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​The Résumé for Artists

Learn what you need to include in a Résumé for an Artist
​

The Artist Résumé is an abbreviated document - usually one to four pages long - which is used for:
  • seeking representation with commercial galleries,
  • the search for exhibition opportunities, and
  • certain grant applications.

This section includes:
  • What is an Artist Résumé 
  • How to write an Artist Résumé
  • What Galleries and Art Dealers expect from an Artist Résumé
  • Sample Artists' Résumés
the artists resume

What is an Artist Résumé?
​

"The artist resume provides a selected overview of your artistic and professional accomplishments, education, affiliations, and hints at future aspirations. It usually accompanies your artist statement for exhibitions, proposals, and portfolios."
Karen Atkinson
The artist résumé is the 'short version' of your CV.

​
This abbreviated document is used when:
  • seeking representation with galleries,
  • searching for exhibition opportunities, and
  • applying for grants 

REMEMBER - This is about your life as an artist - not every job you've ever had!

From a gallery perspective, if a resume is to be used in a catalogue then it needs to be
  • accessible,
  • informative
  • but succinct.

If you are using a resume to try and become a gallery artists, then it needs to be
  • long enough to contain enough relevant information
  • so as to accredit your status, experience and achievements.

The College Art Association suggests that it is typically one to four pages in length.


Typical contents include the following:
  • Art Education e.g. art schools, courses of study, classes, workshops as appropriate
  • Academic Awards e.g. fellowships, scholarships and grants
  • Art Exhibitions - Solo Shows - detail location, venue, date and name of show; of more significance if held in a prestigious gallery
  • Art Exhibitions - Group Shows (as above but include the name of the group too)
  • Art Competitions - include selections for named juried competitions with date
  • Art Awards - List name of award and type of show. Listing these after exhibitions can help eliminate duplicate information and keep the resume succinct
  • Publications - list all journals and books you've contributed towards eg articles with title, date and journal
  • Press - provide a listing all of all press mentions (including online)
  • Teaching - state credentials and types of classes given or courses taught
  • Professional Affiliations - eg signature membership of art societies
  • Professional / Curatorial Activities - what you do besides create art!
  • Collections - include names only if they indicate prestige and status of the collection. Differentiate between corporate and private collections

How to write an Artist Résumé
​
Links to advice and information


Careful with juried shows. They're a good thing early in your career when you're building your resume and looking for exposure.... By midcareer, however, you should be off and running in academic galleries, libraries, co-ops, non-profits and, ideally, in commercial galleries.

Joanne Mattera
  • Standards and Guidelines | College Art Association - Artist Résumé: Recommended Conventions - The artist résumé  conventions presented here are designed primarily for use with commercial galleries. While its length, one to four pages, is similar to the "short curriculum vitae," or "short cv," it is not intended for academic situations. Artis
  • Joanne Mattera Art Blog: Marketing Mondays: The Résumé - Guidance on the structure and content of a standard Artists Résumé
  • Writing an Artist Résumé  - Feature GALLERY DIRECT Article - WRITING AN ARTIST RESUME By Margaret (Maggie) Brezden An artist resume is an absolute necessity for every professional artist. Although an artist bio may contain similar information it is presented in a different format than the artist resume.
  • Artist, Emerging: Writing an Artist's Résumé - Being an artist means not only making your art but of course promoting your art. But some would argue that you're really promoting yourself. Regardless, you need to have a good resume.
  • Docstoc - How to write Your Artists Resume by Annie Strack - downloadable document by author Annie Strack
  • How to Write a CV Resume for an Artist | eHow.co.uk
    How to Write a CV Resume for an Artist. The main difference between a CV and a standard résumé  is that the CV is much longer and more detailed. Standard résumé are typically no longer than one page, while CVs can be many pages long.
  • Getting a leg up | Robert Genn - The Painter's Keys - Considers the role of resumes for the non-credentialed artist in relation to getting into art shows
  • Writing for Artists: The Resumé: Formatting | The Artists Advisor - Your Résumé  is the most important marker of your experience that you may have. Getting the grammar absolutely perfect is a mark of your professionalism. This post will show you how to outline your résumé . What goes in what order. I will create a list
  • Writing and Formatting an Artistic Resume | ArtJob - Regular contributor Karen Atkinson gives advice on résumé creation.
  • 10 Weeks to Improve your Artistic Career – Week 6 | The Practical Art World - Week 6: Get your paperwork in order. If you have ever submitted your artwork to an exhibition, gallery or contest, you probably already know that beyond your artwork, you are also 'responsible' for providing specific paperwork relating to your artist
  • How to Write a Resume, Part I | The Norwegian Artist - Writing a résumé doesn't have to be a moanfully dreadful task, but it will take work and thought. Regardless of whether you are writing it for a specifically art-related event or for a job in general, the resume's central purpose is to tell a lot abo
  • How to Create an Artist Resume | Artpromotivate - An artist resume is different from a regular employment/work resume. A resume is valuable for applying for a grant, residency, art gallery show, and more. It may also be attached to an art portfolio, and on your art website.

