Vasari Art Codex

article local schedule May 5, 2026 visibility 6 link 5 artists

New for 2026: Philly's Newest Museums, Galleries & Attractions

Philadelphia is celebrating America's 250th anniversary (the Semiquincentennial) in 2026 with the opening of several new museums, galleries, and attractions. These include Calder Gardens, a dedicated space for Alexander Calder's work on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway; Ministry of Awe, an immersive six-story art experience by Meg Saligman in a former bank; a new permanent Indigenous gallery at the Penn Museum; and a Netflix House experience at King of Prussia mall. The article also mentions the First Bank of the United States museum, the Philly Pride Visitor Center, and the Pennsylvania Hospital Museum as part of the city's anniversary additions.

newspaper Visit Philadelphia open_in_new Read original

article local schedule May 1, 2026 visibility 10 link 1 artist

Ellen Noël Art Museum Looks Toward Future Following Renovation & Reopening

The Ellen Noël Art Museum of the Permian Basin in Odessa, Texas, reopened in December 2025 after a decade-long, $20 million renovation. The project added 8,000 square feet, a new silver oval exterior, a two-story lobby, renovated galleries, and a state-of-the-art lighting system. The museum is currently in transition, with interim director Steve Patton overseeing operations while a search for a permanent executive director is underway. Recent exhibitions include "Home, Love, and Loss" and "Shifting Subjects: The Heroes of the West."

newspaper Glasstire open_in_new Read original

article local schedule May 6, 2026 visibility 3 link 10 artists, 2 galleries

❤️ Atlanta, with love

This article from Rough Draft's Sketchbook newsletter highlights two Atlanta-focused art stories. Painter Carlos Solis, who left Venezuela for Kennesaw nearly two decades ago, curates "In the Beginning," a group exhibition opening May 9 at the Hudgens Center's Fowler Gallery in Duluth, featuring 15 artists from around the world who now call Georgia home. Separately, designer and illustrator George F. Baker III, originally from Nebraska and shaped by Detroit, was commissioned by the Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs to create the key art for the 49th annual Atlanta Jazz Festival, and he discusses how the musical souls of both Detroit and Atlanta influenced his design.

newspaper Rough Draft Atlanta open_in_new Read original

article local schedule May 7, 2026 visibility 1 link 2 artists

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.

newspaper SBU News open_in_new Read original

article local schedule May 6, 2026 visibility 2

$100M Brandywine Conservancy expansion aims to ‘completely reimagine’ visitor experience

The Brandywine Conservancy in Chadds Ford, Delaware County, has announced a $100 million expansion plan aimed at transforming the visitor experience. The project will increase exhibition capacity by 80% and open 10 miles of new trails on the campus, significantly expanding the institution's footprint and public offerings.

newspaper The Business Journals open_in_new Read original

article local schedule May 4, 2026 source 2 sources visibility 3 link 1 artist

Vacant Cincinnati warehouse to become new visual arts center

A long-vacant warehouse on Stathem Avenue in Westwood, Ohio, is being converted into the Apropos Art Society, a visual arts center. The project will include eight artist studios, a classroom for public workshops, and an art gallery, with the owners collaborating with an architect and contractor to transform the former plumbing warehouse. The center is expected to open by the end of the year.

newspaper WKRC open_in_new Read original

article local schedule May 1, 2026 visibility 2 link 1 artist

'A space that feels like us, that looks like us'

The Center for Black Excellence and Culture will open on West Badger Road in Madison on May 6, after years of planning and raising over $32 million from roughly 1,300 donors. The facility includes a central gallery, display spaces, a 280-seat fine arts theater, a black box theater, a library, a Black studies reading room, a recording studio, and a women's empowerment center. The grand opening will feature performances by The House Urban Arts Initiative Inc., Dana Pellebon, Theola Carter, Anthony Brown, and others. The inaugural visual arts exhibition, "Neo Black Renaissance: A Vision in One's Mind," will run through August, showcasing works by artists including Comfort Wasikhongo, Odalo Wasikhongo, Marlon Banks, Brooklyn Doby, Jessica Patterson, Fatima Laster, and Shalicia Johnson.

newspaper Isthmus | Madison, Wisconsin open_in_new Read original

article local schedule May 6, 2026 visibility 4

MOCAD reopens after major upgrades, ushering in a new era

The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) has reopened after undergoing major upgrades. The glass facade, once a quiet mirror to Woodward Avenue, now actively draws visitors inside, marking a new chapter for the institution.

newspaper Detroit Free Press open_in_new Read original

article local schedule May 7, 2026 link 3 artists, 2 galleries

City of the Arts? Costa Mesa called out for not having official arts budget

Costa Mesa’s Arts Commission delivered a report to the City Council on Tuesday, calling for a significant increase in arts funding as the city updates its arts and culture master plan. Currently, arts programs are primarily funded by a portion of cannabis tax revenue—about $230,000 annually—but actual expenditures are nearly double that, forcing the city to use general fund revenue to cover the gap. Commissioners recommended establishing a public art fund, increasing the cannabis tax allocation, imposing a 1% public art fee on capital projects over $500,000, and potentially using hotel-stay tax revenue to support the arts. They also proposed expanding the arts grants program, funding a consultant to update the master plan, and creating a dedicated arts specialist position.

newspaper Los Angeles Times open_in_new Read original