Artist CV Example & Writing Guide

An artist CV is a specialised document that showcases your creative achievements, exhibitions, skills, and artistic projects to help you secure gallery representation, grants, residencies, or commissions. Unlike standard CVs, artist CVs emphasise visual work, collaborations, and creative output rather than traditional employment history.

In this guide, we'll show you how to write an artist CV that captures your unique creative voice and presents your work in a way that resonates with galleries, curators, and arts organisations. We'll also provide real examples and practical tips to help you stand out in the competitive art world.

2 Professional Artist CV Examples to Follow

Before we dive into the writing process, let's examine two compelling artist CV examples that demonstrate effective approaches for different career stages. These samples illustrate how to present your creative work professionally whilst maintaining your artistic identity.

Visual Artist CV Example

Use this example

This CV works because it immediately establishes artistic focus and achievements whilst maintaining a professional structure. 

The exhibitions section is particularly strong—it separates solo and group shows, making the candidate’s reputation clear. Including specific grant amounts and collection details adds credibility, whilst the skills section balances technical abilities with soft skills that matter to collaborators and commissioners.

Graphic Artist CV Example

Use this example

This CV example bridges the gap between commercial practice and artistic credibility. The professional experience section uses specific metrics (50+ commissions, 40% increase in repeat clients) that demonstrate business acumen alongside creative talent. 

Including publications and professional memberships adds legitimacy, whilst the selected projects section highlights prestigious clients without overwhelming the reader.

5-Step Guide to Crafting Your Artist CV

Creating an effective artist CV requires balancing creative authenticity with professional presentation. The reverse chronological format works best for artists because it immediately showcases your most recent and relevant achievements—whether that's exhibitions, commissions, or completed projects.

Now, let's examine each essential section and how to write it effectively:

#1. Add Your Contact Details and a Headline

Every artist CV begins with clear contact information placed prominently at the top, where galleries, curators, and commissioners can immediately find it. This isn't just an administrative detail—it's your first opportunity to present yourself professionally whilst maintaining your creative identity.

Your contact section should include:

The key here is using a professional email address—ideally something like firstname.lastname@email.com rather than creative handles that might seem unprofessional. Save your artistic personality for the work itself; your contact details should simply make you easy to reach.

Directly beneath your contact information, include a professional summary that captures your artistic practice in 3-4 sentences. This should mention your medium, themes, notable achievements, and what makes your work distinctive.

Here's what an effective contact information section looks like:

#2. Highlight Relevant Skills

The skills section demonstrates both your technical abilities and the soft skills that make collaborations successful. For artists, this means balancing medium-specific expertise with transferable capabilities like interpersonal skills and communication.

Start with your hard skills—the technical competencies specific to your artistic practice:

Then include soft skills that demonstrate your professionalism:

Don't just list these mechanically—consider which artist skills genuinely strengthen your practice and are relevant to opportunities you're pursuing. An installation artist applying for public art commissions should emphasise project management and community engagement; a gallery artist might focus on exhibition curation and art writing.

Here's an effective skills section:

#3. Showcase Work Experience and Projects

This is the heart of your artist CV, but it looks quite different from traditional work experience sections. Rather than job titles and companies, it should focus on exhibitions, commissions, residencies, and collaborative projects that demonstrate your artistic development and professional credibility.

Structure this section using action verbs that capture the creative process, such as created, developed, exhibited, designed, collaborated, curated, and facilitated. These words convey active engagement rather than passive participation.

Where possible, add measurable impact to give context to your achievements. This doesn't always mean numbers—artistic impact can be qualitative—but specifics strengthen your claims:

For artists with traditional employment (teaching, gallery work, design roles), include this too, but frame it through the lens of your artistic development. Don't just list responsibilities—explain how these experiences informed your creative practice.