'Ask Harriete' on How to Write a Resume & Looking for a Job

Harriete Estel Berman periodically provides advice to artists on "how to get on" - including how to get a job and how to write a resume
  • Ask Harriete: Resumes for Artists and Craftspeople
    Resumes for Artists and Craftspeople - feed
  • Resumes - How much is too much info? - Ask Harriete
    Here are suggested categories for a resume for an artist or maker. Work on your resume so that it is ready at a moments notice. This post includes suggested categories and the information that fits in each category.
  • Ask Harriete: Resume and CV
    Professional advice, information, and the Professional Guidelines for artists, makers, and crafts community by Harriete Estel Berman.
  • Ingredients for success - your resume. - Ask Harriete
    First of all, many people use the term CV when they mean resume. A CV should include everyone of your professional accomplishments. A Resume is the abridged information, in other words, a summary of your professional experience. Here are some suggest
  • LOOKING for a JOB - The Year After School Step 1: Take a digital class. - Ask Harriete
    I recommend taking a class. Every employer out there will be looking for a person to be well versed in current technologies. They want and need people to do the things they can't do themselves because they haven't had time to learn. A diversity of sk
  • LOOKING for a JOB - Step 2: Facebook Privacy, Join LinkedIN - Ask Harriete
    If you are looking for a job, clean up your Facebook profile immediately. If you want to save those photos of you drinking, hanging out with friends, Conga line dancing, etc. or photos of destination evenings, cats, or poodle pictures -- then change
  • LOOKING for a JOB - Step 3 WORK on Your RESUME - Ask Harriete
    Work on your resume. That sounds so simple, but it takes some time and repeated reviews. Ask your friends and parents to proof read and critique each edit. Improve, edit, improve, edit, improve. This is true for seasoned professionals,too.
  • LOOKING for a JOB - Step 4: Innovative Resume - Ask Harriete
    Consider creating your resume "live on line" in Prezi or SlideShare for an eye catching and job catching approach to a job. This might work for a graduate school application, residency application, internship, apprenticeship, or even as a studio assi
  • How do I submit work to a gallery for view? - Ask Harriete
    Highlights the need for an artists resume to accompany an image pack
  • Posted Job Opening - What a Successful Response looks like! - Ask Harriete
    Interviewing for a video editor position (for my video in progress) has been an eye opening experience. Looking at 20+ resumes in less than 24 hours from one job posting has given me real insight to a successful reply. Take these nine suggestions and

Alyson Stanfield on developing a resume

It's tough to put together a resume when you're just beginning. If you find yourself in this situation, follow these two pieces of advice:
1) Start a file labelled "Resume."
2) Drop into it anything and everything that will one day appear on your resume: honors, awards, teaching, public collections

Alyson B. Stanfield -
"What? No resume?"
Alyson B. Stanfield peridocally writes about how to tailor your Resume as an artist to what people want to see and read. She's strong on looking at how to format and present your information

  • Podcast: Create a Master Resume for Your Art Career | Art Biz Blog
    Listen in on this week's podcast-an audio version of the Art Marketing Action newsletter-"Keep a Master Resume"
  • What to do with a gap in your artist resume | Art Biz Blog
    Comments on the 14 year gap in an artist's career and how best to tackle this is a resume
  • Use Tables to Line Up Your Resume | Art Biz Blog
    If you're using Microsoft Word to create your resume and are finding your columns out of line, I suggest using the Tables feature.
  • Tell the Story of Your Art Career on Your Facebook Timeline | Art Biz Blog
    Dust off your art résumé  and put it to use with the new timeline on your Facebook page. Timelines on business pages are a place for you to share the history of your art career. They're not for you to tell your life story - that's for your personal
  • Artist Bio vs. Artist Statement vs. About Page | Art Biz Blog
    Are you confused about the difference between your artist biography and artist statement? I'm here to help!
  • Exhibition Records for Your Art | Art Biz Blog
    It's much easier to record exhibition records as you go along rather than waiting for some point in the future when you might have to dig through files or boxes. Memories fade rather quickly.

