Art Student CV Example
An art student CV showcases your creative practice, exhibition experience, and technical skills across various artistic mediums.
Recommended template: BoldPro
Key Skills to Include
Quick Tips
- Include a link to your online portfolio or personal website showcasing your work.
- Highlight exhibitions, shows, or competitions you have participated in.
- Detail the mediums and techniques you specialise in.
- Showcase any commissions, freelance work, or collaborative art projects.
Ready to build your CV?
Start with the Bold template and customise it for your student role.
Upgrade to ProHow to Write Your Art Student CV
An art student CV should complement your portfolio by presenting your artistic practice, exhibition history, and practical skills in a professional format. Whether you are seeking gallery work, studio assistantships, freelance commissions, or arts administration roles, your CV should demonstrate both creative capability and professional reliability. The arts sector values initiative and self-motivation alongside artistic talent.
CV Structure
Start with a profile, followed by exhibition history, work experience, education, and skills. Include a prominent link to your portfolio. If you have freelance experience, present it as professional work. Keep the CV to one page unless you have extensive exhibition history or professional experience.
CV Format
Your CV design should reflect your artistic sensibility without sacrificing readability. Choose a clean layout with good typography and appropriate use of white space. Avoid cluttered designs. Save as a PDF to preserve formatting. Ensure your portfolio link is clearly visible and functional.
CV Profile Examples
Fine Art Student
Second-year fine art student at Goldsmiths, University of London with a strong studio practice focusing on oil painting and mixed-media installation. Exhibited in two group shows and completed a commissioned mural for a local community centre. Seeking summer gallery assistant or art technician work to gain professional experience in the arts sector.
Digital Art Student
Final-year illustration and animation student at Falmouth University with a predicted first-class degree and a growing freelance client base. Proficient in Procreate, Adobe Illustrator, and After Effects with a distinctive illustrative style suited to editorial and children's publishing. Looking for studio internship or freelance opportunities in illustration or motion design.
Multidisciplinary Art Student
Creative and versatile art student at the Glasgow School of Art with a predicted 2:1 and experience across sculpture, printmaking, and digital photography. Active organiser of the student art collective's annual exhibition, managing logistics, promotion, and installation. Seeking experience in gallery curation, arts administration, or community arts facilitation.
Describe your artistic practice, including your primary mediums and areas of interest. Mention any exhibition experience or freelance work. State the type of opportunity you are seeking.
Key Skills for Your Art Student CV
Fine Art Practice
Developing and maintaining a coherent artistic practice across chosen mediums, informed by research and critical reflection.
Drawing & Painting
Producing observational and imaginative work using pencil, charcoal, oil, acrylic, and watercolour mediums.
Digital Art
Creating digital illustrations, graphics, and animations using tablets and industry-standard software tools.
Adobe Creative Suite
Using Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for image editing, vector graphics, and layout design.
Art History Knowledge
Understanding historical and contemporary art movements, enabling informed critical analysis and contextual awareness.
Portfolio Development
Curating and presenting a cohesive body of work that demonstrates technical skill, creativity, and artistic development.
Creative Thinking
Generating original ideas, experimenting with materials and concepts, and solving visual problems inventively.
Exhibition Curation
Selecting, arranging, and presenting artworks for exhibition, considering spatial relationships and visitor experience.
Client Communication
Discussing creative briefs, presenting concepts, and managing expectations with clients and collaborators.
Work Experience Examples
Include gallery work, studio assistantships, teaching support, and freelance commissions. Describe your responsibilities and any notable outcomes. For freelance work, mention client types, the number of projects completed, and any recognition received.
Gallery Assistant (Part-Time)
South London Gallery
Worked part-time as a gallery assistant during term time, welcoming visitors, invigilating exhibitions, and supporting education programme events.
Responsibilities
- Invigilated contemporary art exhibitions, answering visitor questions about artworks, artists, and the gallery's programme.
- Assisted with the installation and de-installation of exhibitions, handling artworks under the direction of the curatorial team.
- Supported family workshops and community art events by preparing materials and assisting facilitating artists.
- Maintained visitor logs and compiled daily attendance data for gallery reporting.
Achievements
- Received positive feedback from the education team for enthusiastic support during a sold-out family workshop event.
- Created a visitor feedback summary that was used in the gallery's quarterly report to funders.
Freelance Illustrator
Self-Employed
Accepted freelance illustration commissions from student publications, local businesses, and individuals alongside academic studies.
Responsibilities
- Produced digital illustrations for a university magazine, delivering four cover illustrations across the academic year.
- Created branding illustrations for a local independent cafe, including menu graphics and social media assets.
- Communicated with clients to understand briefs, provided concept sketches, and delivered final artwork to agreed specifications.
- Managed invoicing, deadlines, and client correspondence independently.
Achievements
- Built a repeat client base of five regular clients through consistent delivery quality and professional communication.
- One cover illustration was shortlisted for a national student design award.
Education & Qualifications
List your degree with predicted classification and any studio project highlights. Include A-levels with Art and Design grades. Mention any foundation diploma if applicable.
BA Fine Art / Illustration
An undergraduate degree developing artistic practice, critical thinking, and professional preparation for the creative industries.
Foundation Diploma in Art & Design
A pre-degree qualification providing broad exploration of art and design disciplines.
A-Level Art & Design
An advanced-level qualification demonstrating creative ability and commitment to artistic practice.
Adobe Certified Professional
A formal certification in Adobe software tools used across the creative industries.
Frequently Asked Questions
How important is a portfolio for an art student CV?
Should I include freelance work on my art student CV?
How do I gain exhibition experience as a student?
What non-art skills should I include on my CV?
More Student CV Examples
Student CV
A student CV highlights your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and transferable skills to secure part-time work, internships, or graduate roles.
A Level Student CV
An A Level student CV showcases your academic subjects, predicted or achieved grades, and any work experience or extracurricular involvement.
Accounting Student CV
An accounting student CV demonstrates your financial knowledge, analytical skills, and progress towards professional accounting qualifications.
Architect Student CV
An architecture student CV highlights your design portfolio, technical drawing skills, and experience gained through academic projects and placements.
Biology Student CV
A biology student CV demonstrates your scientific knowledge, laboratory skills, and research experience gained through your degree programme.
Business Student CV
A business student CV highlights your commercial awareness, analytical abilities, and any practical experience gained through projects, placements, or societies.