Artist Cover Letter Example

Not sure how to write a cover letter that highlights your artistic abilities? Check out our downloadable artist cover letter example and writing tips for guidance.

August 12, 2024

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Artist Cover Letter Template

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Copy-paste Artist Cover Letter (Text Format)

FIRST AND LAST NAME

Email: your.email@email.com

Phone: (123) 456-7891

Address: Street, City, State

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yourprofile

July 7, 2022

Joshua Jacobs
401 West Main Street
Danville, KY, 40422
(859) 045-4972
joshua.jacobs@gmail.com

Dear Mr. Jacobs,

I’m writing to you regarding the position of Artist-in-Residence, which I discovered on Art Center of Bluegrass’s website. I have over 5 years of experience as a professional artist, as well as a portfolio showcasing accomplishments and creative achievements from my career. I believe my body of work stands as a testament to who I am as an artist, and that my compositions would combine well with Art Center of Bluegrass.

I’ve been a freelance artist for over 3 years, and have created works for a variety of client specifications. This includes photorealistic images for three separate websites, abstract sculptures for local establishments, and art installations for a neighborhood museum. Images of this work can be seen in my portfolio, and should help you to get a sense of my artistic ability and a feeling for my diverse tastes and capacity for pleasing a wide range of clients.

I’ve also put on two exhibitions featuring my most notable work, both of which highlighted my artistic vision and ability to showcase my creative endeavors. My focus on photography and sculpture was expressed throughout these exhibitions, and the work featured in them should allow you to anticipate what I’d bring to my residency.

I’m confident that I have the work ethic, drive, and time management skills necessary to fulfill the role of Artist-in-Residence at Art Center of Bluegrass. I look forward to learning more about the opportunity and to discussing the details with you. You can reach me by phone at (859) 539 8364, or via email at jenna.miller@gmail.com. I appreciate your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jenna Miller

Average artist salaries in the US

The following table includes information from O*NET Resource Center by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. The data is presented based on the top states by downloads in the USA.

Average artist annual salaries by state

States	Salary / Year
California	$88,000
New York	$74,750
Texas	$36,350
Florida	$44,910
Pennsylvania	$77,380
Illinois	$60,370
Ohio	$51,270
Georgia	$104,960
North Carolina	$75,030
Michigan	$35,000
National Average	$68,109

Artist cover letter tips

As a professional artist, you’ll tap into your creative potential to bring artistic ideas to life. Whether your goal is to work independently as a freelancer or in-house for a company, your responsibilities will revolve around designing and developing art pieces, often according to strict specifications.

Convince employers you’re the right artist for the job by showcasing your talents in an exceptional cover letter.

Here are three tips for writing an artist cover letter that’ll boost your job application:

1. Highlight your artist skills

Whether you specialize in sculpting, painting, or graphic art, employers look for a combination of hard and soft skills in a successful artist.

To deliver outstanding artwork on budget and on time, decision making and communication skills are some of the soft skills that are required, along with your mastery of the fine arts.

Here’s a list of additional skills to highlight in an artist cover letter:

Skills to highlight in an artist cover letter

Time management	Collaboration
Organizational skills	Creativity
initiative	Critical thinking
Patience	Ability to handle criticism
Interpersonal skills	Persistence
Discipline	Understanding of drawing techniques
Knowledge and use of art materials	Design software

2. Emphasize your creative skills

To brainstorm creative concepts and generate innovative designs, a strong imagination is vital. Emphasize your creative abilities in your cover letter to show employers you can tackle projects in new and interesting ways.

For example, talk about your experience with producing artwork for a variety of clients, like this artist does:

An example showing how to demonstrate creative skills in an artist cover letter

While productivity isn’t always the main goal for professionals in creative industries, adding numbers to show how many clients you’ve worked with can help demonstrate your range as an artist and prove that you won’t run out of ideas.

3. Research the company

Artists who can produce quality art pieces according to specifications are in high demand.

To highlight this ability in your cover letter, research your target company to get a sense of what they’re looking for artistically. Then, customize your cover letter to address its needs.

For example, if you’re a fine artist hoping to arrange an exhibit with a local gallery that features modern and contemporary art, talk about your experiences applying this specific art style:

An example of how to demonstrate to art galleries and companies that you know how to create art according to specifications in an artist cover letter

This example works because it shows that the artist is proficient in the relevant art style and is able to produce artwork that matches the expectations of their clients.