Avoid making the artist résumé complicated. It is meant to be short and simple to review. Galleries may receive dozens of applications per week so you will want to make it easy on the eye. Select fonts and font sizes that facilitate reading. Use the white spaces well. Do not submit your artist résumé on a computer disk or CD-ROM unless it is specified.
1. Name (in bold or larger)
Preferred mailing address:
Phone Number(s):
Work:
Studio:
Home:
Fax:
E-mail:
Personal Web Site: (all serious artists/illustrators should have a website)
Comments: If a gallery gives you a show or takes you in as a stable artist, they may eliminate much of the information in this category. They will probably remove your address, phone numbers, etc., and provide your date or place of birth. This is a common practice because the gallery wants the potential buyer to contact them directly regarding any inquiries about your work.
2. Education
Comments: List all of the academic degrees you have earned (noting honors). It is not uncommon to have studied art at a university without completing the degree. You may want to list these periods of study after the list of degrees earned.
3. Grants/Awards (Grants/Fellowships, Awards/Honors, etc.)
4. Solo Exhibitions (One-Person Shows, Solo Shows, etc.)
Comments: As your career progresses it is likely that you will use the heading "Selected Solo Exhibitions."
For artists in certain time-based media an exhibition might be referred to as a "Screening." In that case, the heading might read "Exhibitions/Screenings" or "Exhibitions/Screenings/Performances" instead of "Exhibition Record." For performance artists the heading "Performances" may be adequate. Others may require the heading "Exhibitions/Commissions."
For those doing digital or technological art as well as video or performance art, please note whether or not the work is collaborative. If it is, develop a simple method for identifying individual contributions.
5. Group Exhibitions (Group Shows)
6. Commissions (if applicable)
7. Collections (Public, Private, Corporate)
Comments: In the case of private collectors, be sure to have permission to list their name(s). Some private collectors like to keep a low profile because of security reasons.
8. Bibliography (Selected Bibliography)
The inclusion of your work in books, magazines, major newspapers, and important catalogues is important for major galleries. Exhibition announcements and reviews in newspapers of smaller communities are less important.
9. Current Employment
Comments: It is not necessary to list your entire employment history. In the case of an individual who has taught at several major art institutions it may be useful.
10. Current Gallery Representation
Kathy
