L.A. County Fair 2026: Playful art exhibit was curated in a mad rush

Two local artists, Keith Ballard and Rebecca Ustrell of the collective Claremont Temporary, were invited by L.A. County Fair officials in late January to curate an art exhibit at the Millard Sheets Art Center. With only two months to organize, they assembled "Play Pavilion," a community-driven show featuring 63 artists from the Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley, including notable names like Chicano graffiti pioneer Chaz Bojórquez and album cover designer John Van Hamersveld. The exhibit runs through May 31 at the fair, which has the theme "Play Your Way."

Gallery hopping: A new way to experience & engage with art

The article reports on the rise of gallery hopping in Delhi, particularly in neighborhoods like Lado Sarai, Defence Colony, and Okhla, where galleries cluster together. The Defence Colony Galleries Association, founded by Pristine Contemporary owners Arjun Butani and Arjun Sawhney, launched the monthly Def Col Art Night, keeping 10 galleries open until 9pm on the third Thursday with openings, music, and performances. Gallery directors and owners note that these events attract a broader audience beyond traditional collectors, making art more accessible and fostering community.

In Tuscany, an Artistic Sculpture Hub Thrives

The article profiles Pietrasanta, a small town in Tuscany, Italy, that has evolved into a thriving international sculpture hub. It traces the town's artistic lineage back to Michelangelo, who sourced marble from local quarries in 1518, and highlights how today a dense network of workshops, foundries, and craftspeople attracts artists from around the world. The local government has established the Fondazione Centro Arti Visive di Pietrasanta to promote the town as a year-round art center, not just a seasonal destination. The piece features the Armenian-born artist Mikayel Ohanjanyan, who has seven sculptures on display in the town.

In Savona there is a new contemporary culture festival that aims to make tradition dialogue with the most emerging research

A Savona c’è un nuovo festival di cultura contemporanea che mira a far dialogare la tradizione con le ricerche più emergenti

A new contemporary culture festival called Brucia has launched in Savona, Italy, with its zero edition running from May 9 to 17, 2026. Organized by the under-30 association Fiammiferi, founded by Teresa Raineri, the festival transforms the Fortezza del Priamàr and Teatro Chiabrera into a diffuse laboratory of artistic practices, including performances, concerts, exhibitions, workshops, and meetings. A highlight is the solo show [Çigae] by artist Gaia De Megni, curated by Gabriele Cordì, which explores themes of return and belonging through a Ligurian lens, featuring her film 'La tigre e i gabbiani' (2019).

History of the Branca Tower in Milan returning as protagonist thanks to Fabio Volo's TV show

Storia della Torre Branca di Milano che torna protagonista grazie alla trasmissione tv di Fabio Volo

The Torre Branca in Milan, originally designed by architect Gio Ponti in 1932 for the V Triennale di Milano, is experiencing renewed cultural relevance. After years of abandonment and restoration by Fratelli Branca Distillerie (which gave it its current name), the tower reopened to the public in 2002. In April 2026, it became the set of "Kong – Con la testa tra le nuvole," a new television program hosted by Fabio Volo on Rai 3, featuring celebrities and cultural figures discussing existential themes. Additionally, the tower was recently reinterpreted through contemporary photography in an exhibition by Francesco Jodice at Galleria Frittelli Rizzo in Milan.

At LACHSA, L.A.'s most important public arts school, the 'misfits' become superstars

The Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA), founded in 1984 and located on the Cal State L.A. campus, has become a premier public arts school offering conservatory-level training alongside college-prep academics. The article highlights alumni such as actor Anthony Anderson, musician Josh Groban, and visual artists Kehinde Wiley and Tomashi Jackson, who credit the school with nurturing their talents and providing a supportive, diverse environment for artistic growth.

Penarth artist holds first exhibition after a lifetime of painting

Stephen Stokes, a 66-year-old retired kitchen business owner from Penarth, Wales, has staged his first-ever art exhibition after a lifetime of painting. The show, held at Llanover Hall Arts Centre in Cardiff, features works spanning decades, including portraits, still lifes, and scenes painted from life. Stokes, who studied at art college in Liverpool in the 1980s, was inspired by post-Impressionist masters like Matisse, Van Gogh, and Monet. Around 80 people attended the opening, and several visitors expressed interest in purchasing his work, though he had not initially priced the pieces.

