An Artist CV Example should show exactly how to organize your exhibition history, grants, residencies, education, publications, and other professional art experience. For grants, exhibitions, and open calls, I use an artist CV as a clean record of my art career, not as a standard job resume. The goal is to help a reviewer quickly see where my work has been shown, supported, published, collected, or professionally recognized.
When I put together an artist CV, I keep it factual and easy to scan. I do not try to explain the meaning of the work. I do not write it like an artist statement. I use it as proof that supports the rest of the application.
For most artists, a one- to three-page CV is enough. If I were newer, I would rather send one honest, well-organized page than three pages filled with weak or unrelated details.
Table of Contents
Artist CV Example for Grants, Exhibitions, and Open Calls
Here is a practical artist CV example I would use as a starting point. The exact sections can change depending on your experience, but this format works well for many grants, exhibitions, residencies, and open calls.
Artist CV Example Format
Your Name
City, State or Region
Website
Email
Phone, optional
Education
2020 MFA, Painting, University Name, City, State
2016 BFA, Illustration, University Name, City, State
Solo Exhibitions
2025 Nocturnal Studies, Gallery Name, Los Angeles, CA
2023 Field Marks, Project Space Name, San Diego, CA
Selected Group Exhibitions
2026 Works on Paper, Art Center Name, Portland, OR
2025 Drawing Now, Gallery Name, New York, NY
2024 Regional Juried Exhibition, Museum or Art Center Name, Santa Fe, NM
2023 Small Works, Gallery Name, Chicago, IL
Grants, Awards, and Fellowships
2026 Artist Project Grant, Organization Name, City, State
2025 Juror’s Choice Award, Exhibition Name, Gallery Name, City, State
2024 Emerging Artist Fellowship, Foundation Name, City, State
Residencies
2025 Artist Residency Name, Location
2024 Studio Residency Name, Location
Publications and Press
2026 “Article Title,” Publication Name
2025 Interview, Podcast or Magazine Name
2024 Exhibition Review, Publication Name
Collections
Private collection, Los Angeles, CA
University Name Collection, City, State
Corporate Collection Name, City, State
Commissions and Public Projects
2025 Community Mural Commission, Organization Name, City, State
2023 Public Art Project, City Arts Program, City, State
Artist Talks and Panels
2025 Visiting Artist Talk, School or Organization Name, City, State
2024 Panelist, Event Name, Art Center Name, City, State
What Each Artist CV Section Is For
An artist CV should be easy for a reviewer to read quickly. I think of each section as evidence. The CV should show where the work has been seen, supported, discussed, or developed.
Contact Information
At the top, I include my name, location, website, and email. I only include a full mailing address if the application asks for it. A phone number is optional, but I include it for grants, commissions, and public art opportunities where direct contact may matter.
Education
Education can include degrees, certificates, major workshops, mentorships, or other serious art training. If I have a formal art degree, I list it clearly. If I do not, I do not over-explain that in the CV.
For a self-taught artist, I would either skip this section or include meaningful training such as workshops, residencies, apprenticeships, or continuing education. I would save the story of that path for the artist bio, not the CV.
Exhibitions
Exhibitions are usually one of the most important parts of an artist CV. I separate solo exhibitions from group exhibitions if I have enough entries. If I only have a few shows, I use one section called “Exhibitions.”
I list exhibitions in reverse chronological order, with the year first. I include the exhibition title, venue, city, and state or country.
Example:
2025 Works on Paper, Gallery Name, New York, NY
If a show was juried or curated by someone notable, I may include that detail, but I keep it short.
Example:
2025 Works on Paper, juried by Name, Gallery Name, New York, NY
Grants, Awards, and Fellowships
This section matters for grant applications because it shows that other organizations have already recognized or supported the work. I include grants, awards, fellowships, prizes, and meaningful honors.
I do not include every small classroom award unless I am at the very beginning of my career. Even then, I keep it clean and professional.
Residencies
Residencies show that I have developed work in a focused studio, research, or community setting. I list the residency name, location, and year.
If the residency included a stipend, fellowship, final exhibition, or publication, I may add that detail if it strengthens the application.
Publications and Press
This section can include exhibition reviews, interviews, catalog essays, articles, podcasts, books, or meaningful online features.
I keep this section selective. A strong local interview or exhibition review is useful. A casual social media mention usually does not belong on the CV.
Collections
Collections can include museum, university, corporate, public, or private collections. If a collector needs privacy, I write “Private collection” and include the city or region only when appropriate.
I do not exaggerate this section. A short, accurate collection section is better than a long list of vague entries.
Commissions and Public Projects
For public art, mural, installation, and community-based opportunities, this section can be important. It shows that I can complete a real project outside the studio.
If I were applying for a mural opportunity, I would want my CV to support the kind of project experience shown in a mural proposal example. For city or community work, I would also compare my CV against the project evidence needed in a public art proposal example.
Artist Talks and Panels
I include talks, panels, visiting artist lectures, workshops, and teaching only when they support my art practice. This can help for grants, residencies, and educational programs because it shows that I can speak about the work and participate professionally.
Artist CV vs Artist Resume
An artist CV and an artist resume are not the same document.
An artist CV is a record of art-related achievements. It usually includes exhibitions, grants, residencies, publications, collections, education, talks, and professional art activity.
