kadist san francisco gallery closes 1234750754

Kadist, a Paris-based nonprofit art organization, announced the closure of its San Francisco gallery after 14 years of operation. The space, which opened in 2011, was known for commissioning and exhibiting works by international artists such as Hank Willis Thomas, Jota Mombaça, and Ad Minoliti. Joseph Del Pesco, Kadist’s Americas director, stated that the closure was not due to funding issues but rather a strategic shift toward international collaborations with museums across the Americas and beyond. The organization will continue to operate its original space in Paris and maintain its collection of over 2,000 artworks.

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Luke Agada, a Nigerian painter who completed his MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2023, chose to remain in Chicago rather than move to New York or Los Angeles, citing the city's balance of opportunities. He opened his solo exhibition "To Translate Is to Move Across" at Monique Meloche Gallery during the third edition of Chicago Exhibition Weekend (CXW), a four-day event involving over 70 galleries, talks, studio visits, and a tennis mixer. CXW was founded by Abby Pucker of the consultancy firm Gertie and co-organized with Expo Chicago, expanding this year to include the Chicago Architecture Biennial and a curated exhibition of conceptual art.

bristol museum repairs 1234751806

The Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, a historic Edwardian Baroque building constructed in 1905, requires nearly £4 million ($5.4 million) for extensive repairs to its roof, windows, doors, and facade. A committee report cited by the BBC describes the museum as being in "poor condition" with "major defects" to its exterior. The Bristol City Council, which owns and operates the museum, plans to apply to the Arts Council England for funding, noting that the financial pressure makes external funding essential.

washington dc street renamed alma thomas way 1234743798

A street in Washington, D.C., where the acclaimed 20th-century painter Alma Thomas lived and worked for over seven decades was renamed "Alma Thomas Way" on Monday. The new signs now mark the block between 15th and Church streets and 15th and Q streets, near the red brick home at 1530 15th Street, NW, where Thomas maintained a studio in her kitchen. The renaming follows a bill introduced by D.C. council member Christina Henderson in May 2024, approved unanimously by the council, and signed into law by Mayor Muriel Bowser in October. A ceremony with about 30 attendees, including Thomas's grand nephew Charles Thomas Lewis and Susan Talley of the Friends of Alma Thomas group, commemorated the event.

Hotel and art hub Casabianca opens on Italy's Lake Como

The De Santis family, accomplished hoteliers on Lake Como, has opened Casabianca, a new hotel and art hub in a 1930 villa designed by Piero Ponci. The property features three apartment-style suites launching later this year, while its lower floors are already open to the public for €15, displaying around 50 works from the family's collection of post-war Italian art, including pieces by Arte Povera artists such as Alighiero Boetti, Mario Merz, and Jannis Kounellis. The venture is the latest in a series of heritage hotel restorations by the family, who previously revived the Grand Hotel Tremezzo and Passalacqua.

art untitled fair houston collectors

Cultured magazine profiles Houston collectors Leigh and Reggie Smith as the city's Untitled Art Fair opens. The couple, who have collected contemporary art for over 30 years, discuss their diverse collection spanning international and local artists, including works by Yinka Shonibare, Francis Picabia, and overlooked mid-century women artists. They highlight Houston's collaborative art ecosystem, public art funding, and the distinct character of its scattered venues.

detroit institute of arts dia 1976 ad spot remake 2732440

The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) has released a 50th-anniversary remake of its iconic 1976 television commercial, "You Gotta Have Art." The original spot, created by advertising agency W.B. Doner & Co., featured museum staff, volunteers, and local performers singing and dancing among masterpieces. The new version, directed by DIA's Director of Visual Media Adam Kosberg, recreates the original shot-for-shot, incorporating updated choreography, a Motown-influenced arrangement by Detroit musicians Marion Hayden and Alvin Waddles, and appearances by local artists including Carole Harris and Allie McGhee, who reprised their roles from the 1976 film. Over 200 museum employees and performers from Wayne State University participated in the production.

best outdoor new york activities

This article from Cultured magazine highlights seven outdoor art and performance activities in New York City for summer 2024. It covers MoMA PS1's Warm Up dance party series featuring monumental sculptures by Yto Barrada, Socrates Sculpture Park's annual fellows exhibition themed "Up/Rooted," Little Island's adventurous performance series including works by Suzan-Lori Parks and Laurie Anderson, Wave Hill's 60th-anniversary installations with Yoko Ono's wish tree and works by Monica Duncan and Sarah Jimenez, the Beach Sessions Dance Series on Rockaway Beach, and SummerStage NYC's music performances in Central Park.