Art, research, and Night at the Museum: The flourishing partnership between UC Santa Cruz Humanities and the Museum of Art and History - UC Santa Cruz

UC Santa Cruz Humanities and the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH) have deepened their decade-long partnership, marked by the MAH's 30th anniversary in April 2025. The collaboration includes co-sponsored exhibitions like "This is Thirty" and the ongoing "Night at the Museum" public event series, which brings scholars, artists, and community members together for free panel discussions and exhibits. Notable past projects include the 2016 Kinsey African American Art & History Collection exhibition and the 2023 California premiere of "Resettlement: Chicago Story."

And the (Senior Show and URECA Art Exhibition) Winners Are …

The Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery at Stony Brook University hosted the opening reception of the ninth annual combined Senior Show and URECA Arts Exhibition on April 29, drawing about 300 attendees including students, faculty, staff, university leaders, and local museum curators. The Senior Show, a nearly 50-year tradition, features works by senior studio art majors and minors, while the URECA exhibition highlights undergraduate research-based art selected by faculty. This year's exhibition is noted for its diversity in subject matter and materials, from chalk painting to digital media, and runs through May 22.

Guide to cultural festivals in Italy at the end of May 2026: Spring Attitude, Aura, Buongiorno Ceramica!, URBAPHONIA, CYFEST

Guida ai festival culturali in Italia di fine maggio 2026: Spring Attitude, Aura, Buongiorno Ceramica!, URBAPHONIA, CYFEST

A guide to cultural festivals in Italy at the end of May 2026 highlights several events across the country, including Spring Attitude in Rome (May 29-30), Aura Festival in Palermo (June 1), Hypermaremma in Maremma (through September 30), Emulsioni in Ferrania (May 22-24), and Caorle Sea Festival in Caorle (May 23-June 7). These festivals cover diverse themes such as electronic music, club culture, analog photography, ceramics, media art, street art, and outdoor practices, often set in historically or culturally significant locations like La Nuvola in Rome, the Palazzina Cinese in Palermo, and an ex-film factory in Ferrania.

At Brooklyn Creative Reuse, Art Supplies Get a Second Life

Brooklyn Creative Reuse (BCR), a nonprofit founded by jeweler Stephanie O'Brien, has opened a permanent brick-and-mortar store in Industry City, Brooklyn, after launching as a pop-up in February 2025. The store sells donated, pre-loved and unused art supplies at a price-per-pound rate, making materials affordable for low-income artists, educators, and hobbyists. Its opening party on April 18 drew large crowds, and BCR has already diverted over 1,000 pounds of art supplies from landfills in its first year.

Check Out JP First Fridays at Galleries, Studios, Art Spaces (and a Famous Bench) on May 1

Jamaica Plain First Fridays returns on May 1, 2025, from 5:30-8:30 pm, featuring six locations that showcase painting, photography, multi-media works, and a famous bench. Highlights include artist Matthew Hincman celebrating the 20th anniversary of his guerrilla-style bench on Jamaica Pond, plus exhibitions at Eliot School Annex, JP Clay, Green Street Photo Collective, Jameson & Thompson Picture Framers, and Boston Cyberarts Gallery. The event is free and walkable.

Cliff Jewell receives award at Paint Ontario exhibition

Cliff Jewell, a retired artist from Little Current, Ontario, had three paintings accepted into the Paint Ontario juried exhibition in Grand Bend, with one receiving an award and another marked with a red dot indicating a sale. The exhibition, which drew entries from 279 artists across the province, offered a top prize of $3,000 and a total of $14,000 in awards, supported by local businesses and patrons.

Rosewood Arts Center 32nd Annual The View Juried Landscape Exhibition

Rosewood Arts Center in Kettering, Ohio, has announced the opening of its 32nd annual The View Juried Landscape Exhibition, running from June 8 through July 18, 2026. The exhibition features 48 works selected by juror Rebecca Foley from 308 submissions by 114 Ohio-based artists, with awards totaling $1,100. A free public reception and awards presentation will take place on July 18.

A unique breast cancer charity raising money through art

Belinda Gray, founder of breast cancer charity Art For Cure, shares her story ahead of the charity's latest exhibition at Wyken Vineyards. After her own breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, Gray launched Art For Cure in 2014, initially hosting an exhibition in her home and garden that drew 2,000 visitors and raised £100,000. The charity has since sold over £3 million worth of art through exhibitions and online sales, with a percentage of each sale donated by artists to fund UK breast cancer research and support services. Gray, who had no prior art-world experience, now leads a voluntary team of 10 people staging annual public exhibitions at unique venues.

