A gallery, a residency, or an open call almost never asks for "a link to your site". They ask for files: a portfolio as a PDF, a CV, an artist statement, sometimes a biography and a press kit. And each time slightly different ones: ten artworks here, five there, under 10 MB for one, in English for another. Below is what these documents should contain, and how to set things up so that a new artwork doesn't mean another evening in Canva.
What gets asked for most often
| Document | What it is | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio PDF | a selection of artworks with captions: title, year, medium, dimensions | 10–20 artworks, unless stated otherwise |
| CV | exhibitions, education, residencies, awards, collections, by year, newest first | 1–2 pages |
| Artist statement | what your practice is about, in the first person | 150–300 words |
| Biography | who you are, in the third person | 100–200 words |
| Press kit | everything together for a journalist or a curator: texts, a portrait, a few artworks at a good size | one archive |
What goes in a portfolio
- Artworks chosen for this application, not everything you have. Ten strong ones are better than thirty mixed ones.
- A caption under every artwork: title, year, medium, dimensions. Without it a curator can't refer to the artwork in an email.
- One artwork per page for painting and large formats; two or four for series and works on paper.
- A few words about you at the start: several lines of your statement or bio, and your contact details.
- File size. If the requirements set a limit, it's followed to the letter: a file that's too large often simply doesn't get opened.
What goes in an artist's CV
An artist's CV isn't a job résumé. It has no "skills" and no "responsibilities". It has sections arranged by year: solo exhibitions, group exhibitions, education, residencies, awards and grants, works in collections, publications. The newest goes at the top. If you don't have many exhibitions yet, there won't be many sections either, and that's fine: an empty section is worse than a missing one.
Why doing it by hand hurts
Every application is the same data in a new combination. You've already entered the titles, years, and dimensions: on the site, in the previous PDF, in a spreadsheet. A new artwork means updating all of that in several places. One mistake in one of them, and the artwork is dated 2023 in the portfolio and 2024 on the site.
How it works in ArtFond
- One catalogue, all the documents. The portfolio, CV, artist statement, and biography are assembled from the artworks and texts on your site. Add an artwork and it's available for the next portfolio.
- A portfolio for the application. You choose the artworks, the page orientation, and how many artworks go on a page: one, two, or four.
- A CV from your milestones. Exhibitions, education, and residencies you've entered once become both a page on the site and a PDF.
- A press kit as one archive: a PDF with the texts, the biography, a portrait, selected artworks with captions, contact details (from the Pro plan).
- Five document styles: Classic, Modern, Atelier, Marfa, Nocturne. By default a document takes the style of your site.
- The document's language is the one you run your site in, or another of the seven.
- An application pack. For an open call from the board, ArtFond assembles the portfolio, CV, and texts as one pack.
What ArtFond doesn't do: it doesn't write what your practice is about for you, and it doesn't invent exhibitions. The texts and the facts are yours.
Frequently asked questions
How many artworks should go in a portfolio? As many as they ask for. If it isn't stated, 10–20. Choose them for where you're applying.
Should a portfolio include prices? For a gallery or an open call, usually not. For a buyer or an interior designer, yes. Those are two different documents.
Which language should it be in? The language of whoever will read it. For international applications, English.
Can I update the PDF after adding an artwork? Yes, the document is assembled again from the current catalogue.
How much does it cost? The portfolio, CV, artist statement, and biography are included in every ArtFond plan, with a limit on the number of documents that depends on the plan; the press kit comes with Pro. From €15 a month on annual billing, 14 days free, no card required.
Will a good portfolio help me get selected? We don't promise that. A portfolio doesn't decide for the jury; it only keeps out of the artworks' way.
