An artist CV is required at almost every stage of a creative career — gallery submissions, residency applications, MFA programs, art fairs, and grant applications all ask for one. For emerging artists without an extensive exhibition history, putting an artist CV together can feel daunting. This guide explains why a short exhibition history is not a problem, and how to build a strong artist CV from where you are right now — even if you have little or no exhibition experience.
1. An Artist CV Is Not a Regular Resume
A standard resume focuses on employment history and qualifications. An artist CV is something different — it is a record of your activity as an artist. It is not a job application. It is a document that shows what you have done, where your work has been seen, and how you have engaged with the art world over time.
The typical sections of an artist CV include Solo Exhibitions, Group Exhibitions, Awards and Grants, Residencies, Publications and Press, Education, Collections, and Lectures and Teaching. Exhibition history tends to carry the most weight, but the absence of solo shows or a long list of exhibitions does not make an artist CV incomplete. Other sections can carry the work just as effectively — and for emerging artists, this is one of the most important things to understand before sitting down to write.
2. Why a Short Exhibition History Is Not a Problem
The most common worry among emerging artists is that they do not have enough exhibitions to justify submitting an artist CV. But gallery directors, residency coordinators, and admissions committees are not counting the number of exhibitions on your list. They are asking a different question: has this artist been consistently active?
Even with limited exhibition experience, the following kinds of activities make for a legitimate and credible artist CV: participation in group shows at university galleries or alternative spaces, online or pop-up exhibitions, art fair booths, open studio events during residencies, awards or scholarships received, and features or interviews in online media. Consistency matters more than volume. A CV that shows two years of active, varied engagement with the art world will read more favorably than a longer list of activities clustered around a single period.
3. The Basic Structure of an Artist CV
Most artist CVs follow the same basic order. Understanding this structure before you begin will make the document easier to build and easier for reviewers to read.
Name and Contact Information
Your name, email address, and website or portfolio link go at the top. For location, city and country are sufficient. Do not include your full home address.
Education
List your educational background from your most recent degree downward. Include the graduation year, institution, degree, and area of study. If you are currently enrolled, list the expected graduation year.
Solo Exhibitions
If you have had solo exhibitions, list them in reverse chronological order with the year, exhibition title, gallery name, and city. If you have not had a solo show, leave this section out entirely. A blank section looks worse than no section at all.
Group Exhibitions
This is the most accessible section for emerging artists. Include every group exhibition you have participated in — university galleries, alternative spaces, and online exhibitions all count. Do not exclude shows because they feel too small or too informal. Every legitimate exhibition belongs on your artist CV.
Awards and Grants
Scholarships, competition prizes, residency selections, and grants all belong here. Include the year, the name of the award, and the awarding organization. If your exhibition list is short, this section can be moved higher in the document to draw attention to other forms of recognition.
Residencies
List residency programs you have participated in, with the year, program name, institution, and city. Residency participation is taken seriously by galleries and MFA programs as evidence of active professional engagement. If you are considering residency programs as a way to build your CV, our guide to MMCA Residency Korea covers one of the most established programs available to international artists.
Publications and Press
Include any media coverage of your work — online features, magazine articles, exhibition catalogs, and interviews. Small art blogs and school publications are valid inclusions. If your work has been written about online, even briefly, it belongs in this section.
Collections
If your work is held in a private or institutional collection, note it here. If the collector prefers not to be named, “Private Collection, Seoul” is an accepted format.
4. How to Build an Artist CV With Almost No Exhibition History
A CV with only one or two exhibitions can still be presented well. The key is to make full use of every section available to you, rather than focusing only on what is missing.
Include every school exhibition. Degree shows, departmental group exhibitions, and end-of-year presentations all belong on your artist CV. No exhibition is too small to record — these are legitimate public presentations of your work, and they belong in the exhibition section alongside any other shows you have participated in.
Include online and pop-up exhibitions. Online exhibitions are increasingly common and entirely legitimate. If you participated, include it. The same applies to pop-up shows, open studio events, and any other context in which your work was shown to an audience.
Lead with awards and grants if your exhibition list is short. If your exhibition history is limited, consider placing the Awards and Grants section higher in the document to draw attention to other forms of recognition before the reviewer reaches the exhibition list.
Include media and publications. If your work has been written about online, even briefly, it belongs in the Publications section. Art blogs, school newspapers, and independent online platforms all count. A single thoughtful review of your work in a small publication is worth including.
