{"id":94860,"date":"2026-01-23T10:37:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T15:37:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nmwa.org\/?p=94860"},"modified":"2026-01-29T13:58:38","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T18:58:38","slug":"10-years-of-5womenartists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmwa.org\/blog\/advocacy\/10-years-of-5womenartists\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Years of #5WomenArtists"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In 2026, the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) celebrates the 10-year anniversary of #5WomenArtists<\/a>. This viral social media campaign was inspired by a simple question that the museum\u2019s founder, Wilhelmina Cole Holladay, started asking back in the 1970s: Can you name five women artists? Over the past decade, NMWA has invited institutions and individuals to join in sharing the stories of women artists, to challenge inequalities in the art world, and to urge people to consider who is represented and remembered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While #5WomenArtists began on social media, its impact extends beyond digital platforms and into lasting conversations, collaborations, and practices within cultural institutions. As #5WomenArtists turns 10, let\u2019s revisit some highlights and consider how its message continues to shape the work ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Jennifer Albarracin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Global Collaborations <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using the hashtag #5WomenArtists, museums, galleries, and individuals around the world began to share names, stories, and resources. Museums pledged to increase their collections of women and nonbinary artists, hosted events highlighting the achievements of women artists, and shared their stories on social media, reaching 61 million users. What started in Washington, D.C., quickly grew into a global movement with more than 1,800 participating cultural organizations across the country and internationally, including museums such as Tate (United Kingdom), the Whitney Museum (New York City), the Uffizi Gallery (Italy), the National Gallery of Australia, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao (Spain), and many more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knowledge Is Power<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

#5WomenArtists also asks: Who decides whose work is included in archives, books, and institutions? Why have we not heard of many of the world\u2019s great women artists? To address this question, NMWA has made efforts beyond the digital sphere to educate people and rewrite the canon. One of those efforts is the annual Wikipedia edit-a-thon, bringing together researchers, students, and community members to add and refine the biographies of women and nonbinary artists. The Wikipedia edit-a-thons are part of a global initiative, and over the past 10 years participants at NMWA have contributed and edited hundreds of entries. For example, the 2024 edit-a-thon<\/a> focused on disability activism and advocacy, and attendees added entries for artists Sarah Biffen (1784 to 1850), Mariam Par\u00e9 (b. 1975), \u00c1ngela de la Cruz (b. 1965), Judith Scott (1943 to 2005), and Jaklin Romine (b. 1985).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Participants at NMWA’s Wikipedia Edit-a-thon; Photo by Emily Haight<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2026: Looking Ahead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As we celebrate 10 years of #5WomenArtists, the message is as urgent as ever. While women artists have achieved more recognition in museums, galleries, and the art market, there is still work to do. Here are a few ways to participate in 2026:<\/p>\n\n\n\n