Can I customize the CV layout?

The CV follows professional CAA standards, which ensures consistency and recognition. While you can't change the basic format (that's a feature, not a limitation), you control what sections appear based on what entries you add to your profile.

What if I add new work after downloading my CV?

Just add the new entry to your profile and download a fresh PDF. Your CV always reflects your latest information. No reformatting required.

Can I use this CV for grant applications?

Yes. The CAA format is what most grants, residencies, and professional opportunities expect. Many programs specifically ask for CVs in this format.

Does my information stay private?

You control what's visible on your public profile. Your downloadable CV includes the information you've entered—it's your document to use however you need.

How is this different from a resume?

Artist CVs and resumes serve different purposes. CVs are comprehensive documents covering your entire career (growing over time). Resumes are brief summaries for job applications. Artsumé generates CVs, not resumes. See our guide on CV vs. resume differences.

What if I'm just starting out and don't have much to list?

Everyone starts somewhere. List what you have: education, any exhibitions (including student shows), relevant work experience, training. A shorter, well-formatted CV is better than padding with irrelevant information. Your CV will grow as your career does.

Can I download different versions for different purposes?

Your CV reflects your current profile. If you need different versions (such as emphasizing teaching for academic applications), you can generate your CV, then make minor adjustments in a document editor. But for most purposes, the standard format works everywhere.

What file format is the download?

PDFs. This ensures consistent display regardless of the recipient's operating system or software. PDFs are universally accepted for applications.

Can I import my CV from another format?

Currently, you add entries manually. This takes 15-30 minutes for most artists. The benefit is that entries are properly structured for automatic formatting going forward.

Free Artist CV Maker: Create a Professional CV in Minutes -... | Artsumé

Free Artist CV Maker: Create a Professional CV in Minutes#

Creating an artist CV shouldn't require hours of formatting in Word or expensive resume builders. Yet most artists spend countless hours fighting with templates, adjusting margins, and trying to figure out the correct format.

Artsumé offers a better approach: add your information once, and your CV generates automatically in professional CAA format. Update anytime, download anytime—completely free.

✅

Quick Answer

Artsumé generates professional artist CVs automatically from your profile
Uses CAA (College Art Association) standard formatting
Free forever—no premium tier, no download limits
Update your profile once; CV stays current automatically

The Problem with Traditional CV Creation#

Template Frustration#

Word templates and resume builders weren't designed for artists:

Generic formats that don't understand exhibition sections
Constant reformatting when you add entries
Inconsistent spacing and alignment issues
Confusion about proper CV format vs. resume format
Headers and footers that break across pages
Tables that don't resize properly

The Maintenance Burden#

Every new exhibition, award, or achievement means:

Open the Word document
Figure out where the entry goes
Match the formatting of other entries
Adjust spacing for everything below it
Check that nothing shifted on other pages
Save and export to PDF
Hope the PDF renders correctly

Then repeat for every application that needs a CV.

For artists with active careers, this becomes significant time lost each year. One mid-career artist we spoke with estimated spending 20+ hours annually just updating and reformatting her CV for different applications.

Format Confusion#

What's the right format for artist CVs? Most artists piece together advice from various sources, resulting in inconsistent documents that don't follow professional standards.

Questions that cause confusion:

Which sections come first?
How do I format exhibition entries?
Should locations use state abbreviations or full names?
Do I italicize exhibition titles or venue names?
How far back should I go?
What do I include vs. leave out?

The CAA (College Art Association) standard answers these questions, but implementing it manually is tedious.

Version Control Problems#

Maintaining CVs in Word documents leads to version confusion:

Which file is current?
Did I update the portfolio version or the grant version?
Which laptop has the latest file?
What changed between versions?

Cloud documents help but don't solve the fundamental formatting issues.

