Discussing the Gender Gap in the Venue Management Industry: It’s an Interesting Idea But . . .

Gender disparity is nothing new—not in the arts and culture sector nor the various administrative fields of arts and entertainment management. However, our willingness to bring gender representation issues and equal opportunity to light has changed over time. In 2017, the International Association of Venue Managers took the first steps toward a more inclusive industry. This paper examines the impetus for the first diversity survey of its kind in the public assembly sphere, discusses the data as they pertain to gender, assesses the association’s first conference session on the topic, contextualizes the results, and proposes directions for future research in the name of gender parity in the venue management industry.