Think of the following scenario: you have a blank canvas in front of you, and you’re about to create a masterpiece. Sounds familiar, right? But instead of art composition, you’re going to craft a compelling artist cover letter to impress hiring managers and increase your chances of landing the job of your dreams.
Your cover letter is like a personal art exhibition featuring one piece. It’s a highly curated document that’s meant to illustrate your skills, qualifications, and experiences. On top of that, it should convey your drive and passion, creating a unique blend of personal and professional.
In this step-by-step guide, you’ll find out how to write this intricate document by going through detailed instructions and real-life examples. Let’s get started!
Key Takeaways
The business letter format is the best one to follow when crafting your artist cover letter.
The optimal length of a cover letter is one page, three to five paragraphs, and 250 to 400 words.
One of the best ways to improve your odds with hiring managers and create a personalized experience is to address them by their name.
A call to action in the last paragraph can significantly improve the chances of getting called for an interview.
A cover letter isn’t meant to replace your resume, so try not to repeat the information already stated but to add new details.
What is the Ideal Format to Use for an Artist Cover Letter?
The ideal format to use for an artist cover letter is the business letter format. It’s a well-established way of crafting written communication in the professional world.
First, let’s see how you should structure the writing. Here’s how to optimally arrange the sections of your cover letter:
Artist Cover Letter Format
Contact information goes first in the header of your cover letter.
Salutation is a common and polite way to address and greet the reader.
The opening paragraph should capture the hiring manager’s attention with your biggest strengths.
The body of a cover letter should contain the bulk of your skills and achievements, as well as your motivation, to portray you as the best person for the job.
The closing paragraph should include a thank-you note with a call to action to increase your chances of being contacted.
Closing with a sign-off is a common way of ending a cover letter.
This is the typical composition that hiring managers are used to. It has a strong elevator-pitch-style opening to grab attention, an information-packed middle portion, and a call to action toward the end to capitalize on the momentum that you built up.
Now, let’s see how you can supplement the contents of your document with a stylish cover letter layout. Here are the guidelines to follow:
Artist Cover Letter Layout Guidelines
Make your cover letter one page, 3–5 paragraphs, and 250–400 words long.
Choose a suitable font, like Arial or Helvetica, instead of unprofessional, over-stylized typefaces.
Set the font size to 10–12 pt.
Adjust margins to 1 inch on all sides with 1.0 or 1.15 line spacing.
Set text alignment to left or justified.
Artist Cover Letter Outline
Now that we have laid a foundation for future learning, let’s find out how to write your cover letter by examining each of the specific sections. To help you follow along, here’s a quick visual guide:
#1. Contact Information and Date
Contact information and date should be in the header of your cover letter. Here are the details to include:
Contact Information and Date Details
Your name
Job title
Address
Phone number
Email
(Optional) Links to a portfolio, relevant social media profile, LinkedIn, etc.
Date the letter after including these details, and then continue by listing the recipient’s contact information.
Here’s an example:
Contact Information and Date Example
Naoma Campos Digital Artist 4940 Kimberly Way Portage, MI 49002 616-879-4122 naoma.campos@example.com linkedin.com/ln/naomacampos
Miami, 02/07/2023
Denise Childress Hiring Manager Creative Line Studios. 670 Poplar Lane Miami, FL 33142
#2. Salutations
Salutations should be brief and courteous. It’s enough to write a simple “Dear,” followed by the addressee’s name.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Salutation Example
Dear Ms. Childress,
The key here is to avoid generic greetings like “Dear Sir or Madam” or “To Whom It May Concern.” A personalized salutation will have a much bigger impact on the reader, as it builds rapport right from the get-go and shows that you went the extra mile to address them properly.
To achieve that, you want to address the hiring manager by their name. Research the company and check the job ad to find out who will read your artist cover letter. Ultimately, you can use their title if you tried everything and couldn’t find the name.
