Creating Your CV#

Your CV (Curriculum Vitae) on Artsumé is a comprehensive record of your artistic career. This guide will help you build a professional artist CV that showcases your achievements and experience.

Introduction#

An artist CV is essential for applications to opportunities, grants, residencies, and exhibitions. Artsumé's CV builder helps you create a well-organized, professional CV that follows industry standards and can be exported in multiple formats.

Prerequisites#

Before creating your CV, gather:

• Educational background information
• Exhibition history (solo and group shows)
• Awards and grants received
• Publications and press coverage
• Professional experience
• Teaching or lecturing experience
• Residencies and fellowships
• Collections (public, corporate, private)
• Any other relevant professional activities

Step 1: Access the CV Builder#

1. Log in to your Artsumé account
2. Navigate to "CV" from your dashboard
3. You'll see the CV builder interface with all available sections

Step 2: Understand CV Sections#

Artsumé's CV builder includes standard sections used in artist CVs:

Standard Sections#

• Education: Degrees, certificates, and formal training
• Exhibitions: Solo and group shows
• Awards: Grants, prizes, and recognition
• Collections: Works in public, corporate, or private collections
• Publications: Books, articles, catalogs featuring your work
• Bibliography: Press coverage and reviews
• Professional Experience: Teaching, curatorial work, etc.
• Lectures: Talks, presentations, workshops
• Residencies: Artist residencies and fellowships
• Commissions: Public, corporate, or private commissions
• Professional Service: Board positions, jury service, etc.
• Gallery Affiliations: Gallery representation
• Curatorial Projects: Curated exhibitions or projects

Step 3: Add Education#

Document your educational background:

1. Click "Add Education" in the Education section

2. Fill in the required fields:

   • Year: Year degree was awarded
   • Degree: Type of degree (BFA, MFA, BA, MA, PhD, etc.)
   • Field of Study: Your major or focus area
   • Institution: Name of school or university
   • Location: City, State/Province, Country
   • Honors: Any honors or distinctions (summa cum laude, etc.)
   • Notes: Additional relevant information

Example Education Entry#

Year: 2020

Degree: MFA

Field of Study: Sculpture

Institution: Rhode Island School of Design

Location: Providence, RI, USA

Honors: "Graduate Fellowship"

Notes: "Thesis: 'Material Memory: Found Objects in Contemporary Sculpture'"

Step 4: Add Exhibitions#

Exhibitions are a core part of your CV. Add both solo and group shows:

1. Click "Add Exhibition" in the Exhibitions section

2. Select exhibition type:

   • Solo: One-person exhibitions
   • Two Person: Two-artist shows
   • Group: Group exhibitions
   • Selected Solo: Selected solo exhibitions (for abbreviated CVs)
   • Selected Group: Selected group exhibitions

3. Fill in exhibition details:

   • Year: Year of exhibition
   • Title: Exhibition title (if applicable)
   • Venue: Gallery, museum, or exhibition space name
   • Location: City, State/Province, Country
   • Curator: Curator's name (if applicable)
   • Curator Title: Curator's title or affiliation
   • Juror: Juror's name (for juried shows)
   • Award: Any award received (if applicable)

Example Exhibition Entry#

Type: Solo

Year: 2023

Title: "Material Memory"

Venue: "Contemporary Art Gallery"

Location: "New York, NY, USA"

Curator: "Jane Smith"

Curator Title: "Director of Exhibitions"

Linking Portfolio Works#

1. In the exhibition entry, find "Link Portfolio Works"
2. Select portfolio works that were shown in this exhibition
3. This creates connections between your CV and portfolio

Step 5: Add Awards#

Document grants, prizes, and recognition:

1. Click "Add Award" in the Awards section

2. Fill in award details:

   • Year: Year award was received
   • Award Name: Name of the award or grant
   • Granting Organization: Organization that gave the award
   • Location: City, State/Province, Country
   • Amount: Award amount (if applicable)
   • Description: Additional details about the award

Example Award Entry#

Year: 2023

Award Name: "Emerging Artist Grant"

Granting Organization: "City Arts Council"

Location: "Chicago, IL, USA"

Amount: "$5,000"

Description: "For project 'Urban Fragments' installation series"

Step 6: Add Collections#

Document where your work is held:

1. Click "Add Collection" in the Collections section

2. Select collection type:

   • Public: Museums, public institutions
   • Corporate: Corporate collections
   • Private: Private collectors

3. Fill in details:

   • Collector Name: Name of collector or institution
   • Location: City, State/Province, Country
   • Portfolio Works: Link works in this collection

Step 7: Add Publications#

Document publications featuring your work:

1. Click "Add Publication" in the Publications section

2. Fill in publication details:

   • Year: Publication year
   • Title: Title of your work or article
   • Publication: Name of publication
   • Publication Type: Article, Essay, Book, Review, Blog
   • Editors: Editor names (if applicable)
   • Page Numbers: Page range
   • URL: Link to online publication (if applicable)

