A new report from the support group Women in the Arts has found that women working in the UK arts sector believe they lack equal opportunities for roles, particularly as they grow older, with researchers describing an industry fixated on "young and emerging" talent. The findings matter because they point to persistent, widely felt gender inequality and ageism across theatre, TV and the wider cultural sector, with those in artistic rather than managerial roles reporting the problem is almost universal. The report also warns that AI-driven recruitment tools risk compounding these issues, potentially penalising women for career breaks taken for caring responsibilities.

The survey of 76 arts professionals found that 95% believed gender inequality persisted, 75% had experienced unconscious bias or sexism, and 69% felt age had negatively affected their career success, rising to 100% among those in artistic roles. Actors described casting opportunities "dropping off at 39" and roles for women thinning further past 50, while writers and marketers noted schemes favouring the young over experienced talent. The research, part of a five-year project funded by Arts Council England in partnership with bodies including Equity and the Writers' Guild of Great Britain, is intended to inform a taskforce on gender discrimination, harassment and caring responsibilities in the cultural sector.