How Artsumé's CV Maker Works#

Add Your Information Once#

Create your Artsumé profile and add entries for:

Education: Degrees, certificates, relevant training
Solo Exhibitions: Your individual shows
Group Exhibitions: Juried shows, curated exhibitions
Awards & Grants: Recognition and funding
Residencies: Programs you've attended
Collections: Where your work lives
Publications: Reviews, features, catalogs
Teaching: Academic and workshop experience
Commissions: Major commissioned works
Related Experience: Other relevant professional experience

Each entry uses simple fields—just fill in the details without worrying about formatting.

Automatic Formatting#

Artsumé formats your entries to CAA (College Art Association) standards:

Structural formatting:

Correct section ordering based on your career stage
Proper date formatting (year-only for CV entries)
Reverse chronological order within sections
Consistent typography throughout

Visual formatting:

Clean, professional layout
Appropriate spacing and margins
Proper pagination with section headers
Ready for print or digital submission

Content handling:

Italicization of exhibition titles
Consistent location formats
Proper handling of multi-line entries
Clean separation between sections

No manual formatting required.

Download Anytime#

Generate a PDF version of your CV whenever you need it:

Always reflects your latest entries
Professional formatting every time
Print-quality resolution
Ready for applications, galleries, or print

The same information can generate different views depending on what you need.

Always Current#

The biggest advantage: when you add a new exhibition or award to your profile, your CV updates automatically. No more maintaining separate documents. No more forgetting to update the CV before a deadline.

Your CV is always as current as your profile.

What Makes a Professional Artist CV#

CAA Standard Format#

The College Art Association sets professional standards for artist CVs. These standards are widely recognized by galleries, museums, grant programs, and academic institutions.

Section Order (typical):

Contact Information
Education
Solo Exhibitions
Group Exhibitions
Collections
Awards, Grants, Honors
Residencies
Bibliography
Teaching
Related Professional Experience

Formatting Rules:

Reverse chronological order within sections
Italicized exhibition titles
Consistent location format (City, State/Country)
Clean typography and spacing
No decorative elements or graphics

For detailed guidance, see our complete CV guide.

What to Include#

Always include:

Full name and contact information
Education (degrees and significant training)
Exhibitions (solo and selected group)
Awards and grants received
Relevant professional experience

Include when relevant:

Collections (public and private)
Bibliography (publications featuring your work)
Residencies attended
Teaching experience
Commissions
Curatorial projects
Public art projects
Selected screenings (for video/film artists)

Never include:

Prices or sales information
Personal details (age, family status)
Social Security number
Work that isn't yours
Failed applications or rejections
Unconfirmed future opportunities

Common CV Mistakes to Avoid#

Formatting errors:

Inconsistent date formats (mixing 2024 with Jan 2024)
Wrong section order
Missing or inconsistent italicization
Poor typography or layout
Headers that break awkwardly across pages

Content errors:

Including non-art work experience in the wrong section
Listing every group show (be selective after you have many)
Including work-in-progress as completed
Vague location information
Missing venue names

Professional errors:

Unprofessional email addresses
Outdated contact information
Including social media handles (unless requested)
Adding "References available upon request" (unnecessary)

Setting Up Your Artsumé CV#

Step 1: Create Your Free Account#

Step 2: Add Contact Information#

Display name (as you want it on your CV)
Location (city, state/country)
Email address
Website (optional)
Phone (optional—some prefer to omit)

Step 3: Add Education#

For each degree or program:

Degree type (MFA, BFA, BA, certificate, etc.)
Field of study (Painting, Sculpture, etc.)
Institution name
Location
Year completed

Include significant training and workshops if they're meaningful to your practice.

Step 4: Add Exhibitions#

For each exhibition:

Exhibition title
Venue name
City, state/country
Year
Type (solo or group)

Pro tip: Start with your solo exhibitions, then add selected group exhibitions. You don't need every group show—be selective.

Step 5: Add Other Sections#

Continue adding entries for:

Awards and grants
Residencies
Collections
Publications
Teaching
Commissions
Related experience

Only include sections relevant to your practice. Empty sections are worse than missing ones.

Step 6: Download Your CV#

Click to generate a PDF. It's formatted, professional, and ready to use.

