Led by an advisor and an artist, CIRCLE ART provides real-world, mentor driven guidance and a supportive community to help artists confidently build and sustain their professional practice.
Monthly Live Q&A
Open conversations with Emily and Lauren about the real issues artists face right now, inside and outside the studio, and everything in between.
MONTHLY GUEST SPEAKER
Curators, gallerists, and cultural workers share what’s happening behind the scenes and answer your questions.
HOLISTIC SUPPORT
Ideas and resources that connect creative work with the realities of sustaining a life and livelihood.
AUTHENTIC MENTORSHIP
Direct, unfiltered exchanges with people who have worked through the same challenges you’re navigating.
circle of peers
A supportive community without gatekeeping, where artists learn from one another.
PRACTICAL TOOLS
Templates, strategies, and approaches that we and our peers truly use in studios, negotiations, and daily practice.
Topics Circle art Will Cover:
• Structuring your art practice as a business
• Building the right community
• Securing mentorship
• Understanding gallery representation, consignments, and contracts
• Navigating commissions and pricing your work
• Exploring residencies, grants, and funding opportunities
• Building an impactful online presence through Instagram and a professional website
• Securing press coverage and growing your career through strategic networking
About the Hosts
Director / Co-Founder
Emily McElwreath is an independent curator, art advisor, educator, and cultural strategist with over 18 years of experience in the contemporary art world. She is the founder of McElwreath Art Advisory and the creator and host of The Art Career Podcast, a leading platform for transparent dialogue across the creative industry.
Emily has developed public programs, organized panels, and lectured at institutions including the Whitney Museum of American Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Sotheby’s Institute of Art. She has curated exhibitions for leading cultural spaces and residency programs, pairing her curatorial vision with creative direction to produce meaningful, site-specific experiences. Her expertise spans museum-quality collections, cultural programming, and strategic artist engagement, making her a trusted voice in the evolving landscape of contemporary art.
Lead Artist / Co-Founder
Lauren Cohen is a New York–based multidisciplinary artist working in painting, ceramics, and immersive installation. She earned an MA in Painting from the Royal College of Art in London and a BFA from California College of the Arts. Cohen has been an artist-in-residence at MacDowell, the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation, MASS MoCA, NARS Foundation and Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture.
Her work has been shown at leading venues including Marinaro Gallery, The Hole, Wassaic Project, Felix Fair, Future Fair, Spring / Break Art Show, Powerhouse Arts and featured in ARTnews, Artnet News, Hyperallergic, Brooklyn Magazine, and The Creative Independent. Her pieces are held in the collections of di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, 21c Museum, MacDowell, and McNally Jackson Books.
Together, Emily and Lauren bring both the curatorial/advisory and studio perspectives to O Circle, giving artists a rare 360° view of the art world and the tools to navigate it with confidence.