Recently, hundreds of students in the Netherlands graduated from one of the art academies. Many of them will go on to work as visual artists; in all likelihood, they have already started building their résumés. Artists who are further along in their careers naturally continue to work on their résumés.
For those interested in your work, a resume (curriculum vitae, Latin for “course of life”) provides a quick overview of what you’ve done as an artist and how you’ve gotten to where you are today. It shows the progression of your career as an artist and provides context—something that’s very helpful for potential clients or buyers.
A résumé allows you to present your artistic development and experience in a concise and organized way, and, if done well, it gives a clear picture of what you do as an artist.
In a resume, you can highlight the following:
- – Educational Programs and Art Academies
– Exhibitions in which you have participated
– Awards, Grants, and Nominations
– Collaborations with other artists, curators, or organizations
– Workshops, lectures, or projects
– At a later stage: museums, galleries, or other venues where your work has been exhibited
– Publications and reviews about your work
In general, a resume shows what you’ve created and where you’ve exhibited. Every exhibition counts, no matter how small. For emerging artists, it’s therefore a good idea to participate in all kinds of group shows early on. This can start with your graduation exhibition, but even small, self-organized group shows deserve a place on your resume.
Getting invited to participate in group exhibitions is easier if you’re visible as an artist—through social media, your website, but especially in person—by attending exhibitions and events yourself and connecting with people there. Early in your career, it’s a good idea to say ‘yes’ to as many requests as possible so you can add them to your resume. Later on, you can (and should) become more selective. It’s important to document everything you do and show from the very beginning, both in writing and in images.
It's easier to get invited to participate in group exhibitions if you're visible
Grants and residencies are important, first and foremost for your artistic development, but also for your resume. For grants at the national level, you can apply to the Mondriaan Fund. At the municipal level, the options vary quite a bit. Normally, you should be able to find information about this on your municipality’s website. In addition, there are several private foundations in the Netherlands, such as Stichting Stokroos. You can find a lot of information about this online, as well as in BK Information We regularly post about opportunities, including open calls and artist-in-residency programs (in the Netherlands and abroad).
Responding to open calls and applying for grants is a challenging process. It takes time (do thorough research on the website of the grant provider, clients, or the residency) and concentration, and of course, you won’t be accepted everywhere. So you have to be able to handle rejection, which isn’t easy for anyone—but it’s also not inevitable. Ultimately, a rejection can help you become more focused.
As you go along, it’s good to regularly reflect on what kind of work you’re actually creating. Where does it fit in, and with whom do you feel a kinship? A clear artistic stance gives curators and institutions a better basis for contextualizing your work and making decisions. Ultimately, it’s all about consistency—and about continuing to create, continue to exhibit, and continue to develop. That takes a lot of time and perseverance.
As you go along, it's a good idea to regularly reflect on what kind of work you're actually creating
In short: you build a strong resume by doing work, showcasing your work, getting to know people, creating opportunities, and keeping it up for years. And once again: visibility is key!
One more tip to wrap things up: check out other artists' websites (and their résumés).
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