On the one hand, some studies have shown that women are more likely to participate in creative activities, such as art, music and writing. For example, a study by the National Endowment for the Arts found that women are more likely than men to declare that they have participated in creative activities over the past year. The fact that male collectors continue to dominate the traditional art market may also contribute to the preference for male artists. Researchers have found that men and women use different criteria when they value art. When deciding whether to buy works of art, men tend to focus more on the artist and their background, while women pay more attention to the work of art.
Male collectors' emphasis on artist potential can make it difficult for underrepresented artists to enter the art world. Researchers have concluded that no gender difference in art explains the gender gap in the prices of art.
