Art News. Vasari Codex

article policy schedule Feb 17, 2026 visibility 27 link 5 artists, 1 gallery

new york city museums climate mobilization act

The New York City Council passed the Climate Mobilization Act, a sweeping piece of legislation designed to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from large and mid-sized buildings. The law sets strict emissions reduction targets for 2024, 2030, 2040, and 2050, with the ultimate goal of an 80% reduction by 2050. Major cultural institutions like the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the New Museum, and the planned headquarters of Pace Gallery are among the buildings affected.

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article policy schedule Dec 12, 2025 visibility 22 link 8 artists, 1 gallery

moma ps1 free admission new york museum

MoMA PS1, the contemporary art satellite of New York's Museum of Modern Art, announced it will offer free admission to all visitors starting January 1, 2026, thanks to a $900,000 donation from entrepreneur Sonya Yu. Previously, only New York City residents received free entry, while others faced a suggested $10 fee. The move positions MoMA PS1 as New York's largest free art museum, joining institutions like the Bronx Museum of the Arts and the American Folk Art Museum.

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article policy schedule Apr 21, 2026 visibility 25 link 7 artists

Picasso’s Guernica is the ultimate emblem of the horrors of war. It has no place in Spain's partisan squabbles | María Ramírez

A political dispute has erupted in Spain over the potential temporary relocation of Pablo Picasso's iconic anti-war painting *Guernica*. The president of the Basque Country, Imanol Pradales, has formally requested the work be moved from Madrid's Reina Sofía museum to the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao for several months in 2027, framing it as a form of "reparation" for the Basque people. The Spanish government has rejected the request on conservation grounds, while conservative politicians have used the proposal to attack Basque nationalism.

newspaper The Guardian open_in_new Read original

article policy schedule Mar 5, 2026 visibility 23 link 4 artists

guggenheim union rally carol bove new contract

Unionized staff at the Guggenheim Museum staged a rally outside the institution during a VIP preview for artist Carol Bove, demanding a more robust second contract. Members of UAW Local 2110, including conservators, archivists, and educators, are protesting recent layoffs that cut 7% of the workforce and left remaining employees with unsustainable workloads. The union is currently negotiating for higher wages, lower healthcare benefit costs, and improved job security following a grievance filed against the museum in February 2025.

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article policy schedule Feb 17, 2026 visibility 11 link 7 artists

cvad unt canceled exhibition criticizing ice

The College of Visual Arts and Design Galleries at the University of North Texas abruptly canceled the solo exhibition "Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá (Not From Here, Not From There)" by artist Victor "Marka27" Quiñonez after it had been fully installed. The show, which includes works from his "I.C.E. Scream" series critically rebranding Immigration and Customs Enforcement as "Inhumane and Cruelty Enforcement," was removed without explanation, and gallery staff ceased communication with the artist.

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article policy schedule Jan 10, 2026 visibility 20 link 7 artists

south africa cancels gabrielle goliath gaza venice biennale

South Africa selected a work by artist Gabrielle Goliath for its Venice Biennale pavilion, then rescinded the decision on January 2, just eight days before the finalization deadline. The culture ministry, led by Minister Gayton McKenzie, objected to a section of Goliath's "Elegy" series that included words by Palestinian poet Hiba Abu Nada, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in 2023. The pavilion's selection committee publicly disagreed with the cancellation, calling it censorship and highlighting a history of mismanagement.

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article policy schedule Apr 9, 2026 visibility 22 link 9 artists, 1 gallery

What If Every City Provided Artists With Free Supplies?

Materials for the Arts (MFTA), a program of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, provides free art supplies and tools to over 4,500 organizations, including public schools, nonprofits, and social justice groups. By diverting millions of pounds of materials from landfills—ranging from film production sets to high-end fabrics—the organization has reallocated over $40 million worth of goods to the creative community. The program's leadership is now advocating for an expansion of this model, envisioning dedicated reuse centers in every borough to meet the growing demand for accessible creative resources.

newspaper Hyperallergic open_in_new Read original

article policy schedule Apr 8, 2026 visibility 22 link 3 artists

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.

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article policy schedule Dec 9, 2025 visibility 21 link 3 artists

moma ps1 free admission sonya yu gift

MoMA PS1 in New York will eliminate admission fees for all visitors starting in 2026, funded by a gift from collector and creative strategist Sonya Yu. The three-year initiative coincides with the museum's 50th anniversary and expands its existing free admission for New Yorkers to everyone. Director Connie Butler said the goal is to remove barriers and welcome broader audiences, including families with strollers, while Yu cited her own experience as a Chinese immigrant to explain her motivation.