An artist resume is usually shorter and more job-focused. It may include employment history, freelance clients, software, teaching experience, production skills, or commercial experience.
For grants, exhibitions, residencies, and open calls, I usually expect to need a CV. For a teaching job, design job, illustration client, or staff role, I may need a resume instead. A guide to examples of artist resumes can help when the opportunity feels more like a job application than an art-world submission.
How to Adjust an Artist CV for Grants, Exhibitions, and Open Calls
I keep a master CV with everything relevant, then create a shorter version for each opportunity. I do not send the same version every time.
For Grants
For grants, I make sure the CV supports the project proposal. I emphasize grants, awards, residencies, major projects, exhibitions, and any evidence that I can complete the work I am proposing.
The CV should not do the proposal’s job. It should back it up. If the project description is weak, the CV cannot fix it. That is where a guide on how to write a grant proposal for artists becomes more useful.
For Exhibitions
For exhibitions, I give the most attention to solo shows, group shows, juried exhibitions, press, and relevant education. I do not bury exhibition history under unrelated jobs.
If I am applying for a gallery show, the reviewer needs to see where the work has been shown and whether I understand how to present a body of work. A focused artist exhibition proposal example can help when the CV is part of a larger submission.
For Residencies
For residencies, I emphasize exhibitions, residencies, grants, talks, publications, and project-based work. I want the CV to show that I take the studio seriously and can make use of the residency time.
If the residency is research-based or experimental, I would not make the CV feel too commercial. I would highlight development, process, previous bodies of work, and professional commitment. A strong artist residency proposal example can help keep that direction clear.
For Open Calls
For open calls, I keep the CV direct and easy to scan. Many open calls are reviewed quickly, so I remove weak or unrelated details.
Unless the call asks for a longer document, I usually submit a one- or two-page version. I lead with the sections that make me look most relevant to that specific opportunity.
What to Leave Off an Artist CV
A strong artist CV is not just about what I include. It is also about what I leave out.
I usually leave off:
- unrelated jobs
- casual hobbies
- long artist statement paragraphs
- inflated descriptions of small shows
- every class I have ever taken
- social media follower counts, unless specifically relevant
- old student work, unless I am still very early-career
- personal information that does not help the application
I also avoid adjectives like “prestigious,” “successful,” or “important.” I list the facts and let the venue, award, or project speak for itself.
How to Format an Artist CV
I keep the design simple. A CV is not where I try to prove my visual style. The artwork does that.
I use a readable font, clear section headings, consistent spacing, and reverse chronological order. I save the file as a PDF unless the application asks for a different format.
A simple file name works best:
FirstName-LastName-Artist-CV.pdf
If the application gives a page limit, I follow it exactly. If it asks for a two-page CV, I do not send four pages.
How to Write an Artist CV With Limited Experience
A newer artist can still make a useful CV. I would not fake a long history. I would make a clean one-page version.
A simple early-career artist CV might include:
- contact information
- education or training
- selected exhibitions, even if local or student-based
- awards or grants, if any
- workshops or residencies, if any
- publications or features, if any
- related teaching, studio, or community art experience
If I only had one or two exhibitions, I would let the CV be short and honest. I would put more effort into the portfolio, artist statement, and proposal.
For newer artists, the artist bio and artist statement often carry more weight than the CV. A concise artist bio template can help introduce the artist, while a guide on how to write an artist statement can help explain the work.
Artist CV Section Order I Usually Recommend
For most grants, exhibitions, and open calls, I would start with this order:
- Name and contact information
- Education or training
- Solo exhibitions
- Selected group exhibitions
- Grants, awards, and fellowships
- Residencies
- Publications and press
- Collections
- Commissions or public projects
- Artist talks, panels, or teaching
That order is flexible. If I am applying for a public art opportunity, I may move commissions and public projects higher. If I am applying for a grant, I may move grants and residencies closer to the top.
The best order is the one that helps the reviewer understand why I am a good fit for that specific opportunity.
A Simple Artist CV Template You Can Copy
Your Name
City, State
Website
Email
Education
Year Degree or Training, Institution, City, State
Solo Exhibitions
Year Exhibition Title, Venue, City, State
Selected Group Exhibitions
Year Exhibition Title, Venue, City, State
Year Exhibition Title, Venue, City, State
Grants, Awards, and Fellowships
Year Award or Grant Name, Organization, City, State
Residencies
Year Residency Name, Location
Publications and Press
Year “Article or Interview Title,” Publication Name
Collections
Collection Name, City, State
Private collection, City, State
Commissions and Public Projects
Year Project Title, Organization or Client, City, State
Artist Talks and Panels
Year Talk, Workshop, or Panel, Organization, City, State
Final Checks Before Sending an Artist CV
Before I send an artist CV, I check the application instructions line by line. Some calls ask for a CV. Some ask for a resume. Some want the CV combined with images, a statement, and a proposal in one PDF.
I also check spelling, dates, venue names, and consistency. Small mistakes can make an otherwise strong application feel rushed.
I keep related writing tools in one place so I am not rebuilding everything from scratch every time an opportunity comes up. My artist resources are most useful when I need the CV, bio, statement, and proposal to work together.
For an outside reference point, many university career offices separate art and design resumes from other professional documents. Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Fine Arts career materials include examples that can help compare a CV-style artist record with a more job-focused resume: CMU College of Fine Arts resume examples.