Five female art collectives you should know about

Here at Darklight Art we are all about creating an art world that allows women to shine in a way that, historically, has been challenging. For us it’s about championing women’s voices and promoting work at a price that is more accessible than you’ll find elsewhere. 

These female art collectives all have their own objectives and strategies, but are united in their desire for one thing: equality. If that’s a goal you share then now’s the time to have these five collectives on your radar.

The founding members of InFems [Intersectional Feminist Art Collective] use their art industry credentials to empower women and girls to engage in art.

Theirs is a community of high power women who have climbed the art world ladder via a number of different routes, and are now utilising their hard-earned expertise to pull other women from diverse backgrounds up behind them. 

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Describing themselves as “non-profit and non-hierarchical”, FEMXPHOTOGRAPHERS are on a mission to challenge and deconstruct the dominant male gaze from art and photography.

This collective work on both a macro and micro scale; from highly visible exhibitions and photo books, to more behind the scenes direct action such as peer-to-peer mentorship and a commitment to referring one and other for commissions and opportunities.

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The most famous and visually disruptive collective force the art world has seen in recent times, Guerrilla Girls have been anonymously campaigning for equality since 1985. 

Their MO is to share cold hard facts about the injustices done to marginalised folks by the art world’s biggest institutions via eye catching posters, billboards, or IRL appearances. Where there is discrimination, Guerrilla Girls will have something to say about it, and you’d better listen. 

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Defunct since 1980, the issues spotlighted by Hackney Flashers nevertheless remain relevant today. Rather than focusing on the art world in particular, Hackney Flashers used artistic practise as a means to explore problems faced by women, such as a lack of affordable childcare.

Who’s Holding the Baby? was a photographic project authored by Hackney Flashers that married a socialist political stance with a contemporary feminist message and was displayed to the public in The Hayward Gallery’s first photographic exhibition.

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Born during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, The Journal was founded out of a desire for connectivity, but has found it’s true purpose in the push for an equitable photography industry. 

What begun as two female artists coming together [Charlotte Schmitz and Hannah Yoon] is now an organised and international collective of female and non-binary members who use a combination slick marketing, gorgeous photography and a thought provoking educational programme to get their message out there.

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