Curator's Roundtable

Inside the Curatorial Process: Curator’s Roundtable

In this accessible roundtable discussion, curators Paul Crawford, Clea Haugo, Wanda Lock, Victoria Verge, and Josh Willdigg pull back the curtain on curatorial practices, proposal expectations, and career strategy in the Central Okanagan creative ecosystem.

Designed for emerging and expanding artists alike, this session provides a supportive space to learn how curators conceptualize exhibitions, what makes an artist pitch stand out, and how to build sustainable, professional relationships.

What We’ll Cover:

• Navigating Submissions & Pitching: Professional strategies for introducing your work, portfolio package best practices, common submission pitfalls, and preparing for meaningful studio visits.
• Behind the Scenes of Selection: How curators conceptualize exhibitions, criteria beyond the artwork (budget, space, context), and emerging themes shaping local research.
• Career Strategy & Dynamics: What makes a successful artist-curator collaboration, navigating non-selection constructively, and expanding your reach provincially and nationally.
• Understanding Curatorial Work: What does it mean to be a curator, and work as a curator in our specific regional context?

Featured Panelists:

Paul Crawford (Independent Curator & Consultant)

Clea Haugo (Curator, Kelowna Art Gallery)

Wanda Lock (Independent Curator)

Victoria Verge (Curator, Vernon Public Art Gallery)

Josh Willdigg (Curator, Lake Country Art Gallery)

What to Bring:

A notebook or digital device for taking notes, and questions for our panel!

Attendance & Contributions:

This workshop is free to attend. However, for those with the capacity to do so, we invite you to participate in our Pay It Forward program. Your generosity keeps our doors open to everyone, creates access for all, and sustains the programs that enrich our collective cultural life. We gratefully accept contributions by cash or online.

Pay It Forward

We believe in building a creative community where everyone belongs. This event is open to all. For those in a position to give, we invite you to pay it forward. Your generosity keeps our doors open to everyone, creates access for all, and sustains the programs that enrich our collective cultural life. We gratefully accept contributions by cash or online here. Unable to contribute? You are always welcome here.