Discover essential career tools, templates, contracts, and spreadsheets to professionalize your art career today.

We are pleased to present an overview of all the documents, texts, tools, and contracts an artist needs throughout a professional career. Discover which texts or documents you must have to increase your credibility instantly. Learn what the art world expects you to share publicly or on request. Professionalize your profile as an artist by preparing these documents in line with the unwritten rules of the art world. Use templates and documents used or consulted daily by successful artists and renowned galleries. Be more confident, prepared, and professional to navigate the art world as an expert. All tools are digital downloads and include additional information in the description, accompanying articles and video tutorials, and instructions in the files on how to use them correctly. 

All-in-One Bundle

All Tools & Templates

Discount:

Save 30%

Benefits & features:

→ Elevate your credibility instantly

→ Following the art world standards

→ Comprehensive support

File types:

Excel, Word & PDF

Save 30% by purchasing this bundle, including all CAI tools and templates for artists, to increase your chances for success in the highest realms of the art world. This bundle consists of:

1. Artist Resume (CV Template)
2. Artist Bio (Generation Spreadsheet)
3. Available Works Catalog (Commercial Portfolio Template)
4. Consignment Agreement (Artist-Gallery Contract)
5. Representation Agreement (Artist-Gallery Contract)
6. Oeuvre/Inventory Overview (Catalog Raisonné Template)
7. Price Calculator (Pricing Spreadsheet)
8. Certificate of Authenticity (COA Template)
9. Invoicing & Terms of Sale (Invoice Template)
10. Central Contact List (Contacts Spreadsheet)

What Our Clients Say

Career Tools Overview

Purchase Products Individually

1. Artist Resume

CV Template

Use:

Publicly available

File type:

Word & PDF

Priority:

High (must-have)

For (career level):

All artists

More info:

This digital document is a template to create your own industry-accepted artist’s resume, which will increase your credibility and professionalism as an artist instantly. The layout is straightforward, simple, and professional, following the most frequently used design used by established artists and galleries—think of Lisson Gallery or David Zwirner. Fill in the template with your personal information, follow the additional instructions at the end of the template, and save your personal artist’s resume for professional use.

→ The first document galleries, collectors, or a jury panel consult

→ Must-have document/information for your artist website

→ Archetypical & industry-approved structure

→ Formal & professional design in line with the art world's expectations

→ Additional tips & instructions to improve your CV

2. Artist Bio

Generation Spreadsheet

Use:

Publicly available

File type:

Word & PDF

Priority:

High (must-have)

For (career level):

All artists

More info:

This spreadsheet is designed as a tool for artists to write a professional and industry-approved artist bio using ChatGPT on the occasion of our online article (see more info). When in doubt, feel free to consult the article and its embedded video to follow a step-by-step tutorial on artist biographies and using this specific spreadsheet. Enter all the relevant factual information required in step 1. Describe your artistic practice briefly in step 2. Make sure to go through the additional instructions to make sure your input will be understood and implemented correctly in step 3. Open ChatGPT and enter the prompts as instructed in step 3, copying and pasting the information from steps 1 and 2 into the given entry points. Review, regenerate (if necessary), edit, and save your artist biography.

→ The first document critics, curators, and authors consult

→ Must-have text for your artist website

→ A powerful, concise summary of your artistic practice & career

→ Archetypical & industry-approved structure

→ Save money by using ChatGPT instead of hiring an art critic

3. Available Works Catalog

Commercial Portfolio Template

Use:

On request

File type:

Word & PDF

Priority:

High (must-have)

For (career level):

Emerging & mid-career artists

More info:

This template is designed to create your industry-accepted catalog with available works on the occasion of our article on selling art with your website (see more info). The catalog with available works or digital portfolio is a crucial document for your art career. It is a PDF file you can share with interested collectors, galleries, or when applying for an art contest, grant, or residency.

→ The first document potential buyers & dealers request

→ Must-have document for direct sales & gallery collaborations

→ Archetypical & industry-approved structure

→ Formal & professional design in line with the art world's expectations

→ Additional instructions & tips for customization

4. Consigment Agreement

Artist-Gallery Contract

Use:

In partnership

File type:

Word & PDF

Priority:

Medium (important)

For (career level):

All artists

More info:

The consignment agreement is an essential contract for a collaboration with an art gallery in the form of an exhibition in which the gallery will aim to sell your work on a consignment basis. By doing so, you remain the owner of the artwork, the gallery will sell your work, and afterward, you get paid for the sales qualified by the art gallery. Make sure to consult our article for a more extensive explanation (see more info). This template consists of all the important and common agreements—so-called best practices—between the artist and the gallery, offering multiple options depending on how established you are and ensuring there are no further points of discussion throughout your collaboration. The template discusses the terms of sale, liability, insurance, shipping costs, additional costs, termination and duration, copyright protection, and more. By doing so, you, as an artist, are protected; your art is protected.

→ Overview of all the best-practices & common agreements for the artist-gallery collaboration

→ Important document/resource for gallery collaborations

→ Avoid conflicts & professionalize collaborations

→ Formal & professional design in line with the art world's expectations

→ Additional instructions & tips depending your level as an artist

5. Representation Agreement

Artist-Gallery Contract

Use:

In partnership

File type:

Word & PDF

Priority:

Medium (important)

For (career level):

All artists

More info:

The representation agreement is an essential contract for an ongoing collaboration with an art gallery discussing how they sell, exhibit, and promote your work. Make sure to consult our article on Artist Contracts & Agreements with Galleries for a more extensive explanation. By doing so, you remain the owner of the artwork, the gallery will sell your work, and afterward, you get paid for the sales qualified by the art gallery. This template consists of all the important and common agreements—so-called best practices—between the artist and the gallery, offering multiple options depending on how established you are and ensuring there are no further points of discussion throughout your collaboration. The template discusses the terms of sale, liability, insurance, shipping costs, additional costs, termination and duration, copyright protection, and more. By doing so, you, as an artist, are protected; your art is protected.