Medium Art Center Celebrates Five Year Anniversary

Medium Art Center in Ukiah, California, celebrates its five-year anniversary. Founded during the pandemic by a small team of local artists and community members including Chris Pugh and Lillian Rubie, the center began as an online exhibition series called "Dear America" before securing a vacant storefront at the Pear Tree Center in 2021. Run entirely by volunteers for its first three years, the center has hosted in-person exhibits, traditional Chinese brush painting workshops with artist William Shi, and outreach programs to support local artists. Recently, it received a grant from the RISE program administered through Redwood Coast Regional Center to support people with disabilities or neurodivergence.

Where Art Meets Innovation: Inside the Salt Lake Art Show and the X5 Vision

On May 14, 2026, the Salt Lake Art Museum (SLAM) hosted a launch event for X5, a new convergence platform, inside the historic B'nai Israel Temple in Salt Lake City. The event featured an interactive moment where attendees drew on the museum's bare walls before they are painted over. The following day, the Salt Lake Art Show opened at the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy, serving as X5's first public activation. X5 Vice Chair Joe Ross outlined the platform's three clusters—industry/STEM, culture, and capital/workforce—positioning it as a successor to Sundance's economic impact in Utah.

Hyderabad’s restored Sardar Mahal to open with cafe, art gallery and heritage stay

Sardar Mahal, a historic palace near Charminar in Hyderabad, has undergone restoration and will soon open to the public with a café, art gallery, cultural centre, and heritage accommodation. The ₹30-crore project, overseen by the Quli Qutb Shah Urban Development Authority (QQSUDA), is nearing completion and expected to be operational within two months. Built in 1900 by Nizam VI Mir Mahboob Ali Khan for his consort Sardar Begum, the building was declared a heritage structure by INTACH and later taken over by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in 1965.

New art gallery Visual Feast now open in Hoover

A new art gallery called Visual Feast Gallery has opened in the Patton Creek Shopping Center in Hoover, Alabama. Founded by 78-year-old abstract artist Rose Cook, the space features her original abstract paintings, handmade jewelry, vintage finds, and works by traditional artists. The gallery also offers art classes, creative workshops, and rentals for small events. Cook moved to Birmingham in 2025 and has been creating art professionally since 1986, previously running a successful handmade jewelry business.

Spotlight: Local mentorship program launches careers of emerging artists

WKP Kennedy Gallery in North Bay, Ontario, has launched an open call for its 2026 Curatorial Mentorship Program, which provides emerging artists with a solo exhibition, mentorship, and professional development support. The program previously supported interdisciplinary artist Gabriel George, who went on to win 'First in Show' at Toronto's Artist Project art fair after his first solo show at the gallery. Applications are open until June 29, with the recipient notified on July 7.

Local artist Tom Ott featured at Lewisburg art walk

Local artist Tom Ott of Follansbee, West Virginia, was featured as a highlighted artist during the May 8 art walk at Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg. The event drew a strong community turnout, showcasing Ott's high-poly style that blends geometric structure, layered color, and emotional storytelling inspired by Appalachian heritage, industrial landscapes, and contemporary American culture. His exhibition remains open to the public through the end of June.

Wexford artist selected to feature artwork at prestigious exhibition – ‘I wasn’t expecting it to get through’

Wexford artist Kate Kos has been selected to exhibit her painting 'Gunnera & Hemlock' at the 196th Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) exhibition in Dublin, which runs from May 25 to August 9, 2025. The mixed media piece, created during the Doneraile ArtFest in North Cork, won first prize and the People's Choice award at that festival. Kos also recently relocated her studio and gallery from St. Michael's Road to McDermott Street in Gorey, celebrating both milestones with an opening event attended by locals.

The Mokka-Milch-Eisbar reopens on Karl-Marx-Allee

Die Mokka-Milch-Eisbar eröffnet wieder auf der Karl-Marx-Allee

The iconic Mokka-Milch-Eisbar, a legendary ice cream café from East Berlin's DDR era, is reopening on Karl-Marx-Allee after a heritage-sensitive renovation. The pavilion, built in the early 1960s as part of the second construction phase of the boulevard, was famously celebrated in a 1969 DDR pop song. New operators Natacha and Alexander Neumann are launching the venue under the name "Mokka Milch" as a restaurant, café, and bar, with an opening celebration on Wednesday. The building's distinctive yellow-tiled facade and large glass windows have been preserved under strict heritage guidelines, overseen by the state monument office.