Artsumé vs. Other CV Options#

CV Creation Options

Feature	Word/Google Docs	Resume Builders	Artsumé
Cost	Free (software cost)	$10-25/month	Free
Artist CV Format	Manual	Limited/None	Automatic (CAA)
Auto-Formatting		Partial
Exhibition Sections	Manual	Limited	Built-in
Update Ease	Manual each time	Manual each time	Automatic
Portfolio Integration
Apply to Opportunities
Version Control	Manual files	Platform-locked	Automatic
International Formats	Manual research	Limited	Supported

Why Not Just Use Word?#

Word processors require you to:

Find or create a template
Manually format every entry
Re-adjust when adding new entries
Maintain a separate document from your portfolio
Remember to update before each application
Export to PDF and hope formatting holds
Manage file versions manually

Word is fine for one-time documents. For a living document like a CV that updates throughout your career, it creates friction.

Why Not Resume Builders?#

Generic resume builders (Indeed, Canva, etc.):

Use formats designed for job applications, not art careers
Don't understand exhibition histories, collections, or residencies
Charge monthly fees for features you need
Create documents that look like job resumes
Still require separate portfolio management
Lock your data in proprietary formats

They're built for the corporate job market, not the art world.

Why Artsumé Works Better#

Built specifically for artist CVs
Understands the sections artists need
Formats to professional standards automatically
Integrates with your portfolio
No version control problems
Free forever

Special Considerations#

For International Artists#

Artsumé handles international formatting:

Location flexibility (country-only or full address)
International institution names
Multiple language considerations
Works for artists living anywhere

For Artists at Different Career Stages#

Emerging artists: Start with what you have. Education, student shows, and early opportunities all count. A well-formatted short CV is better than a padded long one.

Mid-career artists: Focus on selected highlights. You likely can't (and shouldn't) include everything. Be strategic about which group shows to include.

Established artists: Edit heavily. Your CV should highlight significance, not completeness. "Selected exhibitions" signals appropriate career stage.

For Different Disciplines#

Artsumé works for various visual art practices:

Painters and sculptors
Photographers
Installation artists
New media artists
Craftspeople and designers
Performance artists

The section structure adapts to what you include.

Beyond CV Generation#

Your Artsumé profile does more than generate CVs:

Portfolio Display: Upload work samples with titles, dates, and dimensions. Professional presentation designed for artwork.

Artist Statement: Add your statement and it's available for your profile and applications.

Apply to Opportunities: Use your saved profile to apply to grants, residencies, and exhibitions on Artsumé.

Public Profile: Share a professional profile page with galleries and curators.

Application History: Track where you've applied and outcomes.

All from the same information—enter once, use everywhere.

Create Your CV in Minutes

Add your info once. Download a professional CV anytime. Free forever.

Start Your CV

Tips for the Best CV#

Keep It Updated#

Set a reminder to update your profile after:

Every exhibition opening
Award announcements
Grant results
Residency completions

Staying current prevents pre-deadline scrambling.

Be Consistent#

Whatever formatting choices you make, maintain them:

Same location format throughout
Same date style
Same capitalization conventions

Artsumé handles this automatically, but it matters if you edit manually.

Proofread Everything#

Check for:

Spelling errors (especially names and places)
Accurate dates
Correct venue names
Working links (if sharing digitally)

Errors undermine professionalism.

Save Archive Copies#

Periodically save dated PDF copies of your CV. Useful for:

Tracking career progress
Recovering from accidental changes
Comparing versions

Frequently Asked Questions#

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Creating your profile, generating your CV, and downloading PDFs are completely free. There's no premium tier for artists, no download limits, no hidden costs. You can use Artsumé's CV maker forever without paying anything.

Get Started Now#

Creating your artist CV takes about 15-30 minutes:

Create your free account
Add your information (education, exhibitions, awards)
Download your CV as a professional PDF

Your CV is ready for galleries, grants, residencies, and any opportunity that comes your way.

Last updated: January 2025

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