Example Publication Entry#

Year: 2023

Title: "Exploring Material Memory in Contemporary Art"

Publication: "Art Monthly"

Publication Type: "Article"

Page Numbers: "pp. 24-28"

URL: "https://example.com/article"

Step 8: Add Bibliography#

Document press coverage and reviews:

1. Click "Add Bibliography Entry" in the Bibliography section

2. Select entry type:

   • Print: Magazine, newspaper articles
   • Online: Online articles and reviews
   • Radio: Radio interviews or features
   • TV: Television features
   • Blog: Blog posts

3. Fill in details:

   • Year: Publication year
   • Author Name: Author or reviewer name
   • Title: Article or review title
   • Publication: Publication name
   • Date Published: Specific date (if known)
   • URL: Link to online content

Step 9: Add Professional Experience#

Document teaching, curatorial work, and other professional roles:

1. Click "Add Professional Experience" in the Professional Experience section

2. Fill in details:

   • Start Year: When you started
   • End Year: When you ended (leave blank if current)
   • Position Title: Your job title
   • Institution: Employer or organization name
   • Location: City, State/Province, Country
   • Description: Your responsibilities and achievements
   • Is Current: Check if this is your current position

Example Professional Experience Entry#

Start Year: 2020

End Year: (blank - current)

Position Title: "Adjunct Professor"

Institution: "School of Art and Design"

Location: "Chicago, IL, USA"

Description: "Teach undergraduate courses in sculpture and installation art. Develop curriculum for advanced studio courses."

Is Current: Yes

Step 10: Add Other Sections#

Continue adding entries to other relevant sections:

• Lectures: Talks, presentations, workshops you've given
• Residencies: Artist residencies and fellowships
• Commissions: Public, corporate, or private commissions
• Professional Service: Board positions, jury service, advisory roles
• Gallery Affiliations: Gallery representation
• Curatorial Projects: Exhibitions or projects you've curated

Step 11: Organize Your CV#

Sort Order#

CV entries are automatically sorted by year (most recent first) within each section. You can:

1. Manually adjust sort order if needed
2. Use the "Sort" options in each section
3. Create custom ordering for specific entries

Section Visibility#

Control which sections appear on your CV:

1. Go to "CV Settings"
2. Toggle sections on or off
3. This lets you create custom CVs for different purposes

Step 12: Set Entry Visibility#

Control which entries are public:

1. For each entry, find the "Is Public" toggle
2. Public: Visible on your profile and in applications
3. Private: Only visible in applications (not on public profile)

Step 13: Export Your CV#

Artsumé allows you to export your CV in multiple formats:

1. Go to "CV" → "Export"

2. Choose export format:

   • PDF: Professional PDF document
   • Word: Editable Word document
   • Plain Text: Simple text format

3. Select which sections to include

4. Choose date range (if applicable)

5. Click "Export" to download

CV Formatting Best Practices#

Chronological Order#

• List entries in reverse chronological order (most recent first)
• This applies to all sections
• Shows your current practice and recent activity

Consistency#

• Use consistent formatting throughout
• Follow the same date format (e.g., "2023" not "twenty twenty-three")
• Use consistent capitalization and punctuation

Completeness#

• Include all relevant information
• Don't leave required fields blank
• Add descriptions where they add value

Accuracy#

• Double-check all dates and names
• Verify spelling of venues, organizations, and people
• Ensure locations are accurate

Examples#

Example: Complete CV Structure#

Education:

• MFA, Sculpture, RISD, 2020
• BFA, Fine Arts, SAIC, 2017

Solo Exhibitions:

• "Material Memory", Contemporary Art Gallery, New York, NY, 2023
• "Found Objects", Local Gallery, Chicago, IL, 2021

Group Exhibitions:

• "Emerging Artists", Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL, 2023
• "Material Matters", Group Show, Gallery Space, New York, NY, 2022

Awards:

• Emerging Artist Grant, City Arts Council, $5,000, 2023
• Residency Fellowship, Artist Residency Program, 2022

Collections:

• Public: Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY
• Private: Collection of Jane Smith, Chicago, IL

Troubleshooting#

Next Steps#

After creating your CV:

1. Link Portfolio Works: Connect your portfolio to relevant CV entries
2. Keep It Updated: Add new entries as your career progresses
3. Use in Applications: Your CV is automatically included in applications
4. Export as Needed: Export customized versions for specific opportunities
5. Read More Guides:
   • Applying to Opportunities
   • Best Practices

Related Resources#

• CV Standards Guide
• Portfolio Linking
• Export Options

Your CV is a living document of your artistic career. Keep it updated and comprehensive, and it will serve as a powerful tool for applications and professional opportunities!