The Bay Area Reporter has published a curated list of over 20 arts and nightlife events taking place from May 21 to May 29. The article serves as a local guide, highlighting a range of cultural activities including visual art exhibitions, performances, and nightlife gatherings in the San Francisco Bay Area.
A derelict mansion called Parndon Hall, located within the grounds of Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, has been named to the Victorian Society’s annual list of the top ten at-risk buildings in England and Wales. The house, built in 1867, contains a hidden trove of wall paintings by the almost-forgotten Victorian artist Elizabeth Arkwright, who covered walls, ceilings, and doors with nymphs, mermaids, and cherubs—many still concealed under Edwardian whitewash. The building has been used for storage and has sat unoccupied since flood repairs in 2024.
The Birmingham Museum of Art hosted its 69th annual Museum Ball, themed "An Evening in Paris," to celebrate the institution's enduring presence in the Alabama cultural landscape. The black-tie gala featured French-inspired decor, fine dining, and live entertainment, drawing a significant crowd of local patrons and civic leaders.
The Hamptons art scene is hosting a diverse array of exhibitions this March, ranging from intimate solo shows to expansive group surveys. Key highlights include Cait Porter’s still-life explorations of grief at Halsey McKay Gallery, Bruce Mermelstein’s photography retrospective at Southampton Town Hall, and a music-centric exhibition at ARDT Gallery featuring works by Kim Simmonds and David Edward Byrd. Other notable shows include "The Light of Awakening" at LTV Studios and a contemporary narrative group show at Slattery Gallery that pairs emerging artists with blue-chip masters like Picasso and de Kooning.
The East End's gallery scene is seeing a seasonal shift as several new exhibitions open across the Hamptons and North Fork. This week's highlights include a group show focusing on abstract landscapes at a local mainstay and a solo presentation of experimental photography that challenges traditional perspectives on coastal environments.
For 12 years, a one-acre community garden in Manhattan's Nolita neighborhood, Elizabeth Street Garden, has been locked in a battle with New York City officials over plans to build affordable housing on the site. The city, under former Mayor Eric Adams, had scheduled an eviction for March 2024 to make way for Haven Garden, a 123-unit senior housing development. After a last-minute impasse, the Adams administration abandoned those plans in June, instead rezoning three nearby sites. However, newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who campaigned on closing the garden for housing, has revived uncertainty. Just before Mamdani took office, the Adams administration permanently dedicated the land as public parkland, requiring state legislative approval for any future development.
Pittsburg State University's Art Department is hosting a series of free exhibitions in its two galleries at Porter Hall this fall. Featured shows include Katie Petersen's "Centripetal: The Return to the Self" (Sept. 3–Oct. 10) at the Harry Krug Gallery, exploring balance and health through pastel colors and x-ray imagery; Diane Bronstein's "Unreal city" at the University Gallery, blending vintage photography with embroidery to address climate change; "Seeded: Art After Investment" (Oct. 15–Nov. 10) showcasing faculty and student works made possible by grant funding; and Jason Tanner Young's "Finder" (Oct. 22–Dec. 15), a sculpture exhibition examining the relationship between objects and memory. All exhibits and receptions are free and open to the public.
Solo Studios returns to the Riebeek Valley from October 24 to 26, 2025, featuring over 60 artists opening their studios in Riebeek Kasteel and Riebeek West. The weekend includes curated exhibitions such as LANDscape[s] at Die Kunshuis, showcasing works from Modern Art Projects South Africa (MAPSA), and a display of Ardmore Ceramics at EcoPlace, a home built from recycled materials. Other highlights include Red Hot, Pink Spot, a group show of 13 female artists from Kommetjie, and FEAST, a Porterville artist exhibition. Talks on art collecting and live music complement the open studios.
Hancock County Arts has unveiled its comprehensive schedule for 2026, featuring a diverse array of monthly exhibitions and community events at the Twenty North Gallery in Greenfield. The upcoming season includes themed showcases such as the "Black & White" exhibit, the annual "Visions of Hancock County" photography show, and specialized displays focusing on local student work and regional heritage.
South Fork Bakery held its spring benefit at the Parrish Art Museum on Saturday, May 9. Guests enjoyed music, bites, and signature cocktails while funds were raised to support the bakery's mission of providing meaningful employment for adults with disabilities. The event featured attendees including local officials, board members, and supporters, with photography by Lisa Tamburini.
