Writing an Artist CV That Opens Doors

You’ve created beautiful work. You’ve been in a few group shows. You’re ready to apply for opportunities that require a professional CV -but what exactly should you include? How do you format it? What if you haven’t had many exhibitions yet?

An Artist CV is different from a job application CV. It focuses entirely on your artistic career: exhibitions, education, awards, and publications. It is a living document that grows with you. Let me walk you through exactly what to include, how to structure it, and how to present yourself professionally even when you’re just starting out.

The Golden Rules of the Artist CV

• Keep it clean and simple. Use a standard font (Times New Roman, Arial, Helvetica) at 11- or 12-point size.
• Reverse chronological order. Your most recent experience comes first in each section.
• No fancy formatting. No columns, no coloured text, no photos. Simple, readable, professional.
• No personal details. Do not include your date of birth, marital status, or a photo of yourself.
• Keep it to two–three pages maximum. For emerging artists, one page is often sufficient.

Essential Sections (In This Order)

1. Contact Information (Top of Page)
   Your name (larger font, bold), professional email address, website URL, and location (town/city, country). Optional: phone number and Instagram handle.
2. Education
   List any art-related qualifications, workshops, or courses. Include institution name, degree or certificate, and year completed.

• Example: BA (Hons) Fine Art, University of the Arts London, 2020

3. Solo Exhibitions (if any)
   If you haven’t had a solo show yet, simply omit this section. Do not create a separate heading for an empty list.
4. Selected Group Exhibitions
   This is where most emerging artists will have the most content. List exhibition title, venue name, location, and year.

• Example: Winter Open, The Old Fire Station, Oxford, 2025

5. Awards, Grants, and Residencies
   Include any funding, prizes, or residency programmes you have received. Name of award, awarding body, year.
6. Publications and Press
   Magazine features, newspaper articles, or notable blog mentions. Include publication name, article title (if relevant), and date.
7. Collections (Public or Private)
   If your work is held in a notable collection – public or private – list it here. For private collections, “Private Collection, London” is sufficient without naming the collector.
8. Relevant Employment (Optional)
   If you have worked as an artist’s assistant, a workshop facilitator, or in a gallery, this demonstrates professional engagement with the art world.

What NOT to Include

• Your primary school art prize (keep it professional and recent).
• Unrelated employment (waitressing, office work) unless it demonstrates transferable skills.
• Hobbies or personal interests (save those for your artist statement).
• References available on request (this is assumed).

Template for a Strong Emerging Artist CV

text

[Your Name][Email] | [Website] | [Location]  EDUCATION 2025 Watercolour Intensive, Royal Watercolour Society, London 2021-22; Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, City College, Bristol
 
 SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2025 Winter Open, Rye Creative Centre, East Sussex 2025; Small Works, The Biscuit Factory, London 2024; Emerging Artists, Gallery 46, online exhibition
     
 AWARDS 2025  Shortlisted, Jackson’s Art Prize2024
 Winner, Local Open Studios People’s Choice Award
 PUBLICATIONS 2025   Featured Artist, ArtMuse Magazine, Issue 12 COLLECTIONS 2025    Private Collection, Bath
 

Updating Your CV

Review your CV every six months. Add new exhibitions promptly. Remove very old or less relevant items as your career progresses. For example, once you have three solo shows, you can stop listing every single group show from five years ago.

A Word on Confidence

Many emerging artists hesitate to create a CV because they feel they “haven’t done enough”. Start where you are. Include that local library exhibition. Include that online group show. Everyone begins somewhere, and a concise, honest CV is far more impressive than an inflated or empty one.

 

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If you are looking for more advice, you might find the following blogs worth reading:

Blog 33: Record Keeping for managing exhibition records.

Blog 44: Artist Statement and Bio as a companion document to your CV.