Artist CV: How to Write One, With an Example and Template

An artist CV is a detailed document that lists your professional art accomplishments: your education, exhibitions, awards, residencies, publications, and relevant experience. It is the record galleries, curators, grant panels, and collectors ask for to see who you are and what you have done. Think of it as your professional roadmap, written in plain list form, newest items first. If you want to get into galleries, they will usually ask for the CV before they ever look at your portfolio.

This guide breaks down exactly what goes in an artist CV, gives you a real example for each section, and ends with a fill-in template you can use today. It works whether you are just starting out or have years of work behind you. A CV is not a brag sheet. It is a way to show your growth, your consistency, and the fact that you can be trusted over time, which is what actually opens doors.

What is an artist CV?

An artist CV (curriculum vitae) is a comprehensive document that lists your professional accomplishments in the art world, including education, exhibitions, residencies, awards, and publications. Many artist calls and commission opportunities ask for three things together: an artist bio, an artist statement, and a CV. The CV is the factual one, the record of what you have done, told in lists rather than paragraphs.

It is an essential tool for applying to exhibitions, grants, residencies, and academic positions. You build it once, then keep adding to it for the rest of your career, so it is worth setting up well from the start.

What is the difference between an artist CV and a resume?

A resume is a short summary, usually one page, tailored to a specific job. An artist CV is longer, more detailed, and lists your full professional history in the art world. A resume gets trimmed and rewritten for each application. A CV keeps everything and grows over time, which is why it can run several pages for an established artist and a single page for someone just beginning.

The practical takeaway: when a gallery, grant, or residency asks for your CV, they want the comprehensive list, not the tightened one page version you would send to an employer. Give them the full, organized record.

Why does an artist CV matter?

An artist CV matters because it is often the first impression you make on the people who decide whether to show, fund, or buy your work. When you are approaching a gallery, applying for a grant, or seeking a residency, your CV is what tells curators and decision makers that you take your practice seriously and have a track record to back it up.

Beyond first impressions, the CV shows your trajectory. It gathers your exhibitions, education, awards, and professional work in one place so others can see the depth of your commitment. And when it comes to selling your art, a clear, honest CV gives a potential buyer confidence that they are investing in a dedicated, professional artist, not a passing hobby. Whether you are aiming for a solo show or a collaboration, the CV plays a quiet but real role in legitimizing your place in the conversation.

How do you write an artist CV?

Build your CV from six core sections, listing the most recent items first in each one. Your CV should be a detailed record of your professional achievements, organized so a reader who skims still catches your strongest lines. Here is what each section holds, with an example you can copy.

1. Contact information. Include your full name, address, phone number, email address, and website. This sits at the top so anyone can reach you without digging.
2. Education. List your formal education, including degrees, institutions, and graduation dates. You can also include workshops, masterclasses, and other relevant training. Example: “MFA, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 2015.”
3. Exhibitions. Include solo and group exhibitions, listing the title of the show, the venue, the location, and the date. Organize them chronologically, most recent first, and it is common to separate solo shows from group shows. Example: “Solo Exhibition, ‘Transient Echoes,’ Gallery 1988, Los Angeles, CA, 2023.”
4. Awards and honors. List any awards, grants, residencies, or other recognitions you have received. Example: “Artist Residency, Yaddo, Saratoga Springs, NY, 2022.”
5. Publications. Include articles, books, or catalogs that feature your work, with the title, author, publication name, and date. Example: “Featured in ‘Contemporary Artists to Watch,’ Art in America, March 2023.”
6. Professional experience. List relevant professional experience, such as teaching positions, curatorial projects, or art related jobs. Example: “Adjunct Professor of Fine Arts, University of Southern California, 2018 to present.”

Keep the formatting consistent across every entry. If one exhibition line reads title, venue, location, date, then every exhibition line should follow that same order. Consistency is what makes a CV look professional at a glance.

How do you write an artist CV when you have no experience?

Start with what is true now and pull from your whole life, not only formal gallery shows. If you are new to the art world, you may worry you have nothing to list. You almost certainly have more than you think.

