No Unsolicited Submissions: Navigating Relationships with Curators and Gallerists. Now Be Here, 2026

This recording is of the Afternoon Panel, part of the Now Let’s Talk, Los Angeles events that took place at Occidental College on May 31st, 2026. Panel Description: Museum and gallery websites often include a discreet yet loud and clear admonishment to artists: "We do not accept or review unsolicited submissions." Despite its brevity, or perhaps because of it, this policy presents a sticky conundrum for artists and sets the tone for a lifetime of uncertainty in their relationships with curators and gallerists. While artists are responsible for introducing themselves to the professional partners they hope to collaborate with, artists are also implicitly and explicitly told that it's impolite, unprofessional, or even forbidden to approach them. And since many professional relationships in the field are time-limited by the circumstances of the engagement, artists face this dilemma throughout their careers. This panel of local curators and gallerists moderated by Corrina Peipon of Continuous Project will explore the myths and realities of meeting, working with, and maintaining relationships with curators and gallerists over time. Panelists include: Emily Butts, Director, Pitzer College Art Galleries Adrianna Cole, Director, Hoffman Donahue, Los Angeles Selene Preciado, Curator and Director of Programs, Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions Joes Segal, Chief Curator and Director of Programming Amanda Sroka, Senior Curator, ICA LA Moderated by Corrina Peipon, Continuous Project Now Let’s Talk, Los Angeles was organized by Now Be Here and OXY ARTS in collaboration with a coalition of 50+ regional arts organizations, and made possible by Artlogic, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, ArtConverge, East West Bank, and Claremont Graduate University Art Department, with thanks to Fulcrum Arts.