Writing an Artist CV

Having a concise, 1-2 page up-to-date CV (curriculum vitae or artist résumé) is important when applying for professional opportunities such as exhibitions and competitions

When writing a CV there are no hard and fast rules, as each opportunity calls for a different element to be highlighted more strongly, with some elements left out or toned down.

As a rule, a selection of the following should be included.

Name and contact details

  • Also include your website and social media links (only if these are art specific).

Education

  • List any tertiary education you have completed in reverse chronological order, giving priority to education related to your artist practice.

Solo and group exhibitions

  • List solo exhibitions first, followed by group exhibitions and competitions in which your work has been included. These should be in reverse chronological order and for each entry include the year, exhibition/competition name, gallery, and location, alongside the name of the curator if they are well known.
    *Sometimes it is necessary to consolidate this list i.e. ‘Selected Exhibitions’ and only include the most recent and impressive.

Awards

  • Provide details of awards, art prizes, residencies and commissions you have won or been shortlisted for.

Collections

  • These should include both public and private collection details.

Publications

  • Publications include articles, books, academic papers, etc. – that have been written about you or your work, or that you have contributed to. Provide the article title, publication name, issue, volume number and date. A web link here is a good idea.

Note:
There are numerous online resources to help with CV, Artist Statement and Bio writing.

  • Look at websites of artists whose work you admire or know, and also those who are at a similar stage in their careers as you.
  • Art gallery websites have these available for each of the artists they represent.
  • A worthwhile resource for writing an artist CV when just beginning your art journey is available from The Practical Art World HERE.
  • If you are a more established artist, you may consider becoming a member of NAVA – The National Association of Visual Artists – as their website has numerous documents to assist all aspects of your practice.

The most important thing to remember is to tailor your document to suit each purpose by giving priority to what is being asked for and don’t include unnecessary information.

Resources:
Photo by Kaitlyn Baker on Unsplash