Women Artists of the RBSA, 1884 – 2012

This exhibition celebrates the 70th anniversary of the election of the first woman Member and Vice President of the RBSA, Teresa Clarke in 1952. For the 139 years between the foundation of the Birmingham Society of Artists in 1814 and the accession of Queen Elizabeth II in 1952, no women were elevated to the coveted status of full membership of the RBSA.

Sourced from the RBSA Permanent Collection with important loans from other public and private collections, it includes paintings by Kate Fryer, Irene Welburn, Joan Woolard, and Florence Whittle alongside exquisite Arts and Crafts inspired works by Georgie Gaskin, Kate Eadie, Mary Gibson, and Margaret Gere. Currently in 2022, female artists represent over 51% of the membership at the RBSA.