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article policy schedule Nov 17, 2025 visibility 13 link 2 galleries

gallery climate coalition carbon five year report

The Gallery Climate Coalition (GCC), a London-based organization with 2,000 members across 60 countries, released a report titled "Five-Year Review of Climate Action in the Visual Arts" during London Art+Climate Week, timed with the UN climate summit Cop30 in Brazil. The report reveals that 80 percent of members who began tracking their carbon footprint in 2019 have reduced their impact by 25 percent, and are on track to cut emissions by 50 percent by 2030. Key sources of emissions include shipping, air travel, and energy use, accounting for 80 to 95 percent of members' carbon output. Christie's London, which hosted a launch event, reported a 69 percent reduction in emissions from 2019 to 2024 through renewable energy and reduced catalog publishing.

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article policy schedule Aug 26, 2025 visibility 21 link 5 artists, 2 galleries

Artists and Organizations Rally Against Censorship in Open Letter

Hundreds of arts organizations and professionals have signed an open letter denouncing censorship, titled 'Cultural Freedom Demands Collective Courage: A Nation-Wide Statement of Values and Principles for the Field of Arts and Culture.' The statement, issued by the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) and New York’s Vera List Center for Art and Politics, responds to the National Endowment for the Arts terminating over $27 million in grants. This follows President Donald Trump's second term, which has banned diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in federal government, forcing DEI offices at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Smithsonian Institution to close. The White House also published a list of artworks at the Smithsonian it deems to feature 'improper ideology.' The letter aims to rally cultural institutions against increasing pressure on programming decisions.

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article policy schedule Mar 12, 2026 visibility 17 link 1 artist

glenn lowry leon black trustee jeffrey epstein

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.

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article policy schedule Feb 13, 2026 visibility 14 link 4 artists

university of north texas victor quinonez exhibition censorship

The University of North Texas (UNT) abruptly canceled and removed artist Victor "Marka27" Quiñonez's traveling solo exhibition "Ni de Aquí, Ni de Alla" from its CVAD Gallery, locking the gallery doors and drawing blinds over the windows. The university terminated the loan agreement with Boston University Art Galleries, which originated the show, and scrubbed all mentions of the exhibition from its website and social media without providing a reason to the artist.

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article policy schedule Oct 3, 2025 visibility 16 link 3 artists

Former MoMA chief voices concern for future of non-profit US museums

Glenn Lowry, the influential former director of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, expressed deep concern that non-profit U.S. museums could lose their tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status under the Trump administration. Speaking on the podcast "The Art World: What If…?!" hosted by Charlotte Burns, Lowry warned that the federal government is prepared to exert significant power to achieve its ambitions, potentially revoking the tax exemption that he calls the "magic wand" behind America's robust cultural programming. His comments follow a House bill passed in November that would allow the Treasury Secretary broad powers to revoke non-profit status, though the bill has stalled in the Senate.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

article policy schedule Jun 26, 2025 visibility 20 link 6 artists

Tate launches US-style endowment fund, with aim of raising £150m by 2030

Tate has launched the Tate Future Fund, a US-style endowment fund aiming to raise £150 million by 2030 to secure its long-term financial future. More than £43 million has already been raised, announced at a fundraising gala in Tate Modern's Turbine Hall marking the museum's 25th anniversary, attended by artists Steve McQueen and Tracey Emin. Tate director Maria Balshaw explained that the fund will sit separately, managed by the Tate Foundation, with only the interest drawn annually to support artistic creativity, groundbreaking exhibitions, collection building, research, and public benefit programs like school and family learning.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

article policy schedule Oct 3, 2025 source 2 sources visibility 14 link 3 artists

New York City provides long-term support to five local arts organisations

The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) has inducted five new members into its Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), an exclusive program that provides long-term operational subsidies to private arts organizations operating on public land. The new members—Bric (Brooklyn), Pregones/Puerto Rican Traveling Theater (Manhattan), the Bronx Children’s Museum, the Noble Maritime Collection (Staten Island), and the Louis Armstrong House Museum (Queens)—represent each of the city’s five boroughs. This is the largest expansion of the program, now totaling 39 members, since the 1970s. A celebratory event was held at Bric on September 30, featuring remarks from DCLA Commissioner Laurie Cumbo and Deputy Mayor Adolfo Carrión Jr., along with musical performances by each institution.

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article policy schedule Feb 12, 2026 visibility 13 link 3 artists

UNT Gives No Reason for Sudden Closure of Victor Quiñonez Show

The University of North Texas abruptly cancelled the solo exhibition "Ni de Aqui, Ni de Allá" by artist Victor Quiñonez in its College of Visual Art & Design Gallery just nine days after its opening. The university covered the gallery windows with brown paper, removed all promotional material from its website and social media, and informed the artist via a misspelled email that it had terminated its loan agreement with Boston University Art Galleries, which originated the show. The artist was not notified in advance and learned of the closure from students.

newspaper Glasstire open_in_new Read original