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Amy Sherald, the painter who canceled her exhibition “American Sublime” at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in July due to censorship issues, has broken her silence in a MSNBC article. Sherald canceled her September show after the museum considered removing her painting *Trans Forming Liberty* (2024), depicting model and performance artist Arewà Basit as a Black transgender Statue of Liberty. In her op-ed, Sherald explains that institutional fear shaped by political hostility toward trans lives played a role, and she cannot comply with a culture of censorship targeting vulnerable communities.

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Artists in the United States are facing heightened repression, including censorship, funding cuts, and deportation threats, during the first 100 days of Donald Trump's second presidential term. The administration's executive orders have targeted cultural institutions, with a campaign to purge the Smithsonian of 'improper ideology' and the gutting of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Funding for arts grants, particularly those focused on underserved communities, has been canceled or left in limbo, creating a climate of fear and uncertainty.

V&A Pulls Catalog Materials Due to Chinese Censorship Laws

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London has admitted to removing maps and images from two exhibition catalogs following censorship demands from a Chinese printing firm. Documents revealed that C&C Offset Printing flagged content in the catalogs for the exhibitions "Music Is Black" and "Fabergé: Romance to Revolution" as violating Chinese law. The censored items included a 1930s map of British trade routes and a photograph of Vladimir Lenin, which the printer claimed could not be produced under Beijing’s strict regulations.

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The Louvre will raise ticket prices by 45 percent for non-E.U. visitors starting January 14, 2026, with tickets increasing to €32 ($37) for travelers from the U.S., U.K., and China, while E.U. visitors continue to pay €22. The price hike, announced on November 27, is expected to generate €15–20 million annually to fund modernization plans, following intense criticism over aging infrastructure and a $102 million jewel heist in October. The museum also faces structural issues, including the temporary closure of parts of its Sully wing due to fragile support beams, and has implemented an €80 million security master plan.

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The British Museum faced criticism from archaeologists and online commentators after posting AI-generated images on its Instagram and Facebook accounts. The posts, which featured a young AI-generated woman in various cultural outfits gazing at museum objects, were removed within hours after a wave of negative feedback. The museum stated it does not post AI-created images and removed the content due to its sensitivity.

UK museum directors join prime minister on diplomatic mission to China

A delegation of senior UK museum directors, including Tim Reeve of the Victoria and Albert Museum, Doug Gurr of the Natural History Museum, Keith Merrin of North East Museums, Sara Wajid of Birmingham Museums Trust, and Laura Pye of National Museums Liverpool, accompanied Prime Minister Keir Starmer on a three-day diplomatic and trade mission to China. The trip aimed to strengthen bilateral relations, with the museum leaders highlighting existing partnerships and exploring new opportunities for cultural exchange and commercial collaboration in the Chinese market.

Baltimore Museum of Art receives $10m gift to support education initiatives

The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) has received a $10 million gift from the Stoneridge Foundation, founded by philanthropists Amy and Marc Meadows, to support its art education department. This is the largest single donation in the museum's history. The funds will expand educational initiatives including transportation for school visits, free family activities, a two-year pass system for students, teaching apprenticeships for undergraduates from nearby universities like the Maryland Institute College of Art, and new educator positions. The gift also supports a series of events exploring museums as civic organizations and fostering diversity in the field.

Nicholas Galanin pulls out of Smithsonian event, claiming censorship

Nicholas Galanin, a multidisciplinary artist and member of the Sitka Tribe of Alaska, withdrew from a symposium hosted by the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM), citing government censorship. The symposium accompanies the exhibition *The Shape of Power: Stories of Race and American Sculpture*, which President Donald Trump labeled as “divisive” and “race-centred” in a March 27 executive order. Galanin alleged that the event was made private with a curated guest list and that he was asked not to record or share it on social media. SAAM denied the censorship claims, stating the event was never publicly listed and that participants were encouraged to share with their networks. Galanin’s 2016 work *The Imaginary Indian (Totem Pole)* is featured in the exhibition.