The Mangaweka Yellow Church Gallery in New Zealand, known for its annual Fakes and Forgeries exhibition, is celebrating its 20-year anniversary. Owner and artist Richard Aslett will host a high tea on Monday to mark the milestone. The gallery opened in 2006 and has since fostered emerging and established artists, hosted live music events, and added antiques and retro-curios to its offerings. Its most famous exhibition pays tribute to Karl Sim, New Zealand’s only convicted art fraudster, who was born in Mangaweka and known for his Charles Goldie forgeries.
A historic warehouse in downtown Fayetteville, known as the Porter Produce Warehouse, has been restored and opened as the Alexander Gallery, operated by the Walton Arts Center. The gallery's inaugural exhibition, "Our Art, Our Region, Our Time," features 106 works from 75 local artists and debuted at a grand opening on Wednesday evening. The building, built in 1906 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020, had been closed to the public for 35 years. Walton Arts Center spent $950,000 on interior renovations, while the city contributed about $1 million for exterior restoration.
The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) has named Farida Sherif, a senior at Verona High School, as the recipient of its 2026 Paul Bartick Emerging Artist Award. Sherif was selected by an award committee for the strength, individuality, and compelling voice of her work, which she developed through SOPAC's Inspired Minds Young Artist Exhibition program. She will receive the award at a gallery opening reception on May 14, 2026.
A new art gallery and retail shop, Public Defender Art + Zines, will open in downtown Belleville on May 15, 2026, coinciding with the Art on the Square festival. Owned by local artists Danny Houk and Stacie Spaunhorst, the space at 123 W. Main St. will feature exhibitions, a retail shop selling indie comics and zines, and future plans for artist residencies and networking brunches. Opening exhibitions include ceramics by Alisha Porter and Sheri White.
The Heritage Fine Arts Guild is bringing back its annual "Best of Heritage" art show to the Bemis Public Library in Littleton, Colorado, from June 1 to June 30. The exhibition features nearly 50 paintings by 24 guild artists, centered on the theme "Our Vision: Our Joy," chosen collectively by members to reflect finding joy in community, art, and life. A juried awards reception will be held on June 10, with juror Mary Williams, a Colorado-based artist and curator for the Healing Arts Program at several local hospitals, selecting top prizes and offering critiques to participating artists.
Sparrow Art Center, an art education company, has opened a new gallery and teaching facility in Loveland, Colorado, and is hosting its inaugural art show with a Mother's Day theme. The exhibition features work from over a dozen artists, including owner Cody Winiecki, who contributed a painting of a horse and foal. The show includes a free public reception on Saturday evening, as well as painting sessions for mothers and children. All proceeds from sales go directly to the artists, and the show will run until early June.
Wilton Library in Connecticut will host "Weir Inspired: The Annual Show of the Weir Farm Artist Collective" from November 7 to December 31, featuring works by over 30 local artists. The opening reception on November 7 is free and open to the public, with a majority of works available for purchase and a portion of proceeds benefiting the library.
The city of Lawrence, Kansas, is seeking applications from local artists to create a mural in the Vermont Street parking garage, located at 725 Vermont Street next to the Lawrence Public Library. The mural will be painted on the ground-level west-facing wall opposite the stairs, and artists are asked to submit a written idea or sketch, work samples, a bio, and a resume by November 16, 2025. A review committee will select up to three finalists, each receiving $300 to develop a formal proposal, and one will be awarded a $5,500 commission to complete the artwork. The project is part of the city's ongoing public art initiatives, which have included other garage murals and the Unmistakable Public Art Exhibition.
ArtSpan, a nonprofit organization, kicked off its 51st season with the annual Art Launch gallery event at SOMArts Cultural Center in San Francisco on September 19, 2025. The one-night event featured works from over 300 Bay Area artists available for public purchase, marking the start of SF Open Studios, a two-month venture where over 600 local artists showcase their work in various venues across the city. Attendees included longtime supporters like Kate Patterson, first-time exhibitor Ivett Acosta with her painting "Fragments of Light," and veteran artist Liz Scotta with her collagraph print "Mars Surface." New executive director Shamsher Virk, leading a team of five, emphasized community engagement and accessibility.
Bucks County-based multimedia artist Greta Karr, the inaugural recipient of ArtWRKD's Summer Artist in Residency program, presents a solo exhibition titled "Americana" at ArtWRKD in Newtown, Pennsylvania, from August 1-31. The show features oil paintings on unconventional canvases such as a truck door, saddle, and cigarette packs, along with sculptural and performative works. Events include an Art Noir Opening Night with performance art on August 1, an artist reception on August 9, and a farm-to-table dinner led by Karr and chef Gladys Nyoth on August 24. The residency is funded by an $18,000 donation from The Newtown Music Arts and Culture Donor Advised Fund through the Newtown Community Foundation.
