Gender Representation in Cultural Festivals: An Analysis of Women's Leadership and Gender-Related Themes

This chapter examines gender representation in cultural festivals, with a particular focus on the involvement of women in artistic leadership and the presence of gender-related themes in festival programming. The analysis is based on a selection of 80 festivals across Italy drawn from the DBFest database by TrovaFestival, offering a broad overview of how gender dynamics emerge within diverse cultural events. By tracing patterns of participation, visibility, and theme selection, the chapter identifies both persistent disparities and encouraging trends. Findings reveal that women are often underrepresented in decision-making roles, yet some festivals are consciously working to include more balanced perspectives and address gender issues through their content. In some cases, explicit thematic sections are dedicated to gender equality, while in others, subtle shifts in lineup curation and discourse point to evolving sensitivities. Throughout the discussion, these findings are situated within existing research on gender and cultural production, highlighting the importance of ongoing, data-informed reflection to advance inclusivity.