What Galleries and Art Dealers expect from an Artist Resume

Do NOT forget to think about what an art gallery or art dealer WANT TO KNOW rather than what you would like to tell!

KEY TIPS:
  • Assume your prospective gallery or dealer is a busy person and make sure your resume answers all the key questions.
  • Lean towards "less is more". Providing people with too much information can mean they just skim and give up.
  • The fact that something exists in your background isn't a good reason for including it in your CV.
"What Art Dealers Expect From Your Artist Resume" 
​- Advice from the Fine Art Views Blog (2012)

  • Part 1 - your name - Providing your name on your artist resume is deceptively straightforward. I describe it that way because some artists make the mistake of using aliases. You DON'T want to use an alias when submitting this information.
  • Part 2 - your contact information - You need to think outside of the box when deciding on what information to provide on your artist resume. 
  • Part 3 - your short biography - Some art dealers will request that you include a short biography within the context of your artist resume.
  • Part 4 - your education info ...if an artist is nervous about listing his or her age on the artist resume -- he or she will certainly be wary of listing Education depending on his or her educational background. 
  • Part 5 - artist residencies (artist-in-residence) - The Artist Residencies heading can be extremely deceptive if you are not sure what exactly the heading should detail. The following advice will give you an idea of what is expected from art dealers.
  • Part 6 - Grants/Awards - The next heading on your artist resume (based on what art dealers have told me over the years) should be dedicated to grants and awards. 
Advice from Gallerists 

  • Edward_ Winkleman - Bio Camp Open Thread
    What's good to include (and exclude) from a bio/resume - written by an art dealer and popular art blogger in New York
    ​
  • How do I submit work to a gallery for view? - Ask Harriete
    This is part two of a four part series by Don Friedlich, Harriete Estel Berman and Andy Cooperman for artists and crafts people about submitting work to galleries and retail establishments. Originally published on Etsy's Storque.

Generic advice about writing CVs and resumes

This covers the more generic advice relating to a wider field of employment or endeavour
  • Seth's Blog: The buddy system
    Here's the best way to improve your business plan or your resume: Have someone else write it. Find a friend of a friend, a document-buddy, someone who needs the same thing done for them, but not someone who is a...
  • Prove It: It's Starts With Defining Who You Are| Lorelle on WordPress
  • Who are you on the web? How do you describe yourself? What words do you use to tell the world who you are, what you stand for or represent, what you do, how you do it, and why they should want to get to know you and work with you?
  • How to Write a CV | The Careers Group | University of London
    How to Write a CV (pdf leaflet)
  • Monster.co.uk - CV advice
    Find CV Advice and other CVs & Applications articles. Get your job advice from the career experts at Monster.
  • Career advice from Monster.co.uk - free CV templates
    Find Free CV Templates and other CVs & Applications articles. Get your job advice from the career experts at Monster.
  • Functional & Chronological Resume Basics - Types of Resumes - CVTips.com
    The basics that should go into a resume include a number of key points employers are interested in learning more about. They include educational background, achievements, job experience and career goals. Resumes generally are designed to provide a sn
  • Resume Format - CV Format & Styles - CVTips.com
    There are a wide variety of successful CV and resume styles you can employ. They vary depending on the circumstances of your desired position, industry and personal style. There are a few basic styles of CVs and resumes, each appropriate for differen
  • 7 Words I Never Want to See on Your Resume | The Savvy Intern by YouTern I’m referring to the words that show me a lack of effort, leadership or confidence – and make me want to disqualify the applicant from consideration whenever I see them.

Sample Artists' Resumes

  • Sample Art Resumes, Artist Resume, Art Resume, Art Resume Templates
    Information on how to organize your Art resume in effective and optimized manner. Tips and guidelines on art resume are provided here
  • GYST: Getting Your Sh*t Together: Sample Bios
    Sample Bios - which are actually Sample Resumes!
  • Peter Doig's Resume - described as a Biography by his gallery!

