Women and the Arts Forum Conference 2025

Thursday 23 October 2025

Whitcomb Seminar Room, Sainsbury Wing, National Gallery

The National Gallery Women and the Arts Forum, in collaboration with the Subject Specialist Network, is hosting a symposium titled ‘Hidden Histories of the Museum: Women Transforming Art Collections’. This event aims to illuminate the often-overlooked contributions of women who have played vital roles in shaping the histories, legacies and collections of public museums and galleries with a focus on pre-1900 art. Spanning the early nineteenth century to the present day, and extending across the UK and beyond, the symposium will explore how women’s work has informed and transformed institutional narratives, practices and collections.

Building on the success of the Women and the Arts Forum Conference 2024, ‘Widening the Narrative’, which celebrated women artists and dealers as part of the National Gallery’s bicentenary, ‘Hidden Histories of the Museum’ turns its focus to the women who have worked behind the scenes. The symposium will take place at the National Gallery, London, on Thursday 23 October 2025, with both in-person and online attendance options. Through a keynote lecture and four thematic panels, the event will explore the diverse ways women have contributed to the formation and transformation of museum collections, including as photographers, cataloguers, curators, donors and advocates for institutional change. Presentations will draw on original research to uncover hidden stories and challenge established narratives, offering new insights into the gendered dynamics of museum work and cultural heritage. The full programme and ticket information will be made available closer to the date.

The symposium forms part of the Women and the Arts Forum’s annual programme, generously supported by Professor Diane Apostolos-Cappadona in honour of her mother, Stacia Apostolos.