CAA GUIDELINES

http://www.collegeart.org/guidelines/visartcv

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Standards and Guidelines

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VISUAL ARTIST CURRICULUM VITAE: RECOMMENDED CONVENTIONS

Adopted by the CAA Board of Directors in February 1999; amended on October 28, 2012.

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General Comments

The curriculum vitae conventions presented here are primarily for those with academic careers. Approaches to CV development can vary based on number of years in the field, area(s) of specialization, specified institutional formats, etc.

According to Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary (www.m-w.com), the noun “curriculum vitae” is pronounced: 
“\kə-ˈri-kyə-ləm-ˈvē-ˌtī, -kə-ləm-, -ˈwē-ˌtī, -ˈvī-ˌtē\ plural: cur·ric·u·la vitae” and literally means “course of (one's) life.” The Latin term “curriculum vitae” is commonly used, so it need not be underlined or italicized. The abbreviation “CV” should be written in uppercase without periods. This format has been adopted by the Modern Language Association of America (MLA) and The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS).

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There is a difference between a CV and an artist résumé. The CV is a record of all your professional activities, usually intended for use in academic situations as well as for applications to employment opportunities. The artist résumé is an abbreviated document, typically one to four pages in length, and is often tailored to reflect a specific expertise. The artist résumé is used in conjunction with commercial and non-profit galleries, the search for exhibition opportunities, residency and grant applications, public art proposals, etc.

The CV outlined here, the “long CV,” is merely a framework on which to build. It takes into account the basic needs of both the artist and the readers of the document. As your career progresses, you will undoubtedly need to add new categories or make changes in your format. Always keep your CV up to date, just as you would letters of reference.

Occasionally, you might be asked to provide a “short CV.” It, too, is usually designed for academic needs and is sometimes requested for grant applications, special events, etc. It highlights your most significant professional achievements and should be three or four pages in length (unless the maximum length is specified). Service and nonacademic activities are usually omitted in a short CV. If you have a significant number of exhibitions or a lengthy bibliography, you might place them under Selected Solo Exhibitions or Selected Bibliography.

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Avoid making your CV complicated. Dramatic layouts and attempts to pad your CV will probably work against you. The CV should augment your images and other documentation. A beautifully prepared CV will not earn you a position if your art or its documentation is weak; however, a poorly designed CV could cost you one, especially if you’re applying for employment or an opportunity in a design-related field.

Easy-to-read fonts and type sizes help facilitate reading. In general, use white space well and do not use colored paper. Do not use headshots, images, or colored type. Submit your CV in the format the application or guidelines specify.

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You should always keep a comprehensive master copy of your CV with everything relevant included. This will allow you to compile a short CV when needed by adding items in relevant categories and by subtracting items in less relevant categories, depending on the target audience and the required length of the CV. If you take the time to document all relevant entries in a comprehensive master copy, you can retain important information that might otherwise be forgotten or lost.

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A current good practice is to save your CV as both PDF and Word files. You should maintain a current copy of your CV as a Word document because it is the easiest format to edit and update. PDF files are best to submit or display because spacing, margins, and formatting are retained across computer platforms. If no submission directions are given, or if an institution gives you the option of sending a Word document or a PDF, you should always choose to send a PDF.

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Both the résumé and the CV should list entries within each category in reverse chronological order (i.e., placing the most recent entry first and so on, with the least recent entry being the last entry in each category). Exceptions to this convention are entries without dates under categories such as Collections or Gallery Affiliation. In these cases entries should be listed in alphabetical order. Another exception to using reverse chronology is found under Education, where you should list institutions attended without earning a degree after listing schools (in reverse chronology) where degrees were earned.

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Depending on your individual strengths as an artist, you may choose to rearrange the order of the categories listed below. For example, you may choose to put exhibitions first, before any awards or honors. As a general rule, you should “play to your strengths” by placing more important, relevant, and recent information near the beginning of your CV. Otherwise, the order presented below is suggested. Also, do not list category headings that are not relevant to you.

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While it is important to avoid padding your “long CV,” it is equally important that you do not omit anything. Be sure to list all your degrees, not just the ones related to studio art. In your efforts to keep the CV current, you should develop the habit of documenting everything you do. Keep a file or records that prove you had an exhibition, received a grant, gave a visiting-artist lecture, etc. You may eventually have to do this in some form for salary raises, retention (reappointment), promotion, tenure, or post-tenure reviews. Ideally, your record keeping should prove the existence of everything in your curriculum vitae.​

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