Create Your Arts
Resume in 5 Easy Steps

  • Step 1: Add Contact Info

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  • Step 2: Include Work Experience Details

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  • Step 3: Provide Education Details

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  • Step 4: Select Your Skills

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  • Step 5: Fill in Your Background

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Get Expert Writing Recommendations for Your Arts Resume

Crafting an eye-catching arts resume requires writing compelling descriptions. LiveCareer’s Resume Builder suggests the keywords and phrases relevant for each job title you seek. Written by our team of certified resume writers, our pre-written text helps showcase your expertise in the industry.

Here are some examples our builder might recommend for your arts resume:

  • Drove customer satisfaction by providing recommendations for greenery and flower pairings
  • Improved quality standards of the digital printing process by effectively utilizing Photoshop
  • Used materials such as ink, watercolors, charcoal, oils, pencils and computer software to complete unique pieces for customers
  • Kept areas neat and clean and equipment sanitized
  • Created custom tattoo designs
  • Efficiently used sandpaper, putty, tape and other materials to prepare surfaces for primer and paint applications

8 Do’s and Don’ts for Writing a Arts Resume

  • Do quantify your achievements. If the number of return customers increased as a result of your floral arrangements, use specific numbers to show off your accomplishments. Using data and numbers offers concrete evidence of the impact your work had on past employers bottom line. Depending on the role you seek, other examples you might use include increased sales numbers or an uptick in website visits.
  • Do list art certifications you earned. For example, Painters USA’s Training Program graduate with five-plus years of experience has more impact in a professional summary than Experienced commercial painter.
  • Do add specific expertise. If you excel in developing corporate or trade show booth materials, state how many events or trade shows you’ve done. If you create floral arrangements that win awards, use the award name, date and event to increase credibility.
  • Don’t forget technical skills. Roles in the arts often utilize technology that recruiters look for on resumes. If you have expertise with specific software such as Adobe Illustrator, Autodesk or ArtRage, make sure to list them prominently on your resume.
  • Don’t skip soft skills. Even if you’re a fine artist who typically works alone, soft skills count. If you work with clients for custom work, work with a sales team or collaborate with other artists, skills like customer service, collaboration and conflict-resolution count.
  • Don’t submit the same resume and cover letter to every arts position. Treat each resume like a commissioned piece by customizing it to the job ad. Pay close attention to the skills and duty requirements listed in the job posting and replicate these skills in your resume.

Beat the ATS with These Arts Resume Skills

Employers often use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to automatically collect, scan, sort and rank the job applications received. The goal is to screen out unqualified applicants and ensure employers review the resumes of candidates that best fit their needs. This means it’s critical to use the keywords and phrases in the job description in order to get your resume past the ATS.

LiveCareer’s Resume Builder helps you create the right mix of skills for your arts resume. Choose from the recommended skills and add your own to create a completely custom resume. Here are some examples of skills and keywords our builder might recommend:

  • Custom tattoos using non-toxic ink
  • Blast and paint equipment servicing
  • Appraisal expertise
  • Soldering capabilities
  • Special occasion decorative pieces
  • Freehand sketching
  • Current on the latest health and safety procedures
  • Match paint samples for touch-up work
  • Specialty painting techniques including stenciling, Venetian plaster and faux techniques
  • Engraving
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Arts Resumes for Every Professional Level

Entry-Level

Floral Assistant

If you have limited experience in the arts, a functional resume format like this one is ideal. This format moves work history to the bottom of the page, focusing on skills instead. With a functional resume, you can shine a spotlight on your collaborative and customer service skills. You can also focus on the transferable skills you have such as using point-of-sales systems and providing quotes for products and services as you add details about your experience.

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Mid-Career

Jeweler

The combination resume format shown here integrates the skills and professional summary sections of a functional resume format with the work experience section of a chronological format. The layout is perfect for this mid-career professional since it shows off his jeweler’s expertise and considerable work history succinctly and effectively.

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Executive-Level

Senior Artist

Executive-level applicants should demonstrate the depth of experience and their broad array of skills with a chronological resume format like this one. It charts the job seeker’s career trajectory and illustrates how previous positions thoroughly prepared her for this position.

The prominently placed professional summary gives space for candidates to describe why they are perfect for the job. This resume example shows the applicant’s progression from a new artist to a senior artist. It builds a story of nearly a decade of experience, focusing on improving and moving forward in the field.

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Resume Success Stories

Statistics and Facts About Arts Jobs

Median Pay

HOURLY

Painter18.72%
Artist23.54%
Floral designers13.08%
Jeweler18.96%
0 25 30

YEARLY

Painter$38940
Artist$48960
Floral designers$27200
Jeweler$39440
0 25K 50K

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Required Education

Different positions require different education for an entry-level position:

  • Painter: No formal educational requirements
  • Artist: Post-secondary programs are typical
  • Floral designers: High school diploma or equivalent
  • Jeweler: High school diploma or equivalent

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Additional Job Training Required

  • Painter: Moderate on-the-job training
  • Artist: Long-term on-the-job training
  • Floral designers: Moderate on-the-job training
  • Jeweler: Long-term on-the-job training

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Job Outlook for 2018 – 2028

  • Painter
    6%
  • Artist
    Little to no change
  • Floral designers
    14% decline
  • Jeweler
    7% decline
-20
0
20

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Average Age

Painter40.6 years old
Artists41.1 years old
Floral Designers40.5 years old
Jeweler46.6 years old
02550

Specific Job Titles

Several positions fall under the general the arts arena:

  • Art director
  • Drama and music teacher
  • Painters, sculptors and illustrators
  • Industrial designer
  • Graphic designer
  • Model
  • Art therapists

Source: O*NET

Race/Ethnicity Atatistics in the United States

Painters WhiteBlack, Asian
Native American7.67%
Other18.3%
050100
Artists: WhiteBlack, Asian
Native American11.95%
Other4.04%
050100
Floral Designers: WhiteBlack, Asian
Native American14.17%
Other3.29%
050100
Jewelers: WhiteBlack, Asian
Native American15.43%
Other5.11%
050100

Source: DataUSA

States with the Highest Paying Arts Jobs

  • Painters: Alaska, New Jersey, Hawaii
  • Artists: Georgia, Maryland, New York
  • Floral designers: District of Columbia, Connecticut, Nevada
  • Jewelers: Kentucky, New Jersey, Connecticut

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

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