How to Write an Artist Statement for an Open Call

Of all the parts of an open call submission, the artist statement is the one artists struggle with most. It’s not because they don’t have things to say about their work – it’s because putting those things into words, concisely and clearly, is genuinely difficult.

But the artist statement is also one of the most influential parts of your submission. It’s the only place where you speak directly to the curator, where you explain not just what the work is, but why it exists and what it means to you.

This guide will help you write a statement that is specific, honest, and genuinely connected to the theme of the open call you’re submitting to.

What an artist statement actually is

An artist statement for an open call is not the same as a general biography, a CV entry, or a description of your overall practice. It is a short, focused text about a specific work, written in the context of a specific theme.

Think of it as answering three questions:

What is this work about?
Where did it come from – what inspired it?
How does it connect to the theme of this exhibition?

That’s it. You don’t need to explain your entire artistic journey, list your influences, or justify your choice of medium. Keep it focused on this work, for this exhibition.

What an artist statement is not

Before you write, it helps to know what to avoid. These are the patterns that make curator eyes glaze over – not because the artists are bad writers, but because the statements feel familiar and unspecific.

A biography. “I have been painting for fifteen years and studied at…” – this is your CV, not your statement.
A technical description. “This piece uses acrylic on canvas with a palette knife technique.” – that information goes in the form fields, not the statement.
Grand abstract claims. “My work explores the human condition and the nature of existence.” – too broad to mean anything specific.
A reused text. Copying and pasting the same statement for every submission rarely works. Curators can tell when a statement isn’t written for the call.

A simple structure that works

If you’re not sure where to start, use this three-part structure. It won’t produce a perfect statement automatically; you’ll still need to edit and make it sound like you, but it gives you a framework to build from.

Part 1: The work (1–2 sentences)

Describe the work concretely. What does it show? What is the feeling or atmosphere it carries? Avoid vague adjectives, aim for something specific enough that someone reading the statement could almost picture the piece.

Part 2: The origin (2–3 sentences)

Where did this piece come from? A memory, a place, an observation, a question you’ve been sitting with? This is the most personal part of the statement – and often the most compelling. Don’t be afraid to be specific. A real detail is always more interesting than a general statement.

Part 3: The connection to the theme (1–2 sentences)

Bring it back to the exhibition. How does this work speak to the theme? This doesn’t need to be elaborate – a single sentence that makes the connection clear is enough. If the connection is genuinely strong, it will feel natural to write.

A before and after example

Here is the same statement written two ways – one generic, one tailored. Both are for a painting submitted to a themed exhibition called “Traces.”

Before – generic

“My work explores themes of memory, time and the natural world. I paint in acrylic and am inspired by the landscapes around me. This piece reflects my ongoing interest in the passage of time and the way nature changes.

After – tailored

“This painting started as a sketch of the shoreline near my grandmother’s house, a place I visited every summer as a child and returned to years later to find almost unrecognisable. What struck me was not the change itself, but the small things that remained: the particular angle of the rocks, the colour of the water in low light. I wanted to paint that – the trace of a place that exists now only in memory. For me, Traces is exactly that kind of territory: what stays when everything else moves on.”

The second statement is longer, but not by much. What makes it stronger is specificity: a real place, a real memory, a real observation. The connection to the theme isn’t forced, it emerges naturally from the story.

Practical tips for writing your statement

Write it last. Fill in all the other form fields first, then come back to the statement when you’re not rushing.
Talk before you write. Explain the work out loud to someone, or to yourself. Then write down what you just said. Spoken language is often closer to your real voice than written language.
Read the theme description again. Before you write, re-read the open call brief. Let the language of the theme inform your own.
Keep it to 80–150 words. Longer is not better. A tight, clear statement shows more confidence than a sprawling one.
Read it aloud before you submit. If something sounds stiff or unnatural when spoken, rewrite it. The statement should sound like you.

The statement should sound like you – not like art criticism, and not like a grant application.

Ready to put it into practice?

Marea Gallery’s open calls are built around specific themes, which means there’s always a clear anchor for your statement. Browse the current edition and submit your work at mareagallery.com/open-calls.

Want to make sure the rest of your submission is ready too? Read: 5 Mistakes Artists Make When Submitting to Open Calls .