Dartmouth Students Renew Calls to Remove Leon Black’s Name From Arts Center

Students at Dartmouth College have intensified their campaign to remove billionaire collector Leon Black’s name from the school’s visual arts center. The renewed push follows the release of Department of Justice files detailing Black’s extensive financial ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including $170 million in payments for tax and estate advice. While Black has denied all allegations of misconduct and his legal team maintains he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal activities, student leaders are citing the college's recent decision to strip César Chávez’s name from a fellowship as a precedent for moral accountability.

Dartmouth Students Renew Efforts to Rename Leon Black–Funded Arts Center

Dartmouth College students have reignited a campaign to rename the Black Family Visual Arts Center, a campus facility funded by billionaire investor Leon Black. The movement, led by freshman Oscar Rempe-Hiam and supported by student government, criticizes the administration's lack of urgency in distancing the institution from Black, whose long-standing ties to Jeffrey Epstein and personal allegations of sexual misconduct have sparked years of controversy.

DePaul Art Museum Advisory Board Calls on University to Save the Institution, Expressing ‘Anger, Frustration, and Deep Sadness’ Over Abrupt Closure

The advisory board of Chicago's DePaul Art Museum has sent a strongly worded letter to DePaul University leadership, condemning the decision to permanently close the 40-year-old museum on June 30. The letter, signed by board chair Scott J. Hunter and members including artists Brendan Fernandes and former Expo Chicago head Tony Karman, expresses "anger, frustration, and deep sadness" over the abrupt closure and the university's unilateral plans for the museum's 4,000-object collection.

Beijing Artists Association Holds Third Session of Seventh Council and Art Committee Work Conference

北京美术家协会召开第七届理事会第三次会议、艺委会工作会议

The Beijing Artists Association convened its Seventh Council Third Session and Art Committee Work Conference at the Beijing Conference Center. The meeting was chaired by Fan Di'an, President of both the China Artists Association and the Beijing Artists Association, with Ma Xinming, Party Secretary and Executive Vice Chairman of the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, also delivering a speech. Key agenda items included reviewing the council's work report, discussing a draft five-year high-quality development action plan for the city's art sector, and announcing the membership list for a new working committee focused on new artistic groups. The afternoon featured group discussions where participants proposed recommendations on thematic creation, technology integration, talent cultivation, and rural revitalization.

Did the US Holocaust Memorial Museum self-censor to preempt Trump’s wrath?

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) is facing allegations of preemptive self-censorship to avoid conflict with the Trump administration. Former employees report that the institution removed online educational resources linking Jim Crow laws to Nazi ideology, unlisted videos discussing American racism, and renamed or cancelled workshops focused on the "fragility of democracy." While a museum spokesperson denied these claims, internal emails suggest leadership was concerned about how certain terms might be interpreted in the current political climate.

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Eight preservation societies have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to halt a planned two-year closure and renovation of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The legal action alleges that the administration is bypassing federal historic preservation and environmental laws, as well as necessary Congressional approval, to fundamentally alter the modernist landmark. The suit specifically targets the administration's lack of transparency regarding the extent of the work, which plaintiffs fear could include demolition and reconstruction.

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Former Museum of Modern Art director Glenn Lowry has publicly defended billionaire collector Leon Black regarding his continued presence on the museum's board despite his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Lowry emphasized Black's financial commitment to the institution, specifically citing his role in preventing staff layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic and his decision to step down as board chair in 2021 to protect the museum from further controversy.

Philadelphia Museum of Art to experiment with pay-what-you-wish tickets on Friday nights

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is reinstating a pay-what-you-wish admission policy for Friday nights from April 2026 through Labor Day. This initiative, funded by the William Penn Foundation and board chair Ellen Caplan, coincides with the museum's 150th anniversary and the launch of "Nation of Artists," a massive collaborative exhibition with the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts featuring over 1,000 works.

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President Donald Trump has initiated a controversial overhaul of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., renaming it the 'Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts' and appointing himself chairman. Following the dismissal of long-time president Deborah Rutter and the installation of a board led by Richard Grenell, the institution has pivoted toward conservative programming, leading to a 93% to 57% drop in ticket sales and high-profile boycotts from artists like Philip Glass. The center is now slated for a two-year closure starting after July 4 for major renovations, a move that has sparked alarm among preservationists and political figures.

Shanghai Artists Association Holds Third Meeting of Its Ninth Council

上海美协九届三次理事会召开

The Shanghai Artists Association convened its Ninth Council Third Meeting at the Shanghai Literary and Art Hall. Key figures including Fang Kun, Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and Zeng Chenggang, Chairman of the Shanghai Artists Association, delivered speeches reviewing the association's 2025 achievements and outlining plans for 2026. The meeting focused on five major work areas: ideological guidance, creating high-quality artworks, embracing technological change, innovating service mechanisms, and expanding international influence. Over 60 council members participated in discussions covering exhibition optimization, talent cultivation, art-tech integration, and improving association services.