May Things to Do: Visual Art

This article from a Seattle arts publication rounds up May visual art events, including the Seattle Art Book Fair (May 9–10) at Washington Hall featuring over 85 artists and free admission; Timothy White Eagle's exhibition "Once Wild River" (May 9–June 21) at Mini Mart City Park, culminating his EPA artist-in-residency; "Monochrome: Calder and Tara Donovan" (May 13–Jan 17, 2027) at the Seattle Art Museum, where Donovan responds to Alexander Calder's black works; "Rebels + Icons: The Photography of Janette Beckman" opening May 15 at MoPOP, the largest collection of her iconic musician portraits; and Drie Chapek's "Then Is Now" (May 21–June 27).

May 2026 Exhibitions

Several galleries and a museum in Columbus's Short North arts district are opening new exhibitions for May 2026. Highlights include a women's group show at Sean Christopher Gallery Ohio, environmental abstract paintings by Annette Poitau at Marcia Evans Gallery, a spring-themed solo exhibition by Amy Adams at Sharon Weiss Gallery, and a salon exhibition at 24 Lincoln St. Gallery & Art Studios. The Columbus Museum of Art at the Pizzuti is presenting the first U.S. museum survey of Bahamian conceptual artist Tavares Strachan, featuring his 'Encyclopedia of Invisibility'.

Inman Gallery Opens New Space in Midtown Houston

Inman Gallery in Houston is relocating to a new 8,500-square-foot space at 1502 Alabama Street in the Midtown neighborhood, after 20 years at its North Main Street location. Owner Kerry Inman will celebrate the move with a group exhibition titled *The Long View*, opening December 6, featuring 37 artists including JooYoung Choi, Erika Blumenfeld, and Angela Fraleigh. The building, originally an auto-body shop and later the Station Museum of Contemporary Art, was renovated by Dillon Kyle Architects to include three exhibition galleries, with a design concept likened to a geode—rough exterior, jewel-like interior.

HOPE Outdoor Gallery Makes Its Long-Awaited Return

The HOPE Outdoor Gallery, a beloved open-air graffiti art space in Austin, is preparing to reopen after six years of closure. Founder Andi Scull announced that the new site, located on an 8-acre plot near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, is purpose-built with four distinct sectors including a courtyard, a roofless circular structure, a garden, and a village of shipping containers. The layout is designed to spell out "HOPE" when viewed from planes landing or departing. The original location on Baylor Street closed in 2018, and the team has been working since then to secure a new home, with the goal of opening before the end of the year, pending permits.

Terrence Sanders-Smith opens art gallery and plans a Miami Basel-style art fest in New Orleans

Terrence Sanders-Smith, a former gallery owner who recently returned to New Orleans, has opened Smith Contemporary at 440 Julia Street in the city's historic Gallery Row. The gallery is one of the few Black-owned galleries in the area's history. Sanders-Smith plans to sell work by racially diverse artists and is organizing a new national art fair, modeled after Miami Basel, to launch as soon as spring 2026. The article also features commentary from former gallery owner Myesha Francis on the importance of Black-owned spaces for artists and audiences of color.

A new art center debuts in an old Denver fortune cookie factory

Amanda Precourt is opening the Cookie Factory, a new art space in Denver's Baker neighborhood, on May 24. Housed in a former fortune cookie factory that Precourt purchased in 2017, the 5,700-square-foot venue features four exhibition rooms, two solo shows per year, and monthly activations. The inaugural activation on June 21 will include yoga and sound baths led by local healers. Precourt, a Denver native and philanthropist, has transformed the dilapidated building with her partner, artist Andrew Jensdotter, and added a second-story apartment for her personal contemporary art collection. The space will not display her collection but will commission new works inspired by Colorado's environment.

dinkins building civic fate statue public tours 2742739

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced that the rooftop of the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building in Manhattan will open for free public tours starting in June. The initiative, part of a $6 million improvement project, will allow visitors to access the cupola directly beneath the building's iconic 25-foot-tall gilded statue, Civic Fate, and enjoy panoramic views of the city.