→ Overview of all the best-practices & common agreements for the artist-gallery collaboration

→ Important document/resource for gallery collaborations

→ Avoid conflicts & professionalize collaborations

→ Formal & professional design in line with the art world's expectations

→ Additional instructions & tips depending your level as an artist

6. Oeuvre/Inventory Overview

Catalog Raisonné Template

Use:

Private

File type:

Word, Excel & PDF

Priority:

Medium (important)

For (career level):

All artists

More info:

Having a central document with an overview of your oeuvre or Catalog Raisonné is essential to professionalize your management, organization, and tracking of your oeuvre. You need to realize that everything you create and declare as part of your oeuvre should be documented and tracked in a single document. Sooner or later, a gallery, curator, or museum will inquire about this document as you become more established—however, you need to prepare and update it from day one. It is the foundation of keeping your legacy trackable and thus alive and the starting point for a future ‘Catalogue Raisonné’ publication. For more information, please consult our extensive article (see more info). The document consists of extensive additional instructions discussing the industry-approved standards on how you should keep your inventory, what information you must include, and using which structure.

→ Overview of all your art including metadata, bibliography, transactions & provenance

→ Important document to track your art

→ The starting point for a future catalog raisonné publication

→ Must-have inventory list for studio visits

→ The starting point for catalogs with available works or consignment agreements

7. Price Calculator

Pricing Spreadsheet

Use:

Private

File type:

Excel

Priority:

Medium (important)

For (career level):

Emerging artists

More info:

Only with the correct prices can an artist achieve good sales. If you get the prices wrong, no matter your efforts, sales are unlikely to happen. Pricing your art seems incredibly difficult due to the tremendous amount of conflicting information and advice available online. However, it shouldn’t be that difficult. In fact, it is actually very easy. Therefore, we have developed the CAI Price Calculator: an easy-to-use Excel spreadsheet to calculate your price following the market standards for paintings, works on paper, fine art photography prints, art prints as reproductions, and sculptures. This tool was developed on the occasion of our extensive article on How To Price Your Art. You can consult the article for more context and information (see more info).

→ Pricing tool to calculate prices of artworks in line with the market standards & expectations

→ Applicable to paintings, works on paper, fine art photography prints, art prints & sculptures

→ Avoid setting your prices too low or too high

→ Raise your prices in bulk by changing just a single index number

→ Includes important information what elements effect the value of your artistic discipline

8. Certificate of Authenticity

COA Template

Use:

On request/sale/partnership

File type:

Word

Priority:

Medium (important)

For (career level):

All artists

More info:

A Certificate of Authenticity—also known as COA—is a document provided by the artist or the representing gallery, declaring and certifying that the artwork in question is an authentic creation and official part of the artist’s oeuvre, including all relevant metadata such as the title, year, technique, dimensions, and more. The COA is a document that you’ll need, sooner or later, throughout your career. As a result, we are pleased to present the CAI Certificate of Authenticity Template, empowering artists to create industry-approved COAs efficiently and professionally. This tool was developed on the occasion of our extensive article on How To Create Your Certificate of Authenticity. You can consult the article for more context and information (see more info).

→ Create COAs efficiently and professionally in seconds

→ Includes a small version and A4 version

→ Avoid other more expensive COA templates and subscription plans

→ Ensures you to include all the required information

→ Includes important additional instructions to fill in the metadata correctly

9. Invoicing & Terms of Sale

Invoice Template

Use:

In case of sales

File type:

Word & PDF

Priority:

Medium (important)

For (career level):

All artists

More info:

Navigating the business side of the art world can sometimes feel uncomfortable and intimidating, especially when it comes to financial transactions. Creating professional invoices is crucial to streamlining your sales process, reinforcing your professionalism, and helping to build trust and credibility with collectors and galleries alike. As a result, we are pleased to present the CAI Invoice Template, which includes a Terms of Sale addendum. This tool was developed on the occasion of our extensive article on 5 Steps To Create A Professional Invoice as an Artist. You can consult the article for more context and information (see more info).

→ Cost-efficient & professional solution for invoicing

→ Professionalize and streamline your sale process

→ High-end design and easy to customize

→ Includes a terms of sale addendum protecting the artist and artwork during and after the transaction

→ Includes important additional instructions to set up invoices correctly as an artist

10. Central Contact List

Contact Management Template

Use:

Private

File type:

Word & Excel

Priority:

Medium (important)

For (career level):

All artists

More info:

Artist careers thrive on connections. From collectors to galleries, dealers to critics, and peers to press, each contact holds potential for various opportunities. However, without a systematic approach to managing these connections, valuable interactions can slip through the cracks. That's where your central contact list—an utmost important document for all artists—comes into play. By consolidating all your contacts into a single document, you set the stage for enhanced communication, marketing, and networking strategies in a professional, efficient, and effective manner. This tool was developed on the occasion of our extensive article How To Manage Your Contacts as an Artist. You can consult the article for more context and information here: https://www.contemporaryartissue.com/how-to-manage-your-contacts-as-an-artist/

→ Cost-efficient & professional solution for contact management

→ Professionalize and streamline your email marketing strategy

→ Streamline your networking strategy

→ Track all your clients, potential clients, partners, and more

→ Includes important additional instructions for advanced career strategies