Sony world photography awards 2026 – in pictures

The 2026 Sony World Photography Awards have announced their top honors across professional, open, student, and youth categories. Notable winners include Citlali Fabián for her series on Indigenous activists in Mexico, Seungho Kim for a project exploring the intersection of parenting and pet ownership in South Korea, and Dafna Talmor for her abstracted, collaged landscapes. The winning works span a diverse range of subjects, from the documentation of a fire at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm to intimate portraits of faith at the Vatican.

Comment | All hail the rise of the art internship

Sotheby's auction house and Sotheby's Institute of Art, through their parent company Edconic, have launched a formalized, paid fellowship program. The initiative places 20 master's students from the Institute's New York program into 12-week paid internships at the auction house, with plans to expand to London and eventually involve 60 students. The program aims to provide practical, credit-earning work experience directly within the art market.

Vittoria Matarrese new director of the Magasin in Grenoble

Vittoria Matarrese nouvelle directrice du Magasin de Grenoble

Vittoria Matarrese has been appointed as the new director of the Magasin, the National Center for Contemporary Art in Grenoble. The Italian architect and curator, who previously held positions at the Villa Medici in Rome, the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, and the Bally Foundation in Lugano, and most recently led the first Art Week Riyadh, succeeds Céline Kopp. Her appointment comes as the institution seeks a new direction after a prolonged period of crisis.

Salford Uni’s Energy House 2.0 appoints new Iranian-born artist in residence

Iranian-born artist Omid Asadi has been appointed as the new artist-in-residence at the University of Salford’s Energy House 2.0 research facility. Running from Spring 2026 through the end of the year, the residency will see Asadi collaborate with researchers at the world-leading climate laboratory, which features two massive chambers capable of simulating extreme global weather conditions. The artist plans to create new installations and sculptures in response to the facility's pioneering retrofit research, specifically focusing on a recreated 1930s-era house.

christophe leribault louvre president appointment 1234774536

French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Christophe Leribault as the new president of the Louvre Museum, following the sudden resignation of Laurence des Cars. Leribault, an 18th-century art expert who was currently serving as the director of the Palace of Versailles, takes over the institution during a period of significant internal crisis. In a concurrent move, Annick Lemoine was named the new director of the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée de l’Orangerie, filling the vacancy left by the late Sylvain Amic.

Embattled Louvre Director Laurence des Cars Resigns

embattled louvre director laurence des cars resigns 2748308

Laurence des Cars has resigned as director of the Louvre Museum following months of intense scrutiny and institutional turmoil. Her departure, accepted by French President Emmanuel Macron, comes in the wake of a massive $102 million jewelry heist in October 2025 that exposed severe security lapses, outdated infrastructure, and systemic management failures. Despite proposing a major security overhaul and a massive modernization project, Des Cars faced mounting pressure from government audits, staff walkouts, and investigations into ticket fraud.