Posted under:
Art CareersSUPPLIES
- Computer/word processor
- CV/resume paper
Overview
Writing an artist's CV is an important document that will represent the artist to galleries, museums and shows where he or she is trying to get work displayed or commissioned. A CV should be short and to the point while still representing the artist in a professional manner that properly demonstrates the artist's ability, experience and skill. Make sure the CV isn't longer than 2 pages and has consistent font, spacing and layout.
How to Write an Artist's CV
Step 1
List basic information. This includes in the artist's name, as well as where he or she is from and current residence at the top of the CV. If the artist is represented by a gallery or another entity, this contact information should be placed at the end of the CV instead of the top. Do not put any contact information at the top of the CV.
Step 2
Create a background summary. Completed education, degrees and various influences can be listed here. Important milestones in the artist's personal life and career can also be added. This can include moves to a different geographical area, events that have inspired the artist's work or significant vacations and trips around the world. Try to keep this section under 75 words, or less than 12 lines on the page.
Step 3
List all exhibitions the artist has completed in reverse chronological order, from most recent to earliest. This information needs to include the year, name, venue and geographical location (city, state, country). List individual exhibitions first, then group exhibitions in a separate section.
Step 4
Mention all relevant awards and recognized work. This section should include all awards received, as well as published work (news articles, books, etc.) and pieces that have been commissioned. This information should include the year, venue and location, again in reverse chronological order. Awards, publications and commissions can all be separated into different sections with the appropriate headers.
Step 5
Finish with a summary. This should be about 5 to 8 sentences, is included at the end of the CV (before the gallery contact information) and should be written from a third-person point of view. This is an easy way to provide a simple biographical summary that can be used by galleries, the press or other interested parties for print and online publication. It can also go into greater detail about the artist's passions and future goals and projects, if needed.
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