Sculpture from Carbondale’s 2025 Art Around Town exhibition finds new home with ANB Bank

A welded steel sculpture titled "Sidewinder" by California-based artist Diego Harris, originally part of Carbondale's 2025 Art Around Town exhibition, has been purchased by ANB Bank and permanently installed outside the bank's Sopris Station development site along Colorado Highway 133. The piece was moved to its new home on Monday, and Harris also installed a new sculpture, "Shaman's Path," near Main Street and Snowmass Drive as part of the upcoming 2026 Art Around Town exhibition.

Acclaimed Artist and Designer Kim Parker to Host Book Talk and Art Showcase at Maxfield Engine House Gallery

Kim Parker, an internationally celebrated artist and designer, will host a book talk and art showcase at the Maxfield Engine House Gallery in Boonton, New Jersey, on March 29, 2025. The event features a discussion of her bestselling book *Kim Parker Home: A Life in Design* and coincides with the exhibition *Artists as Advocates of the NJ Highlands Coalition*, alongside her solo show *Kim Parker: Interior Gardens*, displaying her vibrant floral art, textiles, and home furnishings.

Senior artists explore censorship, AI and transformation in the capstone exhibition

Shippensburg University senior art students presented their capstone exhibition at the Huber Art Center, featuring works in printmaking, digital art, ceramics, and charcoal drawings. Artists Luke Lindvall, Gerald Pratt, Kaylee Will, Alayna Mandich, and Lily Bramucci explored themes including censorship, artificial intelligence, horror, and personal transformation. Lindvall pushed printmaking onto unconventional surfaces like skateboards and furniture, Pratt addressed over-censorship in politics, Will warned against over-reliance on technology and AI in raising children, Mandich used horror imagery to examine beauty, and Bramucci connected pit-fired ceramics to life choices and hardship.

Fourth annual Student Art Exhibition adds more artists and expands sponsors

Marquette University held its fourth annual Student Art Exhibition on April 23, 2026, at the Lemonis Center for Student Success, featuring ten student artists each awarded a $500 stipend to create works around themes such as “Culture & Career,” “Defining Success,” “Belonging at Marquette,” and “Expanding Horizons.” The event, organized by Career Center director Courtney Hanson, included pieces by Jessica Wrobel and Salo Aristizabal, among others, and was sponsored by the Career Center, the Division of Belonging and Student Affairs, the Lemonis Center, Raynor Library, and Enterprise Mobility.

Art with a heart - High Point pet portraitist schedules benefit show

Emily Cassidy, a High Point-based pet portrait artist with a background in animal science and veterinary technology, is holding a three-day solo exhibition titled "All Things Bright & Beautiful" from May 27 to May 29 at Reynolda Village in Winston-Salem. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Wake Forest University Chaplain’s Emergency Fund, which assists students, faculty, staff, and contract workers with essential expenses. Cassidy, who returned to art in 2020 after a career in cancer research, now has a two- to three-month waiting list for commissions and works in colored pencils, pastels, and oils.

Marin resident returns to art after retiring from police department

Donna Loftus, a Marin County resident, retired from a 33-year career with the San Francisco Police Department in 2012 and has since returned to her lifelong passion for art. She took classes at the College of Marin, joined the Marin Society of Artists and the art group Marin 6, and has exhibited her work at venues including Fred's retail store in Mill Valley, Locati Mediterranean restaurant, and Coit Tower in San Francisco. Currently, she is the guest artist in the exhibition "Embracing Art" at the Arts Guild of Sonoma, running through June 1. Loftus, who is pursuing a fine arts degree, paints landscapes, still lifes, and abstracts inspired by nature and her travels.

Art e Fekts to host artist Paul DeLuca’s pottery exhibit May 8

Art e Fekts Gallery in Downtown Pittston will host "This is Me – The Pottery of Paul DeLuca," the second exhibit of 2026, opening on Friday, May 8 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Dr. Joseph Lombardo Gallery. The exhibit coincides with the first 2nd Friday Art Walk of the year and will run until June 5, featuring the unique ceramic work of regional artist Paul DeLuca, who owns and operates Bank Street Pottery.