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  • Home
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  • NEWS
  • PRACTICE
    • Starting Out - Tips
    • Being a Professional artist >
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      • Artists' Side Hustles
      • Artists' Residencies
      • Artists Unions
    • Business Management for Artists >
      • Setting Up & Running A Business
      • Risk Management for Artists
      • How to spot Art Scams / Fraud
      • Life in an Art Market Recession
      • Coronavirus COVID-19 and Art
    • Best Art Business Books
    • Learning Opportunities >
      • Art Schools in the UK
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    • Image Management for Artists >
      • How to photograph art
      • How To Scan Artwork
      • How to back up image files
    • Law for Artists >
      • Legal Matters
      • Money Laundering in the Art Market
      • Data Protection for Art and Artists
      • Brexit Guidance for Art and Artists
  • MARKETING
    • How to write an Artist's Statement >
      • What is an Artist Statement?
      • Why you need an Artist's Statement
      • TIPS How to write an artist statement
      • The Language of an Artist's Statement
      • What an artist statement should contain
      • Examples of Artists Statements
    • How to write an Artist's Resume or CV >
      • Social Media summaries
      • CV for Artists
      • Resume for Artists
      • Biography for Artists
    • How to sign a painting, drawing or fine art print
    • Business Cards for Artists
    • How to write a press release for an artist
    • The Private View Invitation
    • Publicity for Juried Exhibitions
    • Websites for Artists >
      • Why websites matter
      • Options for Websites
      • Web content for Artists
      • Web design for artists
      • Keeping Google Happy
      • Writing for the Web
    • Image & Video sizes for Social Media Sites
    • How to be mobile-friendly
  • SELL ART
    • Trading Law & Regulations for Artists (UK)
    • E-commerce for artists
    • Art Exhibitions & Competitions >
      • Juried Exhibitions & Art Competitions
      • Juried Art Exhibition Checklist for Artists
      • How to cost a juried exhibition entry
      • How to make labels for an art exhibition
      • Alternative Options for Exhibitions
    • A Guide to Art Agents and Consultants
    • A Guide to Art Dealers & Galleries >
      • How to find the right gallery
    • The Artist-run Gallery
    • The Vanity Gallery
    • Art Fairs
    • How to Sell Art from Home
    • Open Studios
  • FRAME ART
    • List of Recommended Picture Framers
    • Conservation Products
    • Framing for open exhibitions and art competitions
    • Framing Videos
    • How to hang a picture
  • SHIP ART
    • How to pack artwork >
      • How to pack and ship pastel paintings
    • Packaging materials
    • How to ship art internationally >
      • Rules of Origin
      • Export Licences for Cultural Goods
    • How to ship art to exhibitions
    • How to mail art - Post & Parcel Services
    • UK & Ireland: Art Transport Services
    • USA Art Transport Services
  • COPYRIGHT
    • Copyright and artists' rights
    • BASICS: Copyright Infringement and Fair Use
    • How to protect artwork online
    • How to do a reverse image search
    • What to do about copyright infringement - for artists
    • Global Conventions on copyright >
      • Copyright in the UK
      • Copyright in the USA
      • Copyright in Canada
      • Copyright in Australia
  • MONEY & TAX
    • How to work out profit from an art sale
    • How to Price Your Art >
      • How important is price when buying art?
      • Options for Pricing Art
      • Terminology and Formulas for Pricing Art
      • Art Experts on Pricing Art
      • How artists price their art
      • The price of affordable art
    • Payments to Artists >
      • Paying Artists
      • How to create an Invoice
    • VAT for Artists
    • Tax Tips for Artists >
      • Tax on prize money
      • UK Tax Tips for Artists
      • UK: Self-Assessment Video Tips
      • USA Tax Tips for Artists
      • Ireland: Tax for Artists
      • Australia: Tax Tips for Artists
    • Insurance for Art and Artists >
      • Insurance for Art Teachers
      • UK Insurance Policies for art and artists
      • USA & Canada: Insurance Policies for Art and Artists
    • Artists' Grants & Scholarships
    • Retirement and Pensions for Artists
    • The Art Legacy >
      • Estate Planning for Artists
      • Estate Planning for Art Collectors
      • Famous Artists Estates
      • Artwork Inventory
      • After the Death of an Artist
      • Copyright and Resale Rights after Death
      • Art and Inheritance Tax
  • About + Help
    • Would you like me to help?
    • Privacy & Cookies Policy
    • Contact
  • BANKING