5. Common Mistakes to Avoid on an Artist CV
Never include fabricated credits. Do not list exhibitions you did not participate in or awards you did not receive. The art world is smaller than it seems, and false credits are discovered. A short but honest artist CV will always serve you better than a longer one that cannot be verified.
Leave out empty sections. If you have no solo exhibitions, remove the Solo Exhibitions section entirely. If you have no publications, do not include a Publications section with nothing in it. Empty sections draw attention to what is missing rather than what is present.
Always use reverse chronological order. Every section should list your most recent activity first. Reviewers read from the top — your current work should be the first thing they see in each section.
Keep formatting consistent. Use one or two fonts throughout, and apply the same formatting to every entry within each section. One to two pages is the standard length for most artist CVs. Going beyond two pages is rarely appropriate for emerging artists, and often reads as a lack of editorial judgment.
Write in English for international submissions. Any artist CV submitted to an overseas gallery, residency, or MFA program should be in English. Even if your practice is primarily based in Korea, having an English version ready is worth the effort. For MFA applications specifically, the CV is read alongside your portfolio and statement — make sure all three documents are in the same language. For more on what MFA programs look for in supporting documents, see our guide to common mistakes in MFA applications.
6. Artist CV Format Reference by Section
| Section | Format |
|---|---|
| Solo Exhibition | Year / Exhibition Title / Gallery Name / City, Country |
| Group Exhibition | Year / Exhibition Title / Gallery Name / City, Country |
| Awards and Grants | Year / Award Name / Awarding Organization |
| Residencies | Year / Program Name / Institution / City, Country |
| Publications and Press | Year / Title / Publication Name |
| Collections | Private Collection, City / Institution Name, City |
7. How to Keep Your Artist CV Updated
An artist CV is a living document. The most effective approach is to update it immediately after any new activity — an exhibition, an award, a residency, a publication — rather than trying to reconstruct your history from memory before a deadline. Keeping a running list of activities as they happen, even in a simple notes document, makes the formal CV much easier to maintain.
Review your artist CV at least once a year even if nothing has changed. Read it from the top and ask: does this document accurately reflect where my practice is right now? Are there sections that no longer feel relevant? Are there activities I have forgotten to include? The annual review is also a useful prompt to think about what you want to add in the coming year — what exhibitions to pursue, what grants to apply for, what residencies to consider.
Keep at least two versions of your artist CV — a full version that includes everything, and a shorter one or two page version tailored for specific applications. Some contexts, like MFA applications, may also ask for a specific format. Always read the requirements before submitting. For a full overview of what MFA applications require beyond the CV, see our complete MFA application guide. According to the College Art Association, a well-maintained and consistently updated CV is one of the clearest signals of a professionally active artist, regardless of the length of the exhibition list.
Frequently Asked Questions — Artist CV
How long should an artist CV be?
One to two pages is standard for most emerging artists. Established artists with extensive exhibition histories may have longer CVs, but for most applications, a concise and well-organized document is preferable to a long one that requires the reader to search for relevant information.
Should I include student exhibitions on my artist CV?
Yes. Degree shows, departmental exhibitions, and end-of-year presentations are all legitimate public presentations of your work and belong on your CV. Do not exclude them because they feel too informal. For emerging artists, these are often the most substantial part of the exhibition section, and reviewers understand that.
What is the difference between an artist CV and an artist statement?
An artist CV is a factual record of your professional activity — exhibitions, awards, residencies, education. An artist statement is a written description of your practice — what you make, why you make it, and what ideas or questions drive your work. Both are commonly required for gallery submissions, residency applications, and MFA programs, but they serve completely different purposes. For a detailed guide to writing both documents, see our guide to artist statement vs process note.
Do I need a separate CV for MFA applications?
Not necessarily a separate document, but you should tailor the format and emphasis to the application context. MFA programs typically want to see your educational background, exhibition history, residencies, and awards. Make sure the CV is in English, follows reverse chronological order throughout, and does not exceed two pages unless the program specifically requests a longer document.
An artist CV does not need to be perfect from the start. What matters is that it honestly reflects where you are right now — and that it gets updated as your practice grows. Submitting a well-organized artist CV with a modest list of activities is always better than not submitting one at all. Gallery directors and residency coordinators give opportunities to artists who are visibly and consistently working. A CV that shows that is enough.