How to write an artist statement and bio (with examples)

An artist statement explains your work: what you make, how you make it and why. An artist bio introduces you: who you are, your background and where your work has been shown. Statements are usually written in the first person and run from about 50 to 300 words. Bios are usually written in the third person and run from 50 to 250 words.

What is the difference between an artist statement and a bio?

A statement is about the art, and a bio is about the artist. Drexel University Libraries' guide for studio artists notes that statements are written in the first person and bios in the third. Binghamton University's career centre describes the statement as reflective (your process, themes and purpose) and the bio as factual (your background, highlights and current focus).

• Artist statement: about your work, in the first person ("I paint…"), reflective, usually 50 to 300 words. Used for exhibitions, entry forms, grant applications and your website.
• Artist bio: about you, in the third person ("Ellery paints…"), factual, usually 50 to 250 words. Used for programs, press, websites and directories.

How long should an artist statement be?

As long as the place it's going asks for, and usually shorter than you think. The Emily Carr University Writing Centre gives a range: about 50 words for a show, 300 for a grant application, and 1,500 for a catalogue. The Creative Independent suggests 100 to 300 words for general use, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) advises keeping it under a page.

If an entry form or grant sets a limit, that limit wins. The Canada Council for the Arts, for example, caps the summary at the top of an arts CV at 250 words. The BC Arts Council's 2026/27 grant for individual visual artists has no separate statement field; it asks for a project description that covers your artistic vision.

What should an artist statement include?

The Emily Carr guide suggests covering five things: the subject of your work, your audience or purpose, your materials and medium, the ideas and methods behind the work, and your own perspective or background. SAIC's career centre suggests a simple shape:

1. Opening (one or two sentences): the main idea of your work, like a thesis.
2. Body (five to eight sentences): your materials, process and influences, anchored in one specific piece.
3. Closing: a sentence that brings it back to the viewer, or to where the work is heading.

How to write it, step by step

1. Free-write for 15 minutes about one piece, then pull out the words that keep coming up. SAIC calls this building a word bank.
2. Use the present tense and the first person. Both Emily Carr and SAIC recommend it.
3. Name your medium plainly: watercolour on paper, stoneware, digital photography.
4. Draft about 20% longer than your word limit, then cut. This tip comes from the Salt Spring National Art Prize.
5. Read it out loud. The Creative Independent suggests asking whether it could describe someone else's work. If it could, make it more specific.
6. Update it as your work changes. A statement is never finished.

What to leave out

The Creative Independent is clear that a statement is not a manifesto, an art-history lecture or a list of career achievements; save achievements for your bio and CV. The Salt Spring National Art Prize adds a simple rule: don't write to impress. Bring in art theory only if it really shapes what you do in the studio. Plain, specific sentences are easier for anyone to read, a jury included.

How do you write an artist bio?

Write your bio in the third person, so a gallery, festival or newspaper can publish it as is, and stick to facts: where you're based, what you make, your training and a few highlights. The City of Ryde's guide for artists recommends the third person for exactly that reason, and notes that first person is fine on your own website.

Keep three versions ready:

• One sentence, for social media and name cards.
• 50 to 100 words, for programs, entry forms and directories.
• 150 to 250 words, for your website and the press.

Include where you live and work, your medium, your training (formal or not), two or three highlights such as exhibitions or awards, what you're working on now, and where people can see more.

Examples: an artist statement and a bio

These examples were written for this article and do not describe a real artist.

Artist statement (about 100 words)

I paint Richmond's dykes and sloughs at low tide, when the river pulls back and leaves the mud shining. I work in watercolour on cold-pressed paper, outdoors when the weather allows, and let rain and wind leave their marks on the page. In Steveston, 6 a.m., the pilings are only a few strokes; the sky does most of the work. I grew up a short walk from the river and keep returning to it because it never looks the same twice. I want viewers to slow down and notice the edges of the city we live in.

Example statement

Artist bio, one sentence

Rowan Ellery paints Richmond's river edges in watercolour, often outdoors at low tide.

Example bio

Artist bio, short (about 65 words)

Rowan Ellery is a watercolour painter based in Richmond, BC. Largely self-taught, Ellery developed a practice through local painting groups and years of working outdoors along the Fraser River. Ellery's work has been shown in community exhibitions across Richmond and received an honourable mention at a local juried show in 2025. Ellery is currently working on a series about Richmond's dykes at dawn.

Example bio

Where your statement and bio get read

• Juries. At the Salt Spring National Art Prize, the jury reads each statement alongside the work, even though the statement isn't scored. Our guide to calls for artists in Richmond and Metro Vancouver explains how juried shows work.
• Directories and websites. Participating members of the Community Arts Council get a public profile in our member directory, with a bio, photo, gallery and links they edit themselves.
• For inspiration, read statements by artists whose work is close to yours. Emily Carr's guide points to the Richmond Art Gallery as a source of example statements shown with images of the work, and to Bau-Xi Gallery's short third-person artist pages. Our own directory has bios from dozens of Richmond artists.

Frequently asked questions

Should an artist statement be in the first person?

Yes, in most cases. Guides from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Salt Spring National Art Prize and Drexel University all recommend the first person for statements. Bios work the other way: third person, so galleries and the press can publish them unchanged.

How many words should an artist statement be?

For general use, 100 to 300 words. Follow any limit an entry form or grant gives you. The Emily Carr University Writing Centre suggests about 50 words for a show and 300 for a grant application, and up to 1,500 for a catalogue.

What should you not write in an artist statement?

Leave out your list of achievements, art-history lectures, manifestos and jargon. Don't write to impress. Describe what you make, how you make it and why, with at least one specific piece.

Can I use the same text for my statement and my bio?

It's better not to. They do different jobs: the statement explains your work in the first person, and the bio introduces you in the third. Many entry forms ask for both, so keep each ready in a couple of lengths.

Ready to put your bio to work? Join as a Participating member ($35 a year) and publish it on your own artist profile.

Sources, checked October 16, 2026: Emily Carr University Writing Centre, Writing an Artist's Statement; Emily Carr Library, Professional practice: writing; SAIC, Artist and teaching statements; The Creative Independent, How to write an artist statement; Salt Spring National Art Prize, How to write a great artist's statement; Drexel University Libraries, Writing for studio artists; Binghamton University, Artist statements, bios and about-mes; City of Ryde, Writing an engaging artist bio; Canada Council for the Arts, Prepare your arts and cultural CV.