Call for Art - Seen & Whole

👉 IMPORTANT: After completing your registration and payment, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to the Artist Intake Form. This is where you must upload images of your artwork and provide your artist details. If you don’t see the email within 10 minutes, check your spam/junk folder.

An Activated Spaces exhibition at Congregational Church of La Jolla, June 5 – August 30, 2026

Feel radically seen and welcomed in a historical building featuring curated, contemporary art.

Seen & Whole is a visual arts installation exploring themes of mattering, inclusivity, and mental wellness. The exhibition is presented at the Congregational Church of La Jolla (CCLJ) — La Jolla's oldest faith community and the only explicitly LGBTQIA+ affirming Christian church in the area, led by an openly queer minister. It is part of Activated Spaces, a program by San Diego Art Directory that places original artwork by local artists in meaningful community spaces and public businesses throughout San Diego County.

Hear inviting remarks from the CCLJ’s pastor and SDAD’s founder while enjoying: free culinary delights, artwork-inspired music, a Create and Exhibit Space, a Relaxation Room, and a tour of the exhibition presented by its lead curator.

Seen & Whole opens on June 5 during the First Friday La Jolla Art Walk, honoring National Pride Month. A series of community events will follow through the summer, creating space for visibility, connection, and remarkable growth.

CCLJ is a congregation of the United Church of Christ — the first Christian denomination in history to ordain a person of color, a woman, and an openly LGBTQ+ person to ministry. The UCC continues that legacy today through active advocacy for trans and non-binary rights, interfaith engagement, and racial justice. CCLJ brings that same spirit to La Jolla as a community grounded in anti-racism, queer liberation, and intersectional justice.

The church is non-creedal, meaning its members include Christians and atheists, Jewish members and agnostics, skeptics and seekers of all kinds. Their guiding principle is both simple and profound: no matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.

Blanca Lucia Bergman, MBA, is a San Diego-based art curator and business consultant recognized for producing innovative exhibitions and spearheading cross-industry collaborations. She has curated shows with leading local institutions including the Mingei International Museum, Sparks Gallery, and the San Diego International Airport, as well as alternative art spaces throughout the region. In addition to her curatorial practice, Blanca has served as a juror for both youth and adult art exhibitions at local galleries and museums, bringing a thoughtful and inclusive eye to the evaluation of diverse artistic voices. Her work is defined by a commitment to championing dialogue, cultural growth, and mental wellness.

Artists of all visual art backgrounds and art career stages are invited to apply. We especially encourage mid-career and established artists, particularly those with lived experience in marginalized communities, to submit their work.

• Artist must be 18 years of age or older
• Artist must be a resident of San Diego County, CA

• Entries must be original and entirely created by the artist
• All mediums are welcome, including but not limited to painting, photography, digital work (available VA system at venue requires flash drive to display work), and sculpture
• Works on paper must be matted, framed, and ready to hang
• Wall-hanging artwork:
  - Preferred sizes: 60 x 60 in, 40 x 40 in, 30 x 30 in, 20 x 20 in, 26 x 20 in, 23 x 23 in, 27 x 30 in, 20 x 17 in
  - Minimum size: no side smaller than 17 inches
  - Maximum size: 60 inches in any direction
  - Must be professionally wired and ready to hang
  - Unwired work and sawtooth hangers will not be accepted
• Sculpture
  - Maximum height: 15 inches
• Maximum weight (all work): 35 pounds

• Open call: April 15 - May 14
• Submission deadline: May 14, 11:59 pm
• Notifications: May 18 (all applicants will be notified)
• Drop off: May 28, 10 am - 1 pm
• Opening Reception: Jun 5, 2026 from 4-7 PM

• All artwork must be for sale
• Art must be ready to hang/display when it arrives at the Congregational Church of La Jolla
• Art that is damaged, not wired (wall art), not ready to display, not consistent with the image submitted, or not delivered by the deadline will be disqualified
• San Diego Art Directory, Congregational Church of La Jolla, and the exhibition collaborators of both organizations are not liable for loss or damage to any work of art submitted to the exhibition
• Insurance, if desired, is the sole responsibility of the individual artist
• Unsold artwork left at Congregational Church of La Jolla on August 31, 2026 will be donated
• Images of selected work may be used for publicity at the discretion of San Diego Art Directory and Congregational Church of La Jolla

• $35 - up to five pieces

(Entry fees cover organization and curation costs and do not guarantee inclusion in the exhibition.)

• Artists retain 90% of artwork sales. The remaining 10% supports San Diego Art Directory programs.
• San Diego Art Directory will handle all sales.

• Submit high-resolution, clear images (max 1 MB).
• Include a solid-color background, such as white, for each piece for context.
• Read all submission guidelines carefully. Attention to detail reflects professionalism and strengthens your application.

1) Register and pay your entry fee through Eventbrite.

2a) Check your confirmation email. Inside, you will find the link to the Artist Intake Form.

2b) If you don’t see a confirmation email within 10 minutes, check your spam/junk folder. The subject line will include “Event Registration Confirmation.”

3) Complete the Artist Intake Form by the submission deadline. (Upload your artwork images and provide artist details via this form.)

• 1216 Cave St, La Jolla, CA 92037

Please email questions to Blanca Lucia Bergman at [email protected].

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Congregational Church of La Jolla, 1216 Cave St, La Jolla, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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