wood and leather sculptures of heads. Early life and education Nancy Grossman was born in 1940 in New York City to parents who worked in the garment ind ...

Leslie King-Hammond Leslie King-Hammond (born 1944) is an American artist, curator and art historian who is the Founding Director of the Center for Race and Culture at the Maryland Institute College of Art, where she is also Graduate Dean Emeritus. Biography King- ...

Yolanda López Yolanda Margarita López (November 1, 1942 – September 3, 2021) was an American painter, printmaker, educator, and film producer. She was known for her Chicana feminist works focusing on the experiences of Mexican-American women, often challeng ...

, Lowery Stokes Sims; President's Award: Santa Barraza, Joan Davidow, Tey Marianna Nunn * 2009: Maren Hassinger, Ester Hernandez, Joyce Kozloff,

Margo Machida Margo Machida is an American art historian, curator, cultural critic, and artist. Machida is a Professor of Art History and Asian and Asian American Studies at the University of Connecticut, Storrs. Her book, ''Unsettled Visions: Contemporary A ...

, Ruth Weisberg; President's Award: Catherine Opie, Susan Fisher Sterling * 2010: Tritobia Hayes Benjamin, Mary Jane Jacob, Senga Nengudi,

Joyce J. Scott Joyce J. Scott (born 1948) is an African-American artist, sculptor, quilter, performance artist, installation artist, print-maker, lecturer and educator. Named a MacArthur Fellow in 2016, and a Smithsonian Visionary Artist in 2019, Scott is best ...

, Spiderwoman Theater (Lisa Mayo, Gloria Miguel, Muriel Miguel); President's Award: Juana Guzman, Karen Reimer * 2011: Beverly Buchanan, Diane Burko, Ofelia Garcia, Joan Marter,

Carolee Schneemann Carolee Schneemann (October 12, 1939 – March 6, 2019) was an American visual experimental artist, known for her multi-media works on the body, narrative, sexuality and gender. She received a B.A. in poetry and philosophy from Bard College and ...

, Sylvia Sleigh; President's Award for Art & Activism: Maria Torres * 2012:

Whitney Chadwick Whitney Chadwick (born 28 July 1943) is an American art historian and educator, who has published on contemporary art, modernism, Surrealism, and gender and sexuality. Her book ''Women, Art and Society'' was first published by Thames and Hudson ...

Suzanne Lacy Suzanne Lacy (born 1945) is an American artist, educator, writer, and professor at the USC Roski School of Art and Design. She has worked in a variety of media, including installation, video, performance, public art, photography, and art books, i ...

, Ferris Olin,

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, Trinh T. Minh-ha; President's Award for Art & Activism: Karen Mary Davalos, Cathy Salser * 2013: Tina Dunkley, Artis Lane, Susana Torruella Leval, Joan Semmel; President's Award for Art & Activism: Leanne Stella * 2014:

Phyllis Bramson Phyllis Bramson (born 1941) is an American artist, based in Chicago and known for "richly ornamental, excessive and decadent" paintingsWainwright, Lisa. "Phyllis Bramson," ''Women's Caucus for Art Honor Awards 2014'', New York: ''Women's Caucus f ...

, Harmony Hammond, Adrian Piper,

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; President's Award for Art & Activism: Hye-Seong Tak Lee, Janice Nesser-Chu * 2015: Sue Coe, Kiki Smith, Martha Wilson; President's Award for Art & Activism: Petra Kuppers * 2016:

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, Sheila Levrant de Bretteville, Juana Guzman; President's Award for Art & Activism: Stephanie Sherman * 2017:

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; President's Award for Art & Activism: Kathy Gallegos and Amelia Jones * 2019:

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, Mira Schor; President's Award for Art & Activism: L. J. Roberts and Aruna S'Souza * 2020:

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Beate Minkovski Beata or Beate is a female given name that occurs in several cultures and languages, including Italian, German, Polish, and Swedish, and which is derived from the Latin ''beatus'', meaning "blessed".''Behind the Name''"Given Name Beate" Retriev ...

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; President’s Award for Art & Activism:

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; WCA Emerging Artist Award:

Ashley January Ashley is a place name derived from the Old English words '' æsc'' (“ash”) and '' lēah'' (“meadow”). It may refer to: People and fictional characters * Ashley (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name ...

