Welcome to Sheila
Sheila Foundation is a national philanthropic foundation with the aim of overturning decades of gender bias by writing Australian women artists back into our art history and ensuring equality for today’s women artists.
About Sheila
A foundation for women in visual art.
Sheila's Projects
Sheila’s three core programs have been designed to create maximum impact.
Cruthers Collection
The inspiration for Sheila Foundation is Lady Sheila Cruthers. Lady Sheila was the driving force behind the largest stand-alone collection of Australian women’s art – the Cruthers Collection of Women’s Art.
Support Sheila
Your support will enable us to begin to overturn decades of gender bias by writing Australian women artists back into our art history and ensuring equality for today’s women artists.
News and Resources
50 Years of IWD
Happy International Women’s Day! Today, on the 50th anniversary of International Women’s Day, Sheila celebrates the important and vital contribution Australia’s women artists
John Cruthers appointed as Emeritus Director
John Cruthers appointed as Emeritus Director of the Sheila Foundation Board Former Sheila Foundation Chair and longstanding board member John Cruthers has been appointed Emeritus D
Colleague Spotlight: Rodney James
Rodney James is a curator, art consultant and writer specialising in 19th and 20th century art writing and research, collection management, exhibitions, visual art projects and mus
Artist Spotlight: Deborah Prior
Deborah Prior is an Adelaide-based artist who uses knitting, stitching and embroidery to transforms recycled textiles into art works, soft sculptures and installations that explore
Meet the Into the Light 2023 Researchers!
Sheila is proud to announce the launch of Into the Light 2023, the fifth annual tranche of this project to locate and acquire artworks by little known Australian women artists work
Into The Light 2023 Call Out
Into The Light tranche 5, 2023 expressions of interest are now open! We are on the look out for early stage and under-employed art historians, curators, researchers to join us in b
The Countess Report 2022
The Countess Report is a comprehensive report on gender representation in the Australian arts sector. It is compiled every four years and has become the most influential data set d
Book Review: Women Count in The Artworld
Louise Mayhew reviews a new book by Melinda Rackham and Elvis Richardson that tells the story of CoUNTess, how it morphed into The Countess Report and how it continues to challenge
Artist Spotlight: Gladys Laycock (1882-1959)
Why is a women’s art foundation acquiring a portrait of a Scotsman in a kilt? Because it was painted by little known Sydney artist Gladys Laycock. From 1908, Gladys ma
