Artist Resume Example

An artist's resume usually does two jobs. For galleries, residencies and grants it records exhibitions, commissions and awards; for jobs such as teaching artist, muralist or studio assistant it has to show that you can deliver work, run programs and deal professionally with clients and institutions.

The Sample resume below belongs to a painter and muralist with seven years of professional practice, combining studio work, public commissions and a part-time role teaching at a community arts center. The studio practice is listed as a job, with commissions, exhibitions and sales as bullets, so an employer sees steady output rather than gaps. Exhibitions and a residency get their own short lines.

Keep two versions. The exhibition version (sometimes called an artist CV) lists shows, collections and press in date order. The job version, like the one below, leads with commissions, teaching and results. If teaching is your main income, compare the art teacher example, and see the Studio template for a layout that makes room for a portfolio line.

Updated . The person and employers in this Sample resume are fictional.

Artist sample resume

Theo Varga

Painter and Muralist

Reno, NVtheo.varga@example.com(775) 555-0152

Summary

Painter and muralist with seven years of professional practice, including nine public and private murals and three solo exhibitions. Delivered a 2,400-square-foot mural for a downtown transit plaza on schedule and on budget, working with a city arts committee and a crew of four. Also teaches painting to adults and teenagers, with classes that regularly fill a waitlist.

Experience

Artist and Muralist, Theo Varga Studio

– Present

Reno, NV

  • Designed and painted nine murals for public agencies, businesses and schools, ranging from 200 to 2,400 square feet.
  • Won an open call for a transit plaza mural; managed the design review, a $48,000 budget, scaffolding contractors and a crew of four painters.
  • Held three solo exhibitions and sold 38 original paintings through galleries, open studios and direct commissions.
  • Manage contracts, insurance certificates, invoices and community meetings for every public project.
Teaching Artist, Eastwater Arts Center

– Present

Sparks, NV

  • Teach two painting classes a week for adults and a summer mural workshop for teenagers.
  • Designed a six-week beginner acrylics course that now runs every season with a waitlist.
  • Led teen workshop students through painting a community mural on the center's east wall.

Education

M.F.A. in Painting

Sagebrush State University, Reno, NV

B.A. in Studio Art

Sagebrush State University, Reno, NV

Skills

  • Acrylic and oil painting
  • Large-scale mural painting
  • Mural design and scaling
  • Public art proposals
  • Project budgets
  • Community engagement
  • Teaching adults and teens
  • Curriculum design
  • Procreate for mockups
  • Contracts and invoicing
  • Exterior coatings and sealants
  • Lift and scaffold safety

Start yours from this example

Bring your own resume or start blank, then tailor it to each posting in about two minutes.

Use this example

Templates for the artist resume

All templates

How the resume changes with experience

The same artist resume, written at three levels: a summary and three bullets for each.

Entry level

Zero to two years, or a first role in the title

Studio art graduate with a first group exhibition, two small mural commissions and experience assisting an established muralist.

  • Assisted a muralist on three public projects, scaling designs and mixing color.
  • Painted a mural for a neighborhood coffee shop, paid through a local arts grant.
  • Showed four paintings in a juried group exhibition at a regional gallery.

Mid level

Three to seven years, owns a process or a workload

Visual artist with five years of practice across studio painting, commissions and teaching, with steady sales and repeat clients.

  • Complete four to six commissions a year for private and business clients.
  • Teach weekly drawing classes at a community art center.
  • Exhibit new work at a regional gallery each year.

Senior

Eight years or more, leads people, budgets or programs

Established artist with fifteen years of practice, major public commissions and work in public and private collections, who also mentors emerging artists.

  • Completed public art commissions for three cities, including a permanent installation at a convention center.
  • Work held in the collection of a state arts council and several corporate collections.
  • Mentor emerging artists through a regional residency program.

Skills to put on the artist resume

Hard skills

Your primary medium in depth
Commissioners and employers hire for a specific kind of work, so name it clearly and show it at its best.
Public art proposals and applications
Most public commissions come through open calls, and a clear proposal is how you get shortlisted.
Budgeting and project management
Agencies and businesses want artists who deliver on time and within budget, especially on large projects.
Teaching and workshop design
Teaching artist roles are common, steady work, and employers look for classes you designed and ran.
Contracts, rights and insurance
Public and business clients require paperwork, and handling it well makes you easy to hire again.
Documentation and online presence
Good photos of finished work are what jurors, curators and clients judge before anything else.

Soft skills

Working with committees and communities
Public art passes through reviews and community meetings, and artists who listen well get projects approved.
Self-direction
Studio practice has no manager, and a steady record of output shows discipline to any employer.
Clear communication with clients
Commissions go smoothly when expectations, sketches and changes are agreed in writing early.

Mistakes that cost artist interviews

  1. Sending an exhibition CV for a job

    A list of shows does not tell a program director whether you can teach a class or run a budget. For jobs, lead with commissions, teaching and responsibilities, and move exhibitions to a short section.

  2. Treating the studio as a gap

    Years of independent practice are work. Give the studio a title and dates, then describe commissions, sales and projects like any other job.

  3. Leaving out size and budget

    A mural of 200 square feet and one of 2,400 are different projects. State dimensions, budgets and team sizes so reviewers understand the scale you can handle.

  4. An artist statement in place of a summary

    Keep the statement for galleries. The resume summary should say what you make, for whom, at what scale, and one result that shows reliability.

  5. Weak images behind the portfolio link

    Reviewers judge the work from photos. Use well-lit, straight-on images and include one in-place shot for each mural or installation.

Questions about the artist resume

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

An artist CV is a full record of exhibitions, collections, awards and press, used for galleries, grants and residencies. A resume is shorter and aimed at jobs, leading with commissions, teaching and responsibilities.

How do I list self-employment as an artist?

Use your studio name or your own name as the employer, give yourself a title such as Artist and Muralist, and list commissions, sales and exhibitions as bullets.

Should an artist include sales figures?

Numbers of works sold, commissions completed and budgets managed are useful and not boastful. Specific prices are usually unnecessary.

What jobs can artists apply for with this resume?

Teaching artist, muralist, studio assistant, community arts programs and museum education roles. Tailor the summary and first bullets to each one.

Do artists need a degree?

Many roles do not require one, though teaching positions at colleges usually expect an M.F.A. A strong portfolio and a record of completed projects matter more for most commissions.

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