Exhibitions

National exhibitions

* 1996, Beijing and Beyond, as part of "One Year After Beijing" event in the Public Lobby of the United Nations, September 9, 1996 * 1996, Transforming Tradition: Women's Caucus for Art National Juried Exhibition, Bromfield Gallery, and Chinese Culture Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, juried by Susan Fisher of National Museum of Women in the Arts, Eugenie Tsai of the Whitney Museum at Champion, and Boston artist Magdelena Campos Pons * 1997, Beijing and Beyond: Women Artists Respond to the World Conference on Women, traveled to Minneapolis Women's Consortium Building, Minnesota, the HUB Formal Gallery of Portland State University, Oregon, the University of Texas at Dallas, Mills College, California and the ARC Gallery, Chicago * 2010, From the Center, Juror: Lucy Lippard, Venue: WomanMade Gallery, Chicago, Dates: January 22 – February 25 * 2011- Sanctuaries in Time, The Kraft Center for Jewish Life at Columbia/Barnard University, New York, NY, JWAN show, Juror: Maya Balakirsky Katz of Touro College, New York, Co-Directors: Janice Nesser-Chu & Brenda Oelbaum, January 18-March 1, 2011. Co- Chairs: Fay Grajower, Simone Soltan * 2011, Reversing the Gaze: Man as Object, Organized by Brenda Oelbaum, Priscilla Otani, Karen Gutfreund, and Tanya Augsburg, SOMArts, Dates: November 4–30, Kinsey Institute, Dates April 13-June 29, 2012 * 2011, Hidden Cities, Juror: Lisa Philips, Director of the New Museum, New York City, Venue: New Century Artist Gallery, NYC, Director: Karen Gutfreund, Dates: February 1 – February 12 * 2012 Song of the Land, Hebrew Union College- Institute of Religion – Los Angeles, CA JWAN show, Juror: Ruth Weisberg, Former Dean, Roski School of Fine Arts, University of California, Co-Chairs: Fay Grajower, Simone Soltan * 2012 Petroleum Paradox: For Better or For Worse?, Juror: Eleanor Heartney, Venue: Denise Bibro Fine Art, Dates: May 24 – June 23 * 2012, Momentum: Celebrating 40 Years of WCA Women Artists, Juror: Rita Gonzales, Venue: Gallery 825, Los Angeles, Director: Karen Gutfreund, Dates: February 17 to March 2 * 2013, Bound, Juror: Cora Rosevear, Director: Karen Gutfreund, Venue: Phoenix Gallery, New York City, Dates: Jan 30 - Feb 23. * 2014, Equilibrium, Art for a Changing World, Jurors: Beate Minkovski and Mary Stoppert, Venue: Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Dates: January 17 to February 27 * 2015, National Juried Exhibition, with four exhibitions presented by the Women’s Caucus for Art, Jurors: Petra Kuppers, Karen Gutfreund and Fay Grawjower, Venue: Westbeth Center for the Arts, New York, Dates: February 7 to 22.

International exhibitions

* 2012, Woman + Body, collaboration with Korean artists, Exhibition Director: Hye-Seong Tak Lee, Exhibition Co-Director: Sherri Cornett, Juror for US works: Tanya Augsburg, Venues/Dates: Kepco Art Center Gallery, Seoul, South Korea, October 13–19, MediaCube 338, Gwangju, South Korea, October 23-November 6

United Nations affiliation

The Women's Caucus for Art has been a United Nations-affiliated NGO (non-governmental agency) since 1975. An NGO is "any non-profit, voluntary citizens' group which is organized on a local, national or international level. Task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizen concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation through provision of information." As the liaison group between WCA and the United Nations, WCA's International Caucus members have participated in, and created exhibitions, side events at UN DPI/NGO conferences in support of UN goals and priorities and participated in UN Commission on the Status of Women conferences. In the fall of 1995, the UN-sponsored Fourth World International Conference on Women was held in China. "The purpose of the conference was to discuss the advancement and involvement of women in world affairs." The WCA sent 100 women artists, art educators and art activists to attend conferences and workshops. "As a reaction to this expedition, the artists were asked to create works depicting their experiences. From this was born the exhibit Beijing and Beyond: Women Artists Respond To The World Conference On Women."

References

External links

Official Women's Caucus for Art website
{{Authority control Arts organizations based in New York City Feminist art organizations in the United States Women's occupational organizations Women's conferences Arts organizations established in 1974 1974 establishments in New York (state) 1974 in women's history Women in New York City