In addition to being guided by the artistic vision, the selection of an exhibition for the gallery is impacted by a number of other variables, including but not limited to:

• Budget issues, including the cost of organizing and presenting an individual exhibition
• Scheduling issues, including availability of artworks or availability of a touring exhibition
• Impact on the installation schedule and staff time
• Consideration of the artistic vision goals over a two- to three-year period
• On-staff curatorial expertise
• Availability and cost of possible consulting curators
• Awareness of other exhibitions presented/planned in the region

The gallery committee is an advisory committee of up to 15 members, representing various interest groups such as the Carlsbad Friends of the Arts, arts commission, the library, the Carlsbad Library and Arts Foundation, regional artists and arts administrators, and the community. Members representing organizations are selected by their respective groups; at-large community members are selected by the arts manager in consultation with the chair of the gallery committee and the curator of exhibitions. The committee advises the Cultural Arts Office on policies, procedures and exhibitions for the William D. Cannon Art Gallery and meets at least four times a year.

Proposals are welcomed from any source, including individual artists, independent curators or organizations. Proposals are reviewed on an ongoing basis and evaluated based on the Artistic Vision and the additional variables listed earlier.

Notification will be sent when the proposal materials are received. A response will be sent approximately eight to 10 weeks after receipt of the proposal. Appointments for studio visits and/or reviewing work at the gallery are made on a case-by-case basis and only after an initial review of slides, videos or other support material has been made. No original work should be submitted to the gallery as part of an exhibition proposal.

The following materials should be submitted:

• Current resume or biography
• Up to 20 images on a disc or photographs or photocopies (labeled with name, title, year, medium and dimensions): video is accepted for artists using video to document their work. Please do not send a link to a website nor submit by email.
• Proposals for events, screenings and panels should be submitted as a one-page description with a list of potential participants.
• Related reviews, catalogue essays, and an artist statement (optional)
• A self-addressed stamped envelope if return of materials is desired 

Proposals should be submitted with the following information and materials:

• Proposed exhibition title.
• Exhibition concept: Describe the theme, intentions, what questions will be addressed and answered through the exhibition and point of view behind the exhibition.
• Educational objectives and intended audience(s): Exhibitions are a stationary form of museum interpretation. As such, they are designed to transform a visitor's attitudes, knowledge, perceptions or feelings. How does this exhibition plan to engage the viewer? Furthermore, the gallery attracts many different kinds of viewers - diverse audiences. What is the intended audience(s) for this exhibition? Are the objectives in the exhibit targeted for a specific audience (e.g. architectural historians, theater buffs or contemporary arts devotees?) A general audience? Or multiple audiences? Identify the intended audience(s) and the particular objectives for each audience.
• Initial list of artworks and visuals: This inventory should be as complete as possible. Include visuals (slides, color photocopies, etc. - whatever gives the curator of exhibitions and gallery committee the best sense of the quality of the work). However, do not include original works.
• Proposed curator: The curator who will be responsible for the content of the exhibit must be identified. If a team approach is planned, then one person must be identified as the project manager or point person. That person will ultimately be responsible for the curatorial aspects of the project. The curator is responsible for the intellectual integrity of the exhibit. The end product expected from the curator is the following: a written script which contains all the main labels and sub-labels for the exhibit and a complete checklist that includes artists, title, date, medium, size, lender and lender address (and location of the work) for all works included in the presentation.