Galleries condemned, bones exploding… The National Museum of Natural History is in a serious state of disrepair, warns its president

Galeries condamnées, ossements qui explosent… Le Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle est dans un grave état de vétusté, alerte son président

The president of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle in Paris, Gilles Bloch, has issued a public alarm about the institution's severe state of disrepair. He warns that 74% of the museum complex is in grave danger, with urgent repairs costing an estimated €500 million needed to prevent collapse and reopen closed galleries. The deterioration includes mold-infested herbariums, flooded archives, and mineralized bones exploding due to heat and humidity, threatening the museum's world-class collection of over 70 million specimens.

DHS Appropriates Japanese Artist’s Work in Racist X Post

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) used a painting by Japanese artist Hiroshi Nagai in a social media post without his permission. The agency cropped his 2017 untitled beach scene and overlaid it with the text "America After 100 Million Deportations," accompanied by a caption about national peace. Nagai, 78, expressed being "at a loss" and disappointed that a government agency would use his work to promote a political message he does not endorse.

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A South African high court has dismissed artist Gabrielle Goliath’s urgent application to reinstate her selection for the 61st Venice Biennale. Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie canceled Goliath’s pavilion, titled "Elegy," labeling the work "highly divisive" just days before the official submission deadline. The artist and curator Ingrid Masondo argued the cancellation was an act of censorship and a violation of constitutional freedom of expression, but the court rejected the bid without providing immediate reasons.

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Security guards at the de Young Museum in San Francisco have leveled serious allegations against the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF) and their union, SEIU 1021, citing a decade of workplace toxicity. Multiple lawsuits detail a culture of whistleblower retaliation, wrongful termination, and harassment, including claims of religious discrimination where a guard was allegedly called a "terrorist" and threatened with gun violence by management. To date, the city has paid out over $1 million to settle seven different lawsuits from security staff, with more litigation reportedly on the horizon.

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Egyptian Member of Parliament Freddy Elbaiady publicly criticized the Grand Egyptian Museum's ticketing system, which imposes separate quotas for foreign tourists and Egyptian nationals. The controversy erupted after overcrowding on a single day saw over 27,000 tickets sold—exceeding the daily limit of 20,000—leading to thousands of frustrated visitors being denied entry. Elbaiady submitted a formal request to remove the quota, calling it discriminatory, and demanded a briefing from the Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism. In response, the museum announced a shift to a pre-booking system with designated entry times, implemented last week, and starting December 1, online booking will be the only method for purchasing tickets.

Italian Culture Minister Launches Inspection of Venice Biennale’s Russian Pavilion

Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli has launched an official inspection of the Russian Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale, just days before the exhibition opens. An inspector has been sent to Venice to review all documentation related to Russia's participation, focusing on potential irregularities such as visa issues for Russian artists and delegation members. The investigation follows the Biennale's international jury decision to exclude Russia and Israel from awards due to accusations of crimes against humanity. The Russian Pavilion will be open only during the pre-opening vernissage, after which it will close, with digital documentation displayed in its windows.

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Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III announced an internal review of the museum network's programming in response to an executive order from the Trump administration calling for a review of its content. In a letter to staff, Bunch stated the institution would conduct its own review to ensure programming is nonpartisan and factual, while asserting the Smithsonian's independence from the White House. This follows a March executive order claiming the Smithsonian had adopted a divisive, race-centered ideology, and earlier pressure to end DEI initiatives, which the Smithsonian had already closed in January. Bunch had lunch with President Trump after the White House released a list of artworks it denounced, and the administration previously claimed to have fired National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet over DEI support, though she later resigned.

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A new survey by Museums Moving Forward (MMF), the 2025 Report on Workplace Equity and Organizational Culture in U.S. Art Museums, finds that employees at smaller U.S. museums report higher job satisfaction than those at major institutions, despite persistent issues of low pay, burnout, and inequity. The report surveyed over 3,100 staff across 91 institutions, nearly double the number in MMF's 2023 study, and notes a sharp rise in union organizing, with 55% of art museum unions formed in the last five years. Non-union staff earn about 78% of unionized counterparts, though unionized workers report higher dissatisfaction. Smaller museums (budgets under $15 million) outperformed larger ones on well-being measures, suggesting workplace culture and agency matter more than pay.

