How to Draft a Perfect Artist Cover Letter in 2023: with 15+ Examples

by Hiration

Click here to directly go to the complete Artist Cover Letter sample.

Is drafting an artist cover letter important?

The answer to that is a YES!

A professionally drafted cover letter can help you during job applications. It can help you elaborate on details of your experience or skills that might not be available on your artist resume.

What you include in your artist cover letter will depend on your journey and the vacant position that you are targeting.

For instance, if you are writing an art director cover letter, it must include information relevant to the position, which may include proficiency with illustration tools to project management skills.

To get started, read on to know about:

What Does a Successful Cover Letter Look Like?

The cover letter gets you brownie points and thus must contain compelling content, but it must look appealing to intrigue the hiring manager to read it along with the resume.

Choosing a suitable format helps to make the cover letter easier to understand and get past the applicant tracking system (ATS).

Keep these points in mind while drafting your art director cover letter:

  • Use 10 to 12 points as font size
  • Align the content to the left
  • Use 1-1.5 line spacing
  • Use double spaces between paragraphs
  • Use 1” margin on all sides

Also Read: How to pick a suitable cover letter design

What to Include in a Cover Letter for an Art Job?

A cover letter is a single-page professional document. Thus, it must follow a strategic structure that can help you communicate your caliber to the recruiters.

You should include the following details in your artist cover letter:

Greetings/ Salutation

Address the cover letter to the hiring manager directly. You might find the name of the hiring manager on the job description or find it with a simple search on LinkedIn or the company website.

Body of the Cover Letter

Write 2-3 paragraphs for the body of the cover letter to include relevant skills and experience for the arts-related position. This section should be tailored to the description of the open position.

For instance, if you are writing a cover letter for museum job then the content would be vastly different from a theater cover letter.

Closing Statement

A balanced closing statement that is enthusiastic yet polite close is a must for the cover letter. It should communicate your interest in further discussions with the hiring managers over the phone or face-to-face. Include a call to action such as - “I would love to discuss possibilities.”

Contact details

Do not forget to mention your contact details so that the hiring manager can contact you. Include your full name, contact number, and name of the city. Most importantly include your portfolio details here.

Now that we know what to include in our cover letter, let us learn the tips for writing an effective art job cover letter.

Also Read: How to write a cover letter that can land you a dream job?

Artist Cover Letter Sample

Oswald Wiley
Artist
Covering Letter
15th May 2022

Neil Brian
Hiring Manager
The ZoE Gallery
57, Brooks Lane
New York, NY 10002

Re: Suitability for Artist-in-Residence

Dear Mr. Neil,

As a passionate artist with 4+ years of experience in producing inventive art with an Arts degree in Criticism from NYU, I am thrilled to submit my application for the post of Artist-in-Residence at The ZoE Gallery. I believe that my art with its value and ability to speak to your target clientele will be an asset to your gallery.

As a freelancer, I have produced art pieces for connoisseurs like David L. Richman and Wright Yul, generating a total revenue of $400,000. Along with that, I have set up 2 art installations in the Rubin Museum that attracted an interesting crowd of people, giving me the opportunity of introducing my art to a bigger crowd of art critics. While my pieces usually revolve around photorealism, I relish exploring contemporary subjects every season.

The invigorating mix of artists that The ZoE Gallery holds is nothing short of revolutionary. With bold artists and bolder curators, I believe that the gallery is the creative outlet and inspiration for the youth of today. Constantly inspired by the roster of artists, I am confident I will prove to be a stellar addition to the team and bring unique ideas and art as an Artist-in-Residence.

Enclosed for your consideration are my resume and portfolio. I’d appreciate the opportunity to further discuss my suitability and qualifications with you on call or in person.

Sincerely,
Oswald Wiley

Enclosures: Resume & Portfolio

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How Do I Write a Cover Letter for a Creative Job?

There are so many jobs up for grabs in the professional world for artists.

Your artist cover letter would prioritize different aspects of your journey, qualifications, and skills based on the role that you are applying for.

Here are some general tips on how to write a cover letter for an art job :

Convey That You Are a Great Fit

The basic goal for your cover letter is to make a case for your candidacy. Mention points that would be valued by the hiring manager or the company and are important to you. You would know what points to mention after researching about the company, its culture, and its values.

For instance, when writing an artist cover letter, you would want to include a passion for the art over the quantity of work if the hiring manager would value it more.

Emphasize Relevant Skills

Do not limit yourself to just including skills that are related to your art profession. Include relevant soft and hard skills in your art teacher cover letter.

For instance, if you are writing a creative director cover letter then you must include leadership, time-management, and communication skills in your letter. It goes to show that you would manage a team well and execute the project efficiently.

Likewise, draft a makeup artist cover letter if you are seeking a job in the stated field. Emphasizing your relevant skills can make you stand out as the perfect applicant.

Someone writing a theater cover letter would include details of the plays they have acted in or directed, or experience working with co-artists in their letter.

Also Read: How to draft a professional 3D artist resume?

Share Your Portfolio

This is a no-brainer when seeking an art job where your capabilities would be judged during the hiring process.

Professionals in the tech field can benefit by sharing projects or coding samples posted on your digital websites such as GitHub or Kaggle.

Sharing your portfolio increases your chances of getting shortlisted for the next round. It builds trust that you would be able to function proactively in the role.

End with a Call to Action

Seal the deal by adding a call to action at the end of your letter. For instance, when writing a cover letter for a museum job, make sure to end the cover letter with, “I would love to connect with you and discuss further possibilities ...".

This will encourage the recruiters to reach out to you for further meetings or interviews.

Proofread Twice Before Sharing the Document

This goes for all kinds of documents that you might end up sharing with the hiring manager. Nobody would like to read a document full of silly mistakes and errors.

Thus, make sure to read your art cover letter with a keen eye for detail and a focused mind after you are done writing it.

Also Read: How to end a cover letter?

Things to Avoid in Your Artist Cover Letter

Apart from knowing what to add to your cover letter, you need to be aware of what to avoid while drafting your artist cover letter.

Avoid the following mistakes while drafting your artist cover letter:

Basic Salutation

Never begin the salutation with, ‘To whom it may concern’.

A cover letter is a personalized document, where addressing the hiring manager makes sense. Always personalize your salutations to depict attention to detail.

Example: Dear Ms. Jenkinson

Repetitive Information

Do not repeat the details mentioned in your resume again in your art teacher cover letter. This makes the cover letter redundant and wastes the hiring manager’s time.

Exceeding One Page Limit

Do not write an art cover letter that exceeds one page. A hiring manager hardly spends more than a minute over a cover letter and resume combined.

Do not load the cover letter with so much information that it exceeds one page. The hiring manager would reject your application otherwise.

Also Read: How long should a cover letter be?

Key Takeaways

Keep the following points in mind while drafting your artist cover letter:

  • Choose a suitable yet professional format to make the cover letter look visually appealing
  • Divide the letter into sections - salutation, body, closing statement, and contact details
  • Include relevant information - qualifications, background, and skills in the body of the letter and convey why you would be a great fit for the role
  • Include portfolio details in your letter to increase the hiring manager’s trust in you
  • Always proofread before sharing the documents with the hiring manager
  • Do not repeat the information already mentioned in your resume

Visit Hiration's online cover letter builder which has 24x7 chat support to assist you in drafting the best cover letter.

You can also write to us at support@hiration for further queries.