Bafta has made strides in attracting more members who are women or from underrepresented ethnic groups since 2020, according to statistics releas
Bafta has made strides in attracting more members who are women or from underrepresented ethnic groups since 2020, according to statistics released by the organisation today (December 5).
In the past four years, the gender split for novel members is 52/48 female/male (based on respondents who identify as such), compared with 42/58 female/male overall.
The data also shows that 28% of novel members since 2020 are from underrepresented ethnic groups, versus 17% in total.
The organisation has also made progress in other areas; 22% of novel members since 2020 identify as LGBTQIA+ and 13% have a disability, compared to 14% and 8% respectively of the overall membership.
The statistics around class for members since 2020 are broadly similar, with 21% from low socio-economic backgrounds versus 19% in total.
2021 was the first year in which Bafta made it mandatory for members to provide demographic details, when 37.4% of members were women, 12.2% were from minority ethnic groups, 5.3% reported having a disability, and 9.7% identified as LGBTQI+.
Data on the socio-economic background of members has only been required from 2023.
Bafta set itself diversity targets in 2020 as part of the Bafta Review, spearheaded by former chair Krishnendu Majumdar following the outcry triggered by the all-white acting nominees that year.
The novel figures show that Bafta now has 13,500 members across film, games and television, with the film voting body comprising 8,100 members.
This year saw the highest number of applications received ever with 800 novel full voting members accepted.
Members come from more than 50 countries with 18% located in the US where Bafta has a North America branch.
The first round of voting for the Bafta Film Awards opens tomorrow (December 6) with the longlists published on January 3, followed by the nominations on January 15. The ceremony is in on February 16.
COMMENTS