Chanel Renews Financial Support of Centre Pompidou During Long-Term Renovation

Chanel has renewed its financial partnership with Paris's Centre Pompidou, extending their collaboration through another five-year agreement. The luxury fashion house will continue supporting the museum's operations, acquisitions, and exhibitions, despite the Pompidou being closed until 2030 for a major renovation costing over $500 million. Chanel previously sponsored the museum's acquisition of 21 artworks by 15 contemporary Chinese artists in 2024 and supported the related exhibition “目 China: A New Generation of Artists.” The renewed investment aims to bolster access, scholarship, and preservation of public knowledge.

Spanish Government Threatens to Fire Director of Museo Reina Sofía

Manuel Segade, director of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Spain, has been threatened with removal by lawmakers if he does not complete a full inventory of the museum’s over 25,000 artworks by December 31, 2025. The pressure comes from Spain’s Court of Auditors, which has criticized the museum’s cataloguing methods for years, and is backed by the far-right and the conservative Popular Party. Segade, appointed in 2023, has been overseeing a multi-year renovation and has increased the representation of women artists to 35%, though only 15% of the collection’s 26,000 pieces are by women. The museum recently refused to lend Picasso’s *Guernica* to the Guggenheim Bilbao, and a pro-Israel group filed a complaint over a Palestinian flag display and a seminar series.

british museum explains removal palestinian wall texts

The British Museum has disputed a Telegraph report claiming it removed the word 'Palestinian' from wall texts under pressure from the pro-Israel group UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI). The museum stated that while some text was changed last year, using 'Canaanite descent' for a specific historical period, it continues to use 'Palestinian' as a cultural identifier where appropriate and that the changes predated the UKLFI letter. Museum director Nicholas Cullinan denied the changes were a response to the group's complaint, expressing frustration over the situation.

damascus university bans nude models

Damascus University in Syria has begun strictly enforcing a 1974 ban on nude models in its fine arts departments—sculpture, painting, engraving, and printmaking—threatening students with a failing grade if they use nude figures. Fine arts dean Fouad Dahdouh issued the directive, citing ethical and societal values, despite being a practicing artist who himself has created artworks depicting nude figures. Students have pushed back, calling the policy a violation of academic freedom and organizing a peaceful protest.

Why is the French government spending millions on art no one sees?

The French government agency Centre national des arts plastiques (CNAP), established in 1982 to support living artists and collect their work, has come under scrutiny following two opposing government reports. A July white paper by Martin Bethenod recommended refocusing CNAP's acquisitions on France-based artists and galleries, while a November report from the Cour des Comptes by Julien Aubert found the agency financially fragile and redundant, noting that 24,472 works—one quarter of its collection—have never been exhibited. Aubert recommended closing the CNAP by 2030, sparking backlash from over 1,000 art professionals who signed an open letter criticizing the ideological attack on public cultural service.

This Historic Art Museum In Seattle Now Has Free Admission For All

Seattle's Henry Art Gallery, located on the University of Washington campus, has permanently waived its admission fee, making entry free for all visitors at any time. Previously, tickets cost between $6 and $10, with free admission limited to the first Thursday of each month and certain groups such as students, children, and military personnel. The museum, which opened in 1927 as Washington state's first public art museum, now spans 40,000 square feet and includes galleries, a cafe, a 154-seat auditorium, and the James Turrell Skyspace installation.

‘The arts are vanishing from education’: new report urges UK government to invest in arts sector

A coalition of UK arts organizations, including Contemporary Visual Arts England (CVAN) and the Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS), has presented a new report titled 'Framing the Future: The Political Case for Strengthening the Visual Arts Ecosystem' to parliament. Written by Eliza Easton of the Erskine Analysis think tank, the report calls for a £5m grassroots visual arts fund to address the shortage of affordable studio spaces, a UK Cultural Investment Partnership Fund to encourage philanthropic donations, expanded funding for the Art & Design National Saturday Club, and reinstatement of high-cost funding for creative subjects in higher education. Artists including Tracey Emin and Larry Achiampong have voiced support, warning that arts are disappearing from state education.

Hamburg Culture Prize No Longer Named After Biermann-Ratjen

Hamburger Kulturpreis heißt nicht mehr nach Biermann-Ratjen

The Hamburg Senate has renamed the Senator-Biermann-Ratjen Medal, a prestigious cultural award, to the "Medaille für Kunst und Kultur in Hamburg" (Medal for Art and Culture in Hamburg). The decision follows a 2024 review of historical records revealing that Hans Harder Biermann-Ratjen (1901–1969), the former culture senator for whom the medal was named, was a member of the Nazi Party (NSDAP). Historian Helmut Stubbe da Luz presented evidence in June 2024 that Biermann-Ratjen had disclosed his NSDAP membership in a 1943 application to the Reich Literature Chamber when seeking to publish a novel.

“Flagrant Act of Censorship”: NCAC & ACLU of Texas Call Out UNT Over Gallery Shutdown

The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) and the ACLU of Texas have issued a formal challenge to the University of North Texas (UNT) following the abrupt closure of an exhibition by artist Victor “Marka 27” Quiñonez. The show, titled 'Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá', featured works exploring Latin American identity and immigration, including pieces critical of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Shortly after opening, the university shuttered the gallery, covered the windows, and terminated the artist's loan agreement without providing a clear explanation.