Welcome! Anonymous Was a Woman (AWAW) is partnering with SMU DataArts to conduct the second wave of the Artist Speak survey. Building on what we learned in 2024, this survey is another opportunity to hear from women, transgender, and gender-nonconforming visual artists — to better understand their experiences, needs, and career journeys.
By repeating the survey, we can begin to see what has changed since 2024 — and what hasn’t — in the opportunities, challenges, and conditions shaping artists’ lives and careers. We're also widening the scope this time, asking how artists are using technology and digital tools in their creative practices, and how resources, programs, policies, and community networks can continue to support them. Your participation and thoughtful responses will help us better understand your realities, perspectives, and needs.
The survey takes approximately 15–20 minutes to complete. Please plan to complete the survey in one sitting, as your responses will not be saved if you exit before finishing. For the best experience, we recommend completing the survey on a computer rather than a mobile device.
Your responses will be kept confidential, and all findings will be reported in aggregate. All survey questions are optional, so you may skip any questions you prefer not to answer. Because we believe data can support research, advocacy and planning, we may share survey results with trusted partners in an anonymous, aggregated, and protected form. Any data shared publicly will follow responsible data and privacy practices, with safeguards to protect participants’ confidentiality.
The majority of the survey consists of multiple-choice questions, with opportunities to provide longer written responses if you choose. Your decision to participate in the survey, as well as any answers you provide, will have no impact on award decisions by Anonymous was a Woman.
As a thank you for your participation, you can receive early access to the report and a new digital resource guide/zine if you provide your contact information at the end of the survey. Thank you for sharing your experiences and contributing to this important work.