Government gives East of England culture and arts venues £6.6m

The UK government has announced a £6.6 million investment in arts and culture venues across the East of England to support essential infrastructure upgrades and renovations. Key beneficiaries include Firstsite in Colchester and Snape Maltings in Suffolk, which are receiving significant grants for building repairs and environmental control systems. Other recipients range from the Natural History Museum in Colchester to the Wysing Arts Centre, with funds earmarked for everything from HVAC improvements to restoring Grade II listed structures.

Art freedom under fire

The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) censored an exhibition titled 'Constellation of Complicity: Visualising the Global Machinery of Authoritarian Solidarity' after pressure from the Chinese embassy. The exhibition, which opened on July 24, featured works by exiled artists from Myanmar, Iran, Russia, and Syria exploring authoritarian alliances. Following a visit by Chinese embassy staff, several works were removed, including a multimedia installation by a Tibetan artist, and texts mentioning 'Hong Kong', 'Tibet', and 'Uyghur' were redacted. The curator, Sai, a Myanmar artist in exile, said the interference was not unexpected.

Thai Art Center Censors Exhibition After “Pressure” From China

The Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC) censored an exhibition titled 'Constellation of Complicity: Visualising the Global Machinery of Authoritarian Solidarity' after pressure from the Chinese Embassy in Thailand. Works by artists from Hong Kong, Tibet, and the Uyghur diaspora were blacked out or removed to avoid 'diplomatic tensions between Thailand and China.' The curators fled the country after Chinese officials and Thai police visited the museum. Affected artists include Doc Tenzin, Mukaddas Mijit, Clara Cheung, and Gun Cheng Yee Man, whose names were blacked out, along with Tibetan and Uyghur flags and a graphic comparing China to Israel.

Christopher Columbus Statue Is Installed on White House Grounds

A replica statue of Christopher Columbus has been installed on the grounds of the White House, specifically outside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. This new installation replaces a statue of the explorer that was toppled by protesters in 2020.

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The Mütter Museum in Philadelphia, a medical history institution that has faced controversy over its handling of human remains, announced a new policy on August 19 for exhibiting its collection. The policy shifts focus toward the lives of patients and changes in medical history, developed through the two-year Postmortem Project involving focus groups and public meetings. The announcement follows backlash after former executive director Kate Quinn removed online exhibits in June 2023 as part of an ethical review, and subsequent staff departures.

Israel Reportedly Considers Banning Artist and NYC First Lady Rama Duwaji

Israel's Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism has reportedly moved to ban multimedia artist and New York City First Lady Rama Duwaji from entering the country. The ministry accuses the Syrian illustrator and ceramicist of antisemitism, citing her pro-Palestinian artwork, including the animation "Eyes on Jenin," and her past social media activity, such as liking a post describing Gaza as an "open-air prison."

Pablo Diaz, directeur de Sciences Po Rennes : « L’acte II de l’INSEAC de Guingamp »

Pablo Diaz, director of Sciences Po Rennes, announces that the Institut national supérieur de l'éducation artistique et culturelle (INSEAC) in Guingamp has been transferred from the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (Cnam) to Sciences Po Rennes as of January 1, 2026. The institute, which opened in 2021 and focuses on training, research, and resources for arts and cultural education, will now operate under public-sector governance with oversight from the French ministries of Culture, Education, and Higher Education. Diaz outlines plans to appoint a dedicated site director in Guingamp and establish a strategic orientation committee chaired by interministerial delegate Emmanuel Ethis, aiming to resolve past management and governance issues.

Aumenti salariali e welfare per i lavori della cultura. È stato firmato il nuovo Contratto Nazionale di Lavoro. L’intervista

A new national labor contract for Italy's cultural sector has been signed. The Federculture National Labor Contract, finalized on April 30, 2026, includes a 7.5% increase in minimum wages (effective December 1, 2024), doubled welfare contributions for healthcare, and a simplified job classification system. The agreement was reached between Federculture and major unions including FP CGIL, CISL FP, UIL FPL, and UIL PA, with negotiations for the 2025-2027 term set to resume on May 26.

“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.

Smithsonian National Museum of African Art delays LGBTQ Pride exhibit

The Smithsonian National Museum of African Art has postponed an upcoming exhibition featuring LGBTQ+ African artists until 2026, citing its "current budgetary situation." The delay comes amid heightened scrutiny of the Smithsonian by the Trump administration, raising concerns about political pressure on cultural institutions.