Kuala Lumpur looks set to enter its “museum moment” this year

Kuala Lumpur is experiencing a surge of new museum and gallery openings, signaling a significant expansion of its cultural infrastructure. Key developments include the recent opening of the heritage site Seri Negara and the restored Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad, with major upcoming projects like the Merdeka Textile Museum and the Muara Arts gallery set to launch later in 2026.

How Sacramento artists are turning away from traditional markets to sell their work

Veteran Sacramento artist Tony Natsoulas, whose ceramic sculptures are held in 18 museum collections including SFMOMA, has shifted away from traditional commercial galleries to sell directly through his mailing list, newsletter, and biannual open studios. The article examines Sacramento's shrinking commercial gallery scene, where only a handful of spaces like Barry Sakata's b. sakata garo remain after 27 years, while venues such as Kennedy Gallery, Jay Jay, and Brickhouse Gallery have closed. Sakata reports declining sales due to political uncertainty, though a city grant of $10,000 has helped sustain his gallery.

AGB Museum in Lakeland stages its largest student art exhibit

The Ashley Gibson Barnett (AGB) Museum of Art in Lakeland, Florida, has launched its largest-ever student art exhibition, featuring 187 award-winning works from Polk County students in grades seven through twelve. The showcase includes regional and national winners of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards across various media, including ceramics, photography, and digital painting. Notably, eighth-grader Sophia De La Cruz’s mixed-media piece, "Blast of Emotions," was selected for the museum’s permanent collection, placing her work alongside masters like David Hockney and Robert Rauschenberg.

Harlow Artists celebrated in Harlow Open 2026 exhibition

The Harlow Open 2026 has launched at the Gibberd Gallery, showcasing 205 selected works from nearly 500 submissions by regional artists. Curated by Laura Noble, the exhibition features a diverse range of media including acrylic painting, sculpture, and experimental photography. Top honors were awarded to Martin Barrall for his painting of Epping Forest, with other major prizes going to Joe Fordham and Jim Brown, alongside special category awards for painting and sculpture.

RAM’s PEEPS® Art Exhibition Returns April 1–18 in Racine

The Racine Art Museum (RAM) has announced the 17th edition of its annual PEEPS Art Exhibition, running from April 1–18, 2026. This year’s community-driven showcase moves into a larger gallery space and features a special commission by Chicago artist Andrea Jablonski titled "Enjoy the PEEPS Show," which reimagines iconic sculptures by artists like Picasso and Bourgeois using the marshmallow candy's form. The event includes a diverse range of media, from 3-D printing to glass fusing, submitted by artists of all ages.

In Piedmont, Langhe, Roero and Monferrato increasingly focus on contemporary art and cultural tourism

In Piemonte le Langhe, il Roero e il Monferrato puntano sempre di più sull’arte contemporanea e il turismo culturale

The Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato regions of Piedmont, Italy, have consolidated their cultural alliance under the name Orma, a unified system launched in 2025 that brings together four existing festivals—Creativamente Roero, Resté, Germinale Monferrato Art Fest, and La collina sale sempre—to offer a widespread contemporary art program across the UNESCO World Heritage territory. In 2026, Orma expands its activities from May to November, involving over 60 municipalities, with new entries like Canelli hosting a site-specific work by Brazilian artist Maria Theresa Alves in partnership with Castello di Rivoli, and projects such as Prospettive / Perspectives with Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo and Villa Arson. The program includes artist residencies, permanent interventions, and exhibitions, with Resté already underway in the Langhe towns of Diano d'Alba, Montelupo Albese, Rodello, and Cerretto Langhe.

Arty Parties: Your Guide to September's First Friday in Denver

Denver’s art scene is preparing for a busy spring and summer season with a series of exhibition openings, market events, and institutional announcements. Key highlights include the selection of six fellows for the 2026 Clyfford Still Museum Institute Residential Fellowship, a nationwide open call for the Dairy Arts Center’s 2027 season, and several new gallery shows featuring artists such as Stacey Steers, Kim Dickey, and Deanne Gertner. Local advocacy is also in focus as the RiNo Art District supports Colorado Senate Bill 26-133, which aims to establish a formal legal structure for artist-led companies.

AOY Art Center’s 14th Juried Show set to open

The AOY Art Center in Yardley, Pennsylvania, is launching its 14th annual Juried Show, featuring 137 selected works from over 425 regional submissions. Curated by Amanda C. Burdan of the Brandywine Museum of Art, the exhibition spans various mediums including painting, sculpture, and photography. The show opens April 10 with a public reception and includes specialized honors such as the Frumi Cohen memorial award for wildlife art.

