March 27, 2026 | Press release by bbk berlin: Equal Pay Day in the Arts
Until April 1, women* in the arts have worked for free
Women* in the art and culture sector earn on average around a quarter less than men. In Berlin the situation is even more drastic: in Fine Arts the gender pay gap is 28.44 % (KSK figures as of 1 January 2025, status 6 March 2025). And no, this is not an April Fool’s joke: according to ver.di’s calculations, freelance artists effectively work without pay until 1 April – three months of unpaid labour. What is often romanticised as precariousness is in fact structural exploitation – and the phrase “art has always been precarious” is not an explanation, it is part of the problem.
A woman* can have the best possible school leaving qualification, engage as intensely as possible in their profession, and work as much as possible – statistically she still earns less than a man. Across sectors, the gender pay gap in 2025 was 16 % according to ver.di. These figures clearly show that women* face systemic discrimination when it comes to being paid for their work: a central cause is unpaid care work, which often leads to part‑time or marginal employment. To this are added the lack of advancement opportunities into leadership positions as well as gender‑specific role models that already shape education and career choices and ultimately show up as lower earnings.
“Art has always been precarious” is not an excuse, but an expression of systematic underpayment.
“The gender pay gap of 28.44 % in Berlin’s Fine Arts is not a marginal issue; it decides over people’s livelihoods – and this in a field that is already precariously paid,” says Frauke Boggasch, Co‑Spokesperson of the bbk berlin. “The consequence: fewer commissions, less visibility, less money – and worse chances from the very beginning.”
The ongoing study “Living and Working as visual artists in Berlin” shows how deep the problem reaches: annual incomes from artistic work below 10,000 euros are no exception, and this already untenable income situation hits women* particularly hard. “We are currently carrying out a follow‑up survey in order to analyse this income situation in even greater detail,” Boggasch continues. “The consequences of the gender pay gap extend far beyond the here and now: lower incomes mean fewer savings, weaker pension entitlements and a significantly higher risk of poverty in old age. The gender pay gap thus writes itself directly into entire life trajectories.”
Birgit Cauer, Co‑Spokesperson of the bbk berlin: “The combination of the gender pay gap, low artistic incomes and high personal investments in materials, studio costs and production shows: the underpayment of women* in art and culture is not an individual problem, but a structural one.”
The bbk berlin supports the demands of Fair Share! Sichtbarkeit für Künstlerinnen* and calls for a more equitable art and cultural policy.
Key demands include, among others, re‑entry scholarships for women* artists with care responsibilities, an increase in solo exhibitions by women* artists, scholarships and art prizes for older women* artists, as well as fair and binding exhibition fees in all publicly funded institutions. Also demanded is the active promotion of women* into leadership roles (e.g. artistic directors, curators), the elimination of structural disadvantages, the consideration of real production costs in funding and award structures, and gender‑fair remuneration across all areas of cultural work.
Equal Pay Day in the arts
Until 1 April, women* in the art and culture sector have effectively worked for free. This means that, compared with men, women* work for about three months a year without pay. That is why Equal Pay Day in the cultural sector falls on this date – from this day onward, women* statistically earn the same as their male colleagues. In other sectors, Equal Pay Day was reached as early as 27 February, highlighting once again the particular imbalance in the art and culture sector. As long as women* work an average of three months a year without pay, there can be no talk of equality in the cultural field.
Frauke Boggasch und Birgit Cauer,
Spokespersons bbk berlin
The results of the survey “Living and Working as visual artists in Berlin” will be presented at a public event. This will take place on Tuesday, 28 April 2026, at 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 7:00 p.m.) at the print studio in the kulturwerk of the bbk berlin, Mariannenplatz 2, 10999 Berlin.