An artist bio is a concise professional summary that introduces you, your practice, and your key career highlights. It’s one of the most widely used documents in your professional toolkit, providing important context to your work, helping audiences, directors, curators, collaborators, and funding bodies understand who you are and what you do. Unlike an artist statement, which explains the why behind your work, your bio focuses on the who, what, and where - who you are, what you’ve done, and where your work has been shown, published, or supported.

Why It Matters

Your bio may be the first thing a curator or director reads when considering your work, the summary printed in a show program, or the paragraph shared with a festival, funder, or journalist. It helps position your practice professionally and builds credibility by demonstrating experience, reach, and focus. A strong bio doesn’t need to be long or overly detailed - just clear, current, and thoughtfully structured.

What to Include

There’s no one-size-fits-all formula, but depending on your background, discipline, and stage of career, you might include:

• Birthplace, heritage, year of birth, and current location
• A concise overview of your practice
• Major solo or group exhibitions, performances, screenings, or projects
• Commissions, collaborations, or curatorial contributions
• Awards, fellowships, grants, or residencies
• Publications, media coverage, or writing
• Representation or leadership roles
• Formal qualifications or training

Be selective and focus on what’s most relevant and recent. 

Where Bios Are Used

Artist bios are used across a wide range of professional settings. You might be asked to provide a bio for:

• Websites or online portfolios
• Artist CVs and resumes
• Funding or grant applications
• Exhibition catalogues
• Festival, residency, or award submissions
• Media features, interviews, or social media
• Project proposals and marketing materials
• Having a well-written bio ready makes responding to opportunities faster and easier.

Structuring Your Bio

Use a clear, four-part structure to ensure your bio is easy to read and includes what matters:

1. Personal Introduction

Full name, year and place of birth, current base. You may include cultural heritage if relevant.

2. Practice Overview

What you do, how you work, and your key interests or themes.

3. Key Achievements

Solo/group exhibitions, performances, screenings, major projects, commissions, or collaborations.

4. Industry Experience

Awards, residencies, publications, qualifications, teaching roles, or institutional positions.

Writing Tips

• Write in third person (last name and they/she/he)
• Keep it concise: 100–200 words is often ideal
• Use plain language and avoid jargon
• Keep entries current and relevant
• Bios are not artist statements

Artist Bio Examples

Visual Artist

J Doe (b. 1991, Berlin) is a Naarm/Melbourne-based artist whose practice interrogates surveillance systems, state power, and control through video installation, digital media, and archival intervention. Doe has presented solo exhibitions including Runaway, Bus Projects (2022), Final Day, Firstdraft (2021), and Hells Gates, IMA (2019), and participated in group exhibitions at CCP and the Substation. Their work was shortlisted for the Cool Art Award (2022) and featured in Artlink and Runway Journal.

Performer

Riley Thomas (b. 1993, Meanjin/Brisbane) is an interdisciplinary performer whose work spans movement, sound, and experimental theatre to explore embodiment and memory. Thomas has presented work at Supercell Festival (2022), Next Wave Festival (2021), and HOTA (2020). They’ve undertaken residencies with Backbone Youth Arts and Critical Path, and received a Creative Sparks grant from Brisbane City Council in 2022.

Curator

Maple K is a curator and writer whose interests centre on digital culture, migration, and the politics of visibility. She is currently Curator at Outer Space ARI (Brisbane) and have previously worked at IMA, Metro Arts, and PICA. Recent curatorial projects include Soft Power (Outer Space, 2024), Echo Chambers (IMA, 2023), and Moving Ground (Metro Arts, 2022). Maple has contributed writing to Art Monthly Australasia, Running Dog, and un Projects.

Director / Filmmaker

Tasha Lin is a Sydney-based filmmaker whose work spans experimental documentary and narrative fiction. Her films explore diasporic identity, intergenerational memory, and speculative futures through richly visual storytelling. Her work has screened at Sydney Film Festival (2024), Antenna Documentary Festival (2023), and the Barbican (2020). She was awarded an Ian Potter Cultural Trust grant in 2023 and is currently developing her debut feature which will be premiering in 2026.

Blank Bio Templates

Use these templates to draft your own bio. Replace placeholder text with your details and adapt the tone to suit your practice.

Visual Artist Bio Template

[Full Name] (b. [Year], [Birthplace]) is a [City/Location]-based artist whose practice explores [themes or subject matter] through [mediums or approaches]. [Last Name] has presented solo exhibitions including [Title, Organisation, Location, Year], [Title, Organisation, Location, Year], and [Title, Organisation, Location, Year], and participated in group exhibitions at [Title, Organisation, Location, Year]. Their work has been shortlisted for [Award, Year] and featured in [Publication or Platform, Year].

Performer Bio Template

[Full Name] (b. [Year], [Birthplace]) is a [City/Location]-based performer working across [disciplines]. Their practice explores [themes or concepts] through [methods], often collaborating across [fields or contexts]. They have presented work at [Festival/Venue, Location, Year], [Festival/Venue, Location, Year], and [Festival/Venue, Location, Year]. [Last Name] has undertaken residencies with [Organisation] and was a recipient of [Award/Grant] in [Year].

Curator Bio Template

[Full Name] is a curator and writer whose interests include [themes or issues] and their impacts on [area or context]. They are currently [Job Title] at [Organisation, Location], and have previously held positions at [Organisation, Location], [Organisation, Location], and [Organisation, Location]. Recent curatorial projects include [Project Title, Venue, Year], [Project Title, Venue, Year], and [Project Title, Venue, Year]. Their writing has appeared in [Publications].

Director / Filmmaker Bio Template

[Full Name] is a [City/Location]-based filmmaker and director whose work explores [themes or subjects] through [format – e.g. short film, documentary, fiction]. Their work has been screened at [Festival, Year], [Cinema or Gallery, Year], and [Festival or Screening Series, Year]. [Last Name] has received support from [Funder or Grant], undertaken residencies with [Organisation], and is currently developing [Project Title, Description].

Final Thoughts

A professional and structured bio gives your audience the information they need to understand your practice and builds confidence in your work. Whether you're applying for opportunities, pitching a project, or building your website, your bio is an foundational element for your professional practice. Make a habit of updating it every 6–12 months and keep a short and extended version on file.