#3. Opening Paragraph
The primary purpose of the opening paragraph is to instantly impress the hiring manager and convince them to keep reading. That’s why you want to start your cover letter by mentioning some of your most prominent advantages, like how much experience you have and what your biggest accomplishments are.
Let’s see that in an example:
Opening Paragraph Example
I am writing to express my strong interest in the lead artist position at Creative Line Studios, as advertised on your website. I’ve been in the field for more than 11 years, combining traditional and digital art. As a result, I have had the privilege of organizing more than 25 international galleries to showcase my work and selling more than 450 unique art pieces to collectors.
#4. Skills, Qualifications, & Experiences
The main section of your cover letter should be all about your hard and soft skills, qualifications, and experiences relevant to the job you’re applying for. A painter cover letter, for instance, will differ vastly from an artist cover letter for a gallery submission.
Your goal is to demonstrate that you’re the best person for the role. That’s why you want to focus on those accomplishments and capabilities that will show hiring managers how you can perform while working in their organization. To make them truly pop, you should use numbers to add measurable value.
Let’s see that in an example:
Skills, Qualifications, & Experiences Example
Among many technical skills, I am adept at Adobe Creative Suite and several 3D modeling software programs, including Maya and 3DS Max. During my previous tenure as a studio artist in the animation company, I led a cross-functional team of 7 professionals to design 35+ character sketches and 15+ landscape sketches weekly.
#5. Motivation for Applying
Specifying your motivation for applying for the role in a particular organization is one of the best ways to get ahead of the competition. It indicates that you’re already invested in the work and culture of the company that you’re looking to join. To achieve this, highlight something precise about their work or team that aligns with your goals and interests.
Here’s how:
Motivation for Applying Example
I am particularly drawn to Creative Line Studios due to your commitment to using art to convey meaningful messages. Your methods of leveraging creativity to provoke social dialogue and encourage change resonate with me on both professional and personal levels.
#6. Call to Action with a Thank-You Note
After you’ve emphasized your skills and experience, you should take advantage of the impression left on hiring managers by including a call to action with a thank-you note. That will increase your chances of getting a response or enticing them to take a look at your artist resume, portfolio, etc.
Check out the following example to see how you can do that:
Call to Action with a Thank-You Note Example
I want to thank you for taking the time to consider my application. I’d be thrilled to discuss in an interview how my unique blend of skills and experience could contribute to your esteemed organization.
#7. Closing & Sign-Off
The best way to finish your artist cover letter is to politely close it in the same manner that you opened it. Simply include one of the typical letter closings followed by your name.
Here’s an example:
Closing & Sign-Off Example
Kind regards, Naoma Campos
Let’s put everything that we’ve learned so far into practice and see a complete artist cover letter example:
3 Brilliant Strategies for Crafting an Artist Cover Letter
Before we wrap things up, here are a couple of expert strategies on how to polish your artist cover letter to perfection:
Artist Cover Letter Writing Tips
Write a new cover letter for every new role you apply for. That way, you’ll always have a personalized document that addresses the reader adequately while highlighting your most relevant skills and accomplishments.
Make sure that your cover letter matches your resume without repeating the information. Use the additional space that you get to emphasize those skills and achievements that you didn’t manage to fit into your resume in the first place.
Leverage a call to action to invite the reader to check out your personal website, portfolio, resume, and similar. A call to action doesn’t have to focus only on interviews. It can be a powerful tool that helps you promote your work, increasing your chances of getting hired.
Final Thoughts
As we conclude our detailed guide, let’s remember that an artist cover letter is more than a simple checklist of your skills and accomplishments. It’s a personalized document that should convey passion and drive while connecting you with the hiring manager.
Still, there are established rules and guidelines to follow, which, once you’re acquainted with them, will make the writing process much easier. Moreover, they stay the same whether you’re writing an artist cover letter for an exhibition or looking to send a sample of your artist cover letter to a gallery.
Now, it’s time to sit down and create a new kind of masterpiece armed with newfound knowledge and never-ending inspiration. Best of luck landing the job of your dreams!