The Viera Voice reports on a local gallery, Galleria, which is introducing a distinctive artistic approach centered on flowing forms and weaving techniques. The article highlights how this gallery is bringing a unique perspective to the local art scene through its focus on these dynamic, textile-inspired methods.
A new cultural initiative in Hong Kong, the 'Textile Trail,' guides visitors through several neighborhoods to explore the city's industrial past as a major Asian textile exporter. The trail features preserved factories, warehouses, and other architectural remnants that tell the story of this foundational industry.
An exhibition celebrating the work of late Kilwinning artist Gibby Porter will take place at The Public Gallery in Dalry from December 12 to 14. Organized by his family, the showcase will feature over 30 original pencil drawings of local areas including Old Kilwinning, Kilbirnie, and Irvine, reflecting the beauty and heritage of the community.
During the Milwaukee Art Museum’s annual Art in Bloom event, the Journal Sentinel gathered feedback from hundreds of attendees and digital survey respondents about what they want from arts coverage. The new arts and culture reporter, who wrote the article, outlines the key requests: more advance event coverage (especially free, family-friendly, and hands-on activities), support for smaller and underground art scenes, profiles of local artists including youth, coverage of overlooked art forms like graffiti and fabric arts, and diverse representation of Latino, women, LGBTQ+, and immigrant artists.
Howard D. Moon, a longtime benefactor of the Heights community, partnered with Houston Christian University (HCU) and Heights Church to establish the Moon Gallery, a new exhibition space dedicated to showcasing local artists. The gallery was officially dedicated on December 4 with an opening ceremony inside Heights Church (formerly Baptist Temple), honoring Moon's late wife Jeanette, a passionate arts supporter. The inaugural exhibition featured works by HCU faculty and MFA students, including artist Julia Marcucci Wood and assistant professor Hillaree Hamblin, who spoke about the gallery's mission to foster community engagement and inclusivity.
A new art gallery is opening at Paganini Ristorante in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, as reported by the Bucks County Herald. The gallery will showcase local artists within the restaurant space, combining dining with visual art.
The historic Porter Produce warehouse in Fayetteville, Arkansas, built in 1906, has been transformed into a public art gallery called the Alexander Gallery at the Porter Art Warehouse. A grand opening celebration is set for October 29, featuring a ribbon cutting, the inaugural exhibition "Our Art, Our Region, Our Time," live music, and screen printing. The project was a collaboration between the city, Walton Arts Center, and the University of Arkansas, with a $1 million exterior restoration and a $950,000 interior renovation by Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects and Sargent Contracting. The gallery is named for Bob and Becky Alexander, whose foundation supported the project.
Cosgrove Care's Spring Art Exhibition concluded with a closing celebration on April 23 at Eastwood Park Theatre and Gallery in East Renfrewshire. The exhibition, which ran from April 2-23, featured works from 22 Cosgrove artists on the theme 'Awakening of the Landscape After a Cold, Harsh Winter'. Blair McDougall, MP for East Renfrewshire, attended and purchased an artwork for his parliamentary office. The event brought together artists, families, supporters, and board members, including Dr David and Mrs Carole Walton, and Kayleigh Quinn. New chief executive Carolann Lanigan praised the artists' passion and creativity, supported by Arts Tutor Susan Kennedy.
The Lynnwood Event Center recently hosted a "Meet the Artists" reception for its juried exhibition, "Flight Patterns: The Art & Motion of Winged Life." Curated by Mary Adams and Julie Carlos, the show features over 45 works by 27 regional artists from the Pacific Northwest, ranging from traditional paintings and photography to innovative metal etchings and fiber arts. Highlights include Graham Schodda’s holographic bird imagery ground into stainless steel and Alexandra Nason’s participatory installation, "The True Butterfly Effect," which invited guests to decorate aluminum butterflies to contribute to a growing communal wall piece.
The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) has launched its annual “BRAVO! Listen Up!” exhibition at the Adriana Groza Art studio, featuring visual and written works by thirty-two middle school students. The participants created these pieces in response to composer Andreia Pinto Correia’s orchestral work "Ciprés," following a creativity workshop led by artist April Zay. The collection includes a diverse range of media, from traditional watercolors and acrylics to 3D sculptures made of rosewood and yarn.