ONLINE WORKSHOP: How to write a clear and effective Artist Statement

Have you ever asked yourself what an artist statement is? What it should include, and what people expect from it?

Date: 22 March 2025 (workshop) + TBC (30 min individual feedback session) 
Time: 10:00-12:30 CET (including breaks)
Location: Online – Zoom
Places: 10 professionals
Experts: Mariana Sesma & Jessica Capra + other experts (external curators & gallerists chosen in connection to the art practice of the participants).
Language: EN 

Price: €80 (workshop + individual feedback session) / € 65 (workshop only)**
Spring Workshop Bundle: €195 (€39 per session)**

All of the workshops of our workshops taking place in Spring 2025 are included in the comprehensive Workshop Bundle (3 workshops + 2 feedback sessions). Please note that the bundle does not include  the workshop ‘How do you develop a sustainable career as an artist?’.

**If you find it hard to pay in a lump sum, payment by instalments is an option. In case of financial difficulties, or questions connected to the workshop, please contact us at hello@theartistandtheothers.nl

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ONLINE WORKSHOP: HOW TO WRITE A CLEAR AND EFFECTIVE ARTIST STATEMENT

An artist statement is a fundamental piece of writing that gives readers an overview of your artistic practice. Whether you need it for your website or an application, it should grab the reader’s attention and make them want to know more about your work.
However, artist statements can be tricky to write. It can be extremely hard to know where to start, what to include, and how to make them clear and effective.

This workshop will provide you with the knowledge, skills and techniques you need to be able to write a clear and effective artist statement.

After looking at comprehensive, updated frameworks and analysing your current statements in the workshop, you will be given time to write a new, informed artist statement and receive tailored feedback in the second session. At the end, you will have an edited, clear and effective artist statement – ready to be used.

Participants will learn, through a series of tailored exercises, experimenting with different techniques and practical directions. We will break down what an artist statement is, the dos & don’ts, ideal length and language, and establish what readers look for.

Throughout the workshop and the feedback session, we will support you and help you create an effective personal narrative, give you tangible tips to keep your artist statement updated, and look at how to adapt it according to different purposes. We will identify various writing styles which can be used, consider examples of statements written by other artists, and help you refine your own thanks to group exercises.

KEY POINTS

• How do I write an artist statement?
• What should I include?
• What is its purpose?
• How can I adapt it to the readers (whether for a website, museums, galleries, artist residencies, or open calls)?
• What are the dos & don’ts of writing artist statements?
• How long should my artist statement be?
• What kind of language and terminology should I use?
• Tailored feedback & advice on artist statement

At the end of the feedback session, you will have expert advice and feedback specifically on your statement, in relation to your artistic practice, strengthening the way you present your work on your website, in your portfolio or in an application!

At the end of the workshop you will receive a toolkit you can refer to anytime you need, as your new artist statement will change and evolve alongside your practice.

Find out more below about the experts who will be sharing their knowledge, expertise and feedback with you below. Thanks to their experience as members of several jury committees, Mariana Sesma & Jessica Capra will share insights on what “the others” will be looking for when reading artist statements.

WHAT DO PREVIOUS PARTICIPANTS SAY?

“This workshop was a wakeup call to be specific and intentional about my work. It was empowering to learn that I can control the narrative around my work if I am clear with my concepts and why I create what I create. I liked that everyone had a chance to read and give feedback about someone else’s statement before we discussed each statement as a group because it felt like an icebreaker.” (D.B., participant 2023)

“I feel like I learned a lot from this workshop. Writing an artist statement is something I find incredibly difficult (still do). This (workshop) helped me understand that some of what I felt pressured to do in writing it (jargon language, credentials) is actually not best practice. I felt supported to write in a style that aligns with who I am. I did find though that one example of a good statement did feel jargony and that confused me a tad.” (M.P., participant 2024)