Arts practice in a representational form has been evident in human societies since the earliest anthropological records, given the discovery of wall paintings in Sulawesi from at least 45,000 years ago (McDermott 2021). It is probable therefore that women have been active participants in the arts from a similar period. While their practices may have been different to men at that time, such as making decorative objects rather than painting on rock walls, there is no doubt women have been continually active in arts practice as long as men. The challenge has been that female artists have been made invisible, their practice has not been given equal status to men, and often their work has not been classified as ‘art’. The gender discrimination has been evident in how women artists are perceived, the opportunities that have not been available to them, and the treatment that they have received in all phases of their career (Higgins 2013; Meglin & Brooks 2012; Nochlin 1974; Stanfill 2016). In this chapter the position of women in the arts is explored to ascertain how they have been viewed historically, and whether their marginalisation has changed in contemporary settings.