San Juan’s Artists Are Shaping Puerto Rico’s Cultural Future One Space at a Time

Larissa De Jesús Negrón and other Puerto Rican artists are driving a cultural renaissance in San Juan, with grassroots galleries, collectives, and adaptive institutions redefining how art is produced and shared. This surge follows Hurricane Maria and the pandemic, bolstered by global attention from figures like Bad Bunny and exhibitions such as the 2023 Whitney show "no existe un mundo poshuracán." Art dealer Walter Otero notes that the scene has strengthened through local residencies, fellowships, and Puerto Rican curators in U.S. institutions, while spaces like EMBAJADA, founded by Christopher Rivera and Manuela Paz, reject the white-cube model to engage broader local audiences.

Chicago's New Design Hub | MoCP's Tonika Lewis Johnson Show | Inside Bar Tutto

Volume Gallery is relocating to a larger space at 1700 West Hubbard Street in Chicago, opening in February with a group exhibition titled 'The Heresy of Legacy.' The Museum of Contemporary Photography announced a solo exhibition by MacArthur Fellow Tonika Lewis Johnson for fall 2027. Elise Seigenthaler Gallery will open in West Town on January 9, while Christina Vassallo is leaving Cincinnati's Contemporary Arts Center to join the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. Additionally, Novak Construction is set to buy the southern portion of Lincoln Yards, and a River North office building will be converted into apartments.

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The Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA) announced it would remain closed on Sunday for safety reasons after a Border Patrol agent shot and killed Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, during an ICE operation in Minneapolis on Saturday. The shooting occurred just blocks from the museum, and MIA had already closed early on Saturday following the news. The closure was part of a broader Day of Truth and Freedom protest against ICE operations in Minnesota, and the NBA also postponed a Timberwolves game in response to the incident.

stretch of downtown manhattan renamed jean michel basquiat way 1234758099

A stretch of Great Jones Street in downtown Manhattan between Bowery and Lafayette has been officially renamed "Jean-Michel Basquiat Way" in a ceremony co-organized by the Basquiat estate and the New York City Council. The street naming honors the late artist, who lived and worked in a second-floor space at 57 Great Jones Street from 1983 until his death in 1988, a property he rented from Andy Warhol. The event featured remarks from Basquiat's sisters Lisane Basquiat and Jeanine Heriveaux, along with city officials and cultural figures.

freddy gallery church sale 2737217

Artist Joshua Abelow is selling the 100-year-old former Methodist church in Harris, New York, that housed his unconventional gallery Freddy from 2016 until last year. Listed at $649,000, the 3,500-square-foot building served as both Abelow's home and studio, hosting over three dozen exhibitions featuring artists such as Rafael Ferrer, Cheryl Donegan, Jörg Immendorff, and emerging talents. Abelow, who moved to Santa Fe with his family, hopes a creative buyer will continue using the space for cultural endeavors. He has since launched a new collaborative venue called Gene & Fred in Santa Fe with Keith J. Varadi's Gene's Dispensery.

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New York City has abandoned plans to demolish Soho's Elizabeth Street Garden for affordable housing, instead rezoning three nearby sites to build 620 units while preserving the garden. The deal, brokered with council member Christopher Marte—a former garden volunteer—ends a years-long campaign backed by celebrities like Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, and Patti Smith, as well as artists JR and Dustin Yellin and curator Klaus Biesenbach. The garden, filled with antique architectural remnants, was created by the late Allan Reiver and his son Joseph Reiver, who continued the fight after Allan's death in 2021.

A Deep Dive Into Westchester’s Arts Scene Right Now

This article surveys the visual arts scene in Westchester County, New York, highlighting museums, galleries, public displays, and artist profiles north of Manhattan. It features institutions such as the Neuberger Museum of Art, ArtsWestchester, Hammond Museum & Japanese Stroll Garden, Hudson River Museum, and Hudson Valley MOCA, noting specific exhibitions like "Smoke in Our Hair: Native Memory and Unsettled Time" and "Bill Viola: Moving Stillness." The piece emphasizes that Westchester offers a vibrant, bucolic alternative to New York City's art scene, with historic estates and contemporary spaces showcasing both established and emerging artists.