Here's what this looks like in practice:

#4. Include Education and Certifications

The education section should list your two most recent degrees or qualifications, along with the institutions where you studied and your dates of attendance. For most artists, this means including art school degrees, though the level of detail depends on your career stage.

Recent graduates should expand this section with relevant coursework, dissertations, and academic achievements:

Established artists can keep education more concise, as professional achievements speak louder:

Beyond formal degrees, include relevant certifications and professional development:

These demonstrate an ongoing commitment to developing your practice and expanding your capabilities.

#5. Consider Adding Other Sections

Once you've covered the essentials, additional sections can strengthen your CV by showcasing achievements that don't fit neatly elsewhere. These extras are particularly valuable for artists, where grants, publications, and collections carry considerable weight.

Consider including:

Awards and Grants

• List funding received, competition wins, and professional recognition

• Include amounts for grants (e.g., "Arts Council England Grant — £5,000")

• Mention selection rates if particularly competitive (e.g., "Selected from 400+ applicants")

Collections

• Note where your work is held (museums, corporate collections, prominent private collectors)

• This demonstrates market recognition and institutional validation

Publications and Media Features

• Articles you've written about your practice

• Interviews or features in art magazines, newspapers, and online publications

• Catalogue essays that discuss your work

Professional Memberships

• Membership in artists' organisations (e.g., SAA membership)

• Professional bodies relevant to your practice

Public Speaking and Artist Talks

• Guest lectures at universities

• Panel discussions

• Gallery talks about your work

Portfolio Links

Perhaps most crucially for artists, always include a link to your online portfolio. This can be in your contact section or as a separate line:

These additional sections shouldn't bloat your CV—be selective about what genuinely strengthens your application. A teaching artist might emphasise workshops delivered; a gallery artist might focus on collections and reviews. Tailor these sections to support the specific opportunities you're pursuing.

How to Write an Artist CV Without Professional Experience

Creating an artist CV without formal gallery representation or major exhibitions can feel daunting, but early-career artists have more to showcase than they often realise. The key is reframing what "counts" as professional experience and highlighting the creative work you've genuinely accomplished. 

Follow these four strategies to write an artist CV without professional experience: 

3+ Tips For Writing Your Artist CV

Beyond following the basic structure, these practical tips will help your artist CV stand out:

Create Your Artist CV in Minutes

Use our CV builder to create a polished, ATS-friendly document in under 15 minutes. Simply enter your exhibitions, education, and skills—our platform handles the formatting automatically. Choose from professionally designed CV templates that balance creativity with clarity, ensuring your artistic achievements shine through. 

Plus, you can generate a tailored artist cover letter to complement your CV and showcase your artistic vision to galleries and commissioners.

Final Thoughts

Writing an artist CV requires balancing creative authenticity with professional presentation—a challenge that mirrors the broader task of navigating the art world whilst staying true to your practice. The most effective artist CV format allows you to present information clearly without sacrificing personality and to demonstrate both artistic vision and professional reliability.

Remember that your CV is a living document. As you gain experience, complete new projects, and develop your practice, regularly update your CV to reflect these developments. What felt like a significant achievement two years ago might be eclipsed by more recent work—that's growth, and your CV should evolve alongside your practice.

Artist CV FAQs

#1. How long should an artist CV be?

An artist CV should typically be 2-3 pages long, though this increases with career progression. Unlike standard CVs, artist CVs are expected to comprehensively document your professional trajectory rather than highlighting only recent achievements.

#2. Should I include a photo on my artist CV?

You shouldn’t include a photo on your artist CV unless specifically requested by the opportunity you're applying for. Some international applications or teaching positions may request photos, but UK galleries and funding bodies typically don't expect them. 

#3. How do I list exhibitions and residencies?

You can list exhibitions and residencies in reverse chronological order (most recent first), separating solo and group exhibitions into distinct subsections. Include the exhibition title in quotation marks, venue name, location, and year. For significant shows, add brief context: visitor numbers, press coverage, or works sold.