About WCA
Women's Caucus for Art
Mission:
The mission of the Women's Caucus for Art is to expand
opportunities and recognition for women in the arts.
The Women's Caucus for Art is committed to:
- Education about the contributions of women artists
- Opportunities for the exhibition of women's work
- Publication of women's writing about art
- Inclusion of women in the history of art
- Professional equity for all
- Respect for all individuals without discrimination
- Supporting legislation relevant to our goals
Who We Are:
The Women's Caucus for Art, founded in 1972 in connection with the College Art Association (CAA), is unique in its multi-disciplinary, multicultural membership of artists, art historians, students and educators, museum professionals and galleries in the visual arts. We support women working in the visual arts today by providing members with a network of Sister Sites in which to research and participate in national exhibitions and conferences.
The Chicago Chapter of WCA was founded in 1973.
CWCA is committed to support women in the arts
The Chicago Women’s Caucus for Art (CWCA) shall represent and work to advance the concerns of women artists, art historians and museum professionals. Its goals shall be consistent with the policies of the national Women’s Caucus for Art.
CWCA short History
Chicago Women’s Caucus for Art (CWCA) — The Chicago Chapter of the Women’s Caucus for Art (WCA) was founded in 1973 at an annual conference by co-founders and National WCA Board Members Barbara Aubin, Mary Stoppert, Marcia Gruff, Johnnie Johnson and Dr. Jean Gillis. The group traveled around the country in teams promoting courses for women art students. The Chicago chapter also became involved in political issues of their time including a march for ERA in Springfield, IL, and Washington, DC. We continue to react politically and artistically to social events of the day.
Throughout our history CWCA has had so many wonderful exhibitions, programs, events… CWCA supports feminist galleries including ARC, Woman Made and Artemesia. CWCA has relationships with galleries and cultural institutions in Chicago and throughout Illinois.
CWCA continues to push opportunities for exhibition of women's work. Some examples include, "The Perception of the Other – Exploring Cultural Diversity" held at the Spertus Museum and the South Shore Cultural Center. Poet laureate Gwendolyn Brooks was a guest speaker. The 25th Anniversary Exhibition at Artemisia Gallery honored the achievements and progress made by women artists; “Transmogrification” at Elmhurst Museum; a pop-up show “Humanity Rising”, a social/political reaction to the tenor of our country at The New Studio, Evanston, IL. “Naked Truth”, opened to literal, symbolic, metaphorical or political interpretation at the Old Courthouse Art Center, Woodstock, IL. “Water: A Universal Human Right”, a national juried exhibition was held in conjunction with the 2014 WCA conference in Chicago at the Robert Morris University. CWCA members participated in the “Faces Not Forgotten” exhibit to raise awareness about gun violence. Throughout our exhibition history we have been fortunate to have prestigious jurors including Faith Ringgold, Judith Brodsky and Lucy Lippard.
Highlights of programs that we held include puppet making; book binding; book making; art therapy; Golden Art demonstrations; preparing images on a PC for Windows; mural demonstrations; museum tours; visits to see collectors art collections, authors talking about their books; Water: A Universal Right or a Commodity, National Conference 2014, with guest speaker Debra Shore, Commissioner Water Reclamation Dept., Protecting Your Artistic Legacy with Lawyers for the Creative Arts. The Ravenswood Art Walk founded by past president Judith Roth in 2006 started as a CWCA project and continues to this day as an annual event in the Ravenswood neighborhood in Chicago.
We are geographically scattered. ZOOM allows us to efficiently hold board and committee meetings. When the pandemic hit, ZOOM was a panacea for our group. In the 90’s we hosted in person artists speaking about other artists. This year we’ve hosted artists' talks about their own art “Stellar Presentations” on today’s ZOOM platform.
CWCA has been the host city for numerous WCA national conferences. To celebrate WCA’s 50th anniversary conference in Chicago, we are curating a national exhibition at Stola Contemporary Art, “The Best of Women” — art that may be 2 months old, even 50 years old – the BEST OF.
Hopefully the Chicago Women's Caucus for Art will have another 50 year run!!
As we look toward 2022 and beyond, we are grateful for the contributions, enthusiasm and vision of our Board Members, Officers and Members — past present and future; and we remember our Past Presidents – Sherri Rabino, Barbara Aubin, Dale Osterle and Judith Roth.