Workshops, online courses, and any training go under education. Community shows, a display at a local coffee shop, an online feature, or a commission all count as exhibitions or experience. And the skills from other careers are fair to include when you frame them honestly. A customer service rep thinks on their feet to solve problems. A lawyer crafts persuasive arguments. An IT specialist writes scripts that automate work. Be creative with your language, pull from your past work, and list real projects as experience.

It might feel like a stretch, but remember what a CV is actually for. Much of the time it is less about prestige and more about showing consistency, that you can be trusted over time. A short, honest CV beats a padded one. Build it with what you have, then keep adding as your career grows.

Artist CV template

Use the template below as a starting structure. Fill in only the sections that apply to you right now, and add more as your career grows. List the most recent items first within each section.

Contact information

• Name
• Address
• Phone
• Email
• Website

Education

• Degree(s)
• Institution
• Location
• Year of graduation

Additional training (workshops, masterclasses, courses)

• Workshop or program name
• Instructor or institution
• Year

Solo exhibitions

• Exhibition title
• Venue
• Location
• Date

Group exhibitions

• Exhibition title
• Venue
• Location
• Date

Awards and honors

• Award, grant, or residency name
• Institution or organization
• Location
• Date

Publications

• Title
• Author or editor
• Publication name
• Date

Professional experience

• Position
• Institution or organization
• Location
• Date

What should you do once your CV is written?

Use the act of writing your CV to spot the gaps, then fill them on purpose. The process itself shows you where you need more experience. If you have never had a solo show, that is a sign to make one happen. It can be as simple as partnering with a local coffee shop or as elaborate as renting a space. If your education section feels thin, a focused course can round it out.

Your CV does not travel alone. Get the rest of your professional materials in place alongside it: a clear artist statement that explains why you create, a short artist bio, a clean headshot that puts a face to your name, and a thoughtfully curated portfolio that represents the range and quality of your work. When an opportunity arrives, having all of these ready means you show up prepared, not scrambling. That readiness is itself a signal that you are serious.

Your art story matters

Your story is the foundation under everything the CV records. At Milan Art Institute, we believe every artist has a unique voice shaped by their history and perspective, and only you can express it. People do not just buy art. They connect with the artist behind it, so the experiences, challenges, and triumphs that shaped you are not separate from your professional materials. They are the reason your work resonates.

A CV proves you can be trusted. A statement and a story tell people why your work is worth trusting in the first place. When you own your journey, you give galleries, collectors, and audiences a way in. If you want a structured, supported way to build both the skill and the professional footing this guide describes, our free Two Week Challenge is a real place to start, and the rest of our artist statements collection covers the bios, statements, and portfolios that go beside your CV. Build the record honestly, keep adding to it, and let it open the doors it is meant to open.

Frequently asked questions

What is an artist CV?

An artist CV (curriculum vitae) is a detailed document that lists your professional art accomplishments: education, exhibitions, awards, residencies, publications, and relevant experience. It is the record galleries, grant panels, and residency programs ask for to see your track record. Unlike a resume, it is not a one page summary. It can run several pages and keeps growing across your career.

What is the difference between an artist CV and a resume?

A resume is a short, one page summary of your qualifications tailored to a job. An artist CV is longer and more comprehensive, listing your full professional history in the art world in detail. A resume gets trimmed for each application. A CV keeps everything and grows over time. Galleries, grants, and residencies almost always ask for the CV, not a resume.

How do you write an artist CV with no experience?

Start with what you have and pull from your whole life, not only formal art shows. List workshops, online courses, and any training under education. Count community shows, coffee shop displays, online features, and commissions as exhibitions and experience. Skills from other careers, like persuasion, problem solving, or design, can be framed honestly as relevant. A CV often proves consistency over time more than prestige.

How long should an artist CV be?

As long as your real accomplishments require, and no longer. An early career artist might have a single page. A mid career or established artist can run several pages. Never pad it with fluff to look impressive, because galleries read a lot of these and see through filler quickly. List your strongest, most recent items first so the most important lines are read even if the reader skims.

What sections should an artist CV include?

Six core sections cover most artists: contact information, education and training, exhibitions (solo and group), awards and honors, publications, and professional experience. List each section with the most recent items first. You do not need every section filled to begin. Build the CV with what is true now, then add to it as your career grows.