Oxford Councillor Katherine Miles has spearheaded a campaign to improve the representation of women in council art across the UK. This initiative has seen notable success in Oxford, sparking broader discussions and actions in councils nationwide.
In an interview with Chamber UK, Katherine Miles, a Liberal Democrat councillor for Summertown, she detailed her campaign for better representation of women in council art. Since her election in 2022 she has been a vocal advocate for gender equality within the council’s visual representations.
A Push for Change
Upon taking her seat in the Oxford City Council, Cllr. Miles noticed a stark disparity in the gender representation of the artworks adorning the council halls. The majority of these artworks depicted men, while the few featuring women often showed them in less than positive lights. This disparity did not sit well with Cllr. Miles, who quickly moved to address it.
One of her early and bold moves was to motion for the removal of controversial paintings, such as The Rape of the Sabines and another depicting a woman holding a man’s severed head. This motion garnered significant media attention, thrusting the issue into the public eye and pushing the sale of these paintings higher up the council’s agenda, despite backlash from other members of the Oxford Council.
Representation on the Walls
Cllr. Miles’ campaign did not stop at trying to remove problematic artworks though. She also initiated the installation of new pictures in the council chamber that better represented women in politics. To date, eight new artworks have been installed, with plans for more in the works. This move has been positively received, not just within Oxford but also in other councils inspired by her actions, where they have started to look to do the same, all with the goal of improving the representation of women in politics in every way possible.
In a recent council meeting, the Deputy Leader of Leeds City Council shared that they have begun addressing similar issues in their own chambers. This growing awareness and action reflect a broader shift towards more inclusive representation in public spaces.
Expanding the Campaign
Beyond Oxford, Cllr. Miles has been working to highlight the importance of representative public art across the country. She stresses that public spaces, especially those within governmental buildings, should reflect the diversity of the community they serve. This representation is not just symbolic; it reinforces the presence and contributions of women in politics and public life.
Cllr. Miles emphasises the need for hard data to assess the representation of women in councils nationwide. She acknowledges that while this may not be a priority for all councils, having this data is crucial for driving change. It provides a clear picture of where disparities exist and how they can be addressed.
Countering Opposition
Cllr. Miles has faced criticism from various media outlets, with some lazily labelling her efforts as “woke”. Despite this, she remains steadfast, arguing that equality in representation is still an issue that needs addressing, regardless of the progress made so far. She highlights economic barriers and the lack of access to resources as some of the most significant challenges that many women face when hoping to enter the world of politics.
Cllr. Miles does reference the importance of intersectionality when discussing diversity but explains that her current focus is on the broader fight for female representation and that she hopes to come back to the intersectional side of things once broader progress has been made. She believes that improving the visibility of women in council art is a step towards encouraging more women to run for council positions and become involved in politics.
Historical Influence and Future Impact
Social norms have historically downplayed the influence of women in UK politics, particularly in the past when women had limited financial and legal autonomy. However, Cllr. Miles explains that women have always had a significant impact on politics and society. Her campaign seeks to ensure that this impact is rightly recognised and celebrated for its important impact and contribution to society.
Her work also aims to counter the Government’s opposition to council diversity initiatives. She believes that many diversity campaigns are focused on a national level and that there needs to be an increased emphasis at regional and council levels to raise awareness and encourage female participation in politics. This idea of almost devolving the way in which diversity initiatives are run is an important step in encouraging more women from across the country to go into politics.
Final Thought
Cllr. Katherine Miles’ efforts to boost the representation of women in council art are more than an aesthetic change; they are a call to recognise and celebrate the role of women in politics.
Her campaign has not only transformed the walls of Oxford’s council chambers but has also sparked a broader conversation about representation and equality in public spaces across the UK. By doing so, she hopes to inspire more women to engage in politics and contribute to a more inclusive and representative government.
This article features in the ‘diversity and inclusion’ section of Chamber UK’s pre-election parliamentary journal, which is now available to buy in print, or gain access via subscribing for free here.
This article was written by Chamber’s features writer, Bart Smallman.
