Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Professional Exhibition Checklists

Contemporary Art Issue has published a comprehensive guide on creating exhibition checklists, a document that lists every work in an exhibition with its full metadata. The guide, updated on August 7, 2026, emphasizes that a checklist is a simple, factual document that answers questions accurately and avoids visual noise from wall labels. It provides a step-by-step process covering the header (exhibition title, artist names, dates), practical details (venue, address), thumbnail images (small, isolated images of works), metadata (title, year, medium, dimensions), pricing or credit lines, ordering and numbering, contact details, and design considerations. The guide recommends a clean, neutral design with a white page and small font, and suggests printing on a single sheet or recto verso. It also introduces the CAI Checklist Template, available in solo and group exhibition versions, as a tool to streamline the process. The guide stresses consistency, proper medium description, and accurate dimensions, and advises against using installation views for thumbnails. It also covers handling untitled works, editions, and the choice between listing prices or using 'Price on request' or credit lines for institutional shows. The guide concludes with practical tips on printing, distribution, and updating the checklist as works sell, and notes that the template is priced modestly to support artists in professionalizing their practice.