First Look is Panopticon Gallery’s annual juried photography exhibition and open call for photographers. Held at our gallery in Kenmore Square, Boston, Massachusetts, First Look showcases new photographic work from emerging photographers, established artists, students, and photography enthusiasts.

Each year, Panopticon Gallery selects five artists, with approximately five photographs from each artist’s submitted body of work presented in the exhibition.

First Look is an opportunity for Panopticon Gallery to discover new photographic talent and connect with artists from Boston, New England, across the United States, and beyond. Selected artists are considered not only for First Look, but also for potential future group and solo exhibitions at Panopticon Gallery.

Our goal is to give selected photographers meaningful exposure, introduce their work to new audiences, and help create opportunities for professional growth and new connections within the photography community.

First Look is open to photographers of all experience levels. We encourage submissions from hobbyist photographers, students, emerging artists, and established professional photographers.

As long as the submitted work is photographic in origin, we welcome a wide range of artistic perspectives, approaches, and photographic practices.

You do not need to be represented by a gallery or have an established exhibition history to submit.

First Look is juried by the team at Panopticon Gallery, Alexa Cushing and Connor Noll.

As practicing photographers, gallery directors, and owners of Panopticon Gallery and Panopticon Imaging, Alexa and Connor bring both artistic and technical perspectives to the selection process.

We are looking for strong, cohesive bodies of photographic work with a clear artistic point of view. First Look is intentionally open to a wide range of photographic approaches, so there is no single style, subject matter, or photographic process that we are looking for.

When reviewing submissions, we consider:

• A distinct artistic voice: Work that communicates a clear perspective, idea, or way of seeing.

• Cohesion: A body of work that feels connected and intentional as a series rather than simply a collection of individual images.

• Originality: Work that offers a compelling or personal approach to its subject matter, process, or photographic practice.

• Technical and presentation quality: Images that demonstrate care and consideration in their making and presentation.

• Concept and intention: Work with ideas, themes, or questions that give the photographs greater context and meaning.

• Potential: We are interested in discovering photographers whose work we would like to continue following and potentially consider for future exhibitions at Panopticon Gallery.

You do not need to have an established exhibition history, professional credentials, or a large body of published work to be selected. First Look is an opportunity for us to discover new work and new voices in photography.

When preparing your submission, we recommend selecting images that work together as a cohesive body of work and represent the direction of your photographic practice that you are most excited about sharing.

The First Look submission fee is $40 for up to 10 images from a single body of work.

Students may submit for a discounted fee of $30 for up to 10 images with a valid student ID.

Photographers may submit multiple bodies of work. Each additional submission requires a separate submission fee.

Please submit your work by email following the submission instructions provided on the First Look submission page.

Include “First Look 2027” in the subject line of your email and make sure all requested artist information and images are included.

For complete submission requirements, deadlines, and instructions, visit our First Look submission page.

First Look is a juried fine art photography exhibition, but we welcome a broad interpretation of photography and the photographic process.

We encourage submissions that include:

• Digital photography and digital photographic prints

• Traditional darkroom photography

• Film photography

• Alternative photographic processes

• Experimental photography

• Mixed-media work incorporating photography

• Contemporary photographic practices

We are interested in seeing a wide range of photographic approaches and perspectives. Reviewing previous First Look exhibitions can help give you a sense of the types of photographic work that have been selected in the past.

View previous First Look exhibitions:

• First Look 2026

• First Look 2025

The submission deadline for First Look is [INSERT CURRENT DEADLINE] at 11:59 PM EST.

While all complete submissions received by the deadline will be considered, we encourage artists to submit early. Early submissions may also have the opportunity to be featured or shared through Panopticon Gallery’s social media channels.

Yes. First Look accepts collaborative projects.

If you are submitting work created by a duo or small group of artists, please include the names and relevant information for all participating artists with your submission.

Selected artists must have their presentation-ready artwork delivered to Panopticon Gallery or Panopticon Imaging by [INSERT CURRENT DELIVERY DEADLINE].

Artists who use Panopticon Imaging for printing, framing, or other exhibition preparation can take advantage of complimentary delivery from Panopticon Imaging to Panopticon Gallery.

Selected artwork must arrive in the condition in which it will be displayed and potentially sold.

All framed artwork exhibited at Panopticon Gallery must have D-ring hanging hardware installed on the back of the frame. Because of our gallery hanging system, we cannot hang artwork using only wire.

If artwork is being shipped, we strongly recommend using plexiglass/acrylic rather than traditional glass to reduce the risk of breakage during shipping.

Artwork should also meet professional standards for printing, framing, mounting, and overall presentation.

Yes. Panopticon Imaging, Panopticon Gallery’s sister company, offers professional photography printing, framing, mounting, and exhibition preparation services.

Accepted artists can work directly with Panopticon Imaging technicians to select appropriate print sizes, photographic papers, mounting methods, framing options, and display solutions.

Panopticon Imaging can help prepare your work from printing through final presentation and provides complimentary delivery to Panopticon Gallery.

Accepted First Look artists receive 20% off Panopticon Imaging services.

Learn more about Panopticon Imaging’s photography printing and framing services.

All artwork being shipped to Panopticon Imaging should be addressed to:

Panopticon Imaging
540 Union St
Rockland, MA 02370
781-740-1300

Please make sure your name and First Look submission information are clearly included with your shipment.

Panopticon Gallery is located inside the Hotel Commonwealth in Kenmore Square, Boston, Massachusetts.

Panopticon Gallery
502C Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02115

Our location inside Hotel Commonwealth gives exhibitions significant visibility among hotel guests, Boston visitors, photographers, collectors, art enthusiasts, and the broader public.

Panopticon Gallery is accessible to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Panopticon Gallery retains a 50% commission on artwork sales.

Artists should take the gallery commission into consideration when establishing the retail price of their work.

Yes. First Look is free and open to the public.

Because Panopticon Gallery is located inside Hotel Commonwealth in Boston’s Kenmore Square, visitors can experience the exhibition throughout the day and evening.

The gallery’s location provides selected photographers with an opportunity to have their work seen by hotel guests, local visitors, collectors, artists, photographers, and members of the Boston community.