14 min read
Free Artist Website Alternative: Why More Artists Are Using Artsumé
Get a professional artist website free with Artsumé. Portfolio hosting, CV generator, and opportunity applications in one place.
Get a professional artist website free with Artsumé. Portfolio hosting, CV generator, and opportunity applications in one place.
Building and maintaining an artist website is expensive and time-consuming. Domain registration, hosting fees, template costs, and hours of setup - all before you've even uploaded a single image.
What if you could have a professional online presence, a CV generator, and access to opportunities without paying anything?
That's why thousands of artists are using Artsumé as their primary online presence - or as a complement to their existing website.
Quick Answer
Key Takeaways
A typical artist website costs $150-500+ per year:
| Expense | Annual Cost |
|---|---|
| Domain registration | $15-30 |
| Web hosting | $60-200 |
| Premium template | $50-100 (one-time, but updates cost) |
| SSL certificate | Often included, sometimes $50+ |
| Plugin/app fees | $0-200 |
| Total | $125-530+/year |
Over a 10-year career, that's $1,250-5,300 just to maintain a basic online presence.
For emerging artists especially, this cost is significant. That money could fund materials, documentation, or application fees for opportunities that advance your career.
Even with "easy" website builders, you need to:
For many artists, this isn't what they want to spend their time on. You became an artist to make art, not manage websites.
Every platform has its quirks:
Time spent learning website management is time not spent in the studio.
Traditional websites don't generate CVs. You maintain your website AND separately maintain a CV document, often with the same information in two places.
The typical workflow:
When you need to send a CV, you hope the Word doc version matches your website. It often doesn't.
Most portfolio sites just display work. They don't help you:
You end up with a website PLUS a CV document PLUS a spreadsheet for applications PLUS separate accounts on application platforms. Information scattered across systems.
Your Artsumé profile serves as a portfolio website:
Portfolio display: Upload images and video with titles, dates, dimensions, and descriptions. Work is presented in a clean, gallery-style format designed for artwork - not generic file grids or cluttered templates.
Artist statement: Add your statement and it appears professionally formatted on your profile. Write once, available everywhere you need it.
Biography: Multiple bio lengths for different contexts, all in one place. Short bio for quick introductions, long bio for detailed contexts.
Contact information: Galleries and curators can reach you easily. You control what's visible.
Public URL: Share your profile with anyone using a simple link. No complicated URLs or requiring people to navigate your site.
This is where Artsumé differs fundamentally from portfolio websites.
As you add information to your profile - education, exhibitions, awards, residencies, publications - Artsumé automatically generates a professionally formatted CV following CAA (College Art Association) standards.
How it works:
No more maintaining separate documents. No more reformatting in Word. No more wondering if your CV matches your website. Update once, always current.
For complete CV guidance, see our complete artist CV guide.
Unlike static websites, Artsumé connects you to opportunities:
Browse listings: Find grants, residencies, exhibitions, and more on the opportunities page.
Apply with your profile: Instead of filling out forms from scratch, apply using your saved CV and portfolio. Organizations see your professional presentation.
Track applications: See what you've applied to and application statuses.
No platform fees: Applying is free for artists - always. Organizations may set their own application fees, but Artsumé doesn't charge you to apply.
The real power is integration. Your portfolio, CV, artist statement, and application materials all come from the same source. Update once, everything updates.
What this means practically:
No more managing information across multiple systems.
| Feature | Squarespace/[Wix](https://www.wix.com/)/etc. | Artsumé |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cost | $150-500+ | Free |
| Portfolio Display | ||
| Custom Domain | Profile URL (artsume.com/a/you) | |
| CV Generation | ||
| Apply to Opportunities | ||
| Technical Setup | Required | None |
| Design Maintenance | Required | None |
| Art-Specific Features | Limited | Yes |
| Mobile Responsive | ||
| Application Tracking | ||
| Learning Curve | Moderate | Minimal |
Artsumé is sufficient as your primary online presence if:
Many artists use only Artsumé and find it meets all their needs. The combination of portfolio + CV generator + application platform covers most professional requirements.
Some artists use Artsumé alongside a traditional website:
This approach gives you custom design when you need it while benefiting from Artsumé's free tools for professional tasks.
How to integrate:
Many artists make Artsumé their main portfolio:
Everything professional lives in one place.
Even artists with traditional websites use Artsumé for applications:
Some artists use Artsumé primarily for CV management:
The free CV maker alone is worth having an account.
When someone asks to see your work:
No login required for viewers. Professional presentation instantly.
Getting started takes about 30-60 minutes:
Sign up for free. No credit card required, no trial period - it's actually free.
Add your statement and it's ready for both display and applications. Not sure how to write one? See our artist statement guide.
Add entries for:
Each entry is saved and formatted automatically. See our CV guide for what to include.
Add images with:
Organize into collections or series if helpful. For best results, see our portfolio best practices guide.
Generate a PDF version anytime. It's always current with your latest entries, formatted to professional standards.
Use your profile URL to share with anyone who wants to see your work. No login required for viewers.
Artsumé profiles use URLs like artsume.com/a/yourname. If having a custom domain (yourname.com) is important to you, consider:
Option 1: Use Artsumé as-is
Most professionals understand shared platform URLs (like LinkedIn profiles). The benefits - free, integrated CV, applications - often outweigh custom domain branding. Curators and galleries won't judge you for using a professional platform.
Option 2: Redirect from custom domain
Purchase a domain and set it to redirect to your Artsumé profile. You own the domain for branding (business cards, email) but it forwards to Artsumé. Cost: just the domain ($15-30/year).
Option 3: Maintain both
Simple website at your custom domain for branding and extensive content; Artsumé for CV, applications, and professional tools.
For most artists, especially emerging and mid-career artists, the free complete features outweigh custom domain concerns. Focus on the work; the platform matters less than you think.
You control visibility: Choose what's public and what's private on your profile.
You own your work: Artsumé doesn't claim rights to your images or content. Your intellectual property remains yours.
Export anytime: Download your CV as PDF. Your data isn't locked in.
No ads: Your profile displays your work, not advertisements.
Secure platform: Standard security practices protect your account and data.
If you're early in your career:
If you're established but managing lots of applications:
If you're spending too much time on technical tasks:
If cost matters (it matters to most artists):
Creating your Artsumé profile is free and takes about 30 minutes. Here's what you'll have:
No domain fees. No hosting costs. No technical hassle. Just a professional artist presence that works.
Portfolio, CV generator, and opportunity access - all free, forever.
Last updated: January 2025
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