Prominent German Art Foundation Accuses Top Culture Official of ‘Attempted Intimidation’

Jurors from the Kunstfonds Foundation, a major German contemporary art funding body, have accused Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer of attempted intimidation and political interference. The conflict erupted after Weimer requested the names of the independent jury members, a move the foundation views as a threat to artistic freedom. This follows a separate controversy where Weimer reportedly consulted domestic intelligence to exclude bookstores with left-wing leanings from a national award.

An Old Man Whose Egoscentrism Knows No Bounds

"Ein alter Mann, dessen Ich-Sucht keine Grenzen kennt"

More than 30 current and former jury members of the Stiftung Kunstfonds have issued a formal protest against German Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer, accusing his office of political interference and intimidation. The controversy stems from reports that the ministry requested lists of all jury members across various art institutions and bypassed jury decisions to exclude specific recipients from awards based on intelligence service reports.

IMLS Spared in Legal Battle—But Threat of Budget Cuts Looms

The U.S. Department of Justice has reached a settlement with the American Library Association and the AFSCME union, effectively halting President Donald Trump’s executive attempt to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Following a series of legal defeats where courts ruled that only Congress has the authority to eliminate federal agencies, the administration withdrew its appeal and reinstated previously terminated grants. However, the threat remains as the proposed 2027 federal budget once again seeks to zero out funding for the IMLS, the NEA, and the NEH.

V&A faces calls to become living wage employer on eve of Stratford opening

The Victoria and Albert Museum is facing intense pressure to become an accredited living wage employer just as it prepares to open its high-profile V&A East site in Stratford. A petition coordinated by Organise and Citizens UK has garnered over 21,000 signatures, calling on Director Tristram Hunt to ensure all staff and contractors receive the London living wage of £14.80 per hour. While the museum meets legal minimum wage requirements, campaigners argue that as a publicly funded institution, it must provide a wage that reflects the actual cost of living in the capital.

Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund marks first decade

The Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund has announced support for 15 new exhibitions as it celebrates its tenth anniversary. This grant initiative provides regional and smaller UK museums with the necessary funding to cover logistical costs—such as insurance, transport, and security—required to borrow major works from national collections. Notable upcoming projects for 2026 include the return of John Constable’s 'The Hay Wain' to Suffolk and Joseph Wright of Derby’s 'An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump' to the artist's hometown for the first time in eight decades.

Louisiana State Museum reaccreditation decision delayed until June 2027

The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) has tabled the reaccreditation decision for the Louisiana State Museum (LSM) system until June 2027. While the system’s ten sites remain accredited during this period, the delay indicates that the AAM requires the institution to address specific concerns regarding its governance and operational structure. The LSM, which oversees significant cultural assets like the New Orleans Jazz Museum and the Louisiana Civil Rights Museum, has recently navigated a period marked by lawsuits, public controversy, and unfavorable audits.

Settlement allows Institute of Museum and Library Services to continue operations

The American Library Association (ALA) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) have reached a settlement with the Trump administration to restore the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The agreement follows a year-long legal battle sparked by an executive order that placed the agency's entire staff on administrative leave and attempted to dismantle the federal body. The settlement ensures the IMLS can resume awarding grants, conducting research, and operating programs while reversing previous staff terminations and grant cancellations.

What is Art Allowed to Do?

Was darf die Kunst?

German Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer has sparked a heated debate over artistic freedom after excluding three bookstores from the German Bookstore Prize due to undisclosed intelligence reports. The controversy has escalated into a broader confrontation with cultural institutions, highlighted by the Berlin Volksbühne's public criticism and Weimer's subsequent refusal to participate in a scheduled panel discussion. This incident follows a string of high-profile disputes regarding political expression in the arts, particularly concerning the Berlinale and documenta fifteen.

Sustainability charity Gallery Climate Coalition launches new consultancy to support climate action

The Gallery Climate Coalition (GCC), a sustainability charity founded in London in 2020, has launched a new consultancy called Climate Action Services International (Casi) to help galleries, museums, and cultural organizations turn climate commitments into measurable action. Casi offers services such as carbon auditing, decarbonisation strategies, governance advice, and staff training, and follows a pilot phase working with institutions including English Heritage, Hauser & Wirth, and Art Fund. The consultancy is structured as a mission-driven social enterprise that will reinvest 51% of its profits into GCC.

Directors Chosen by Internal Call Rather Than Competition: The Great Restoration of State Museums

Direttori scelti per interpello e non per concorso. La grande restaurazione dei musei statali

The Italian state museum system is undergoing a significant reversal of the landmark 2015 Franceschini reforms, which originally opened director positions to international competition and private-sector expertise. Recent appointments at major institutions like the Reggia di Caserta and the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice indicate a shift away from global searches toward internal ministerial assignments, effectively turning museum leadership back into a closed bureaucratic career path.

Institute of Museum and Library Services Saved from Defunding After Legal Challenge

The American Library Association (ALA) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) have reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice to halt the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The agreement ensures the federal agency will continue its operations, reinstates previously terminated grants, and reverses staff reductions. This legal victory follows a period of significant uncertainty where the agency's budget was slated for a 98% reduction, threatening its role as the primary federal supporter of museums and libraries.

British Museums Escape Penalizing Law on Memberships

Les musées britanniques échappent à une loi pénalisante sur les adhésions

The British government has officially exempted charitable museum memberships from the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA). Originally designed to target predatory subscription models like those used by streaming services, the law would have granted members a 14-day cooling-off period both at sign-up and upon annual renewal. Major institutions like the Tate and the Victoria & Albert Museum feared this would allow visitors to attend major exhibitions for free before canceling their memberships for a full refund.

The Forgotten Eligibles. Protest over the Ministry of Culture's ranking of 200 art historians

Gli idonei dimenticati. Protesta per la graduatoria dei 200 storici dell’arte del Ministero della Cultura

The CISDA (Committee of Qualified Art Historians) has issued a strong protest against the Italian Ministry of Culture's intention to let the ranking list from a 2018 public competition for Art Historian Officials expire on May 30, 2026, without extension. This would invalidate the eligibility of 204 qualified candidates who passed rigorous selections. The protest has escalated into a parliamentary inquiry directed at Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli, and a public demonstration is scheduled for April 28 in front of the Ministry's headquarters in Rome.

A collective lunch is organized in Milan to discuss the problems of the cultural sector. Here is how to participate

A Milano si organizza un pranzo collettivo per discutere dei problemi del settore culturale. Ecco come partecipare

The nomadic assembly "OMTU – Organized Meals for Times of Uprising" is heading to Milan on April 19, 2026, coinciding with the miart art fair. Organized by a coalition of independent spaces including terzospazio, Osservatorio Futura, Parsec, and Arts of the Working Class, the event features a collective lunch followed by a public discussion at the Baséll space. The gathering aims to address the systemic precariousness of the cultural sector, focusing specifically on the scarcity of affordable social and cultural spaces in Milan.

Taiwan Strips National Prize from Sakuliu Pavavaljung After Sexual Assault Conviction

Taiwan’s National Culture and Arts Foundation has revoked the National Award for Arts from Indigenous Paiwan artist Sakuliu Pavavaljung, following his conviction for sexual assault. The Supreme Court upheld a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence for forcible sexual intercourse involving a female student in 2021. Pavavaljung, who received the award in 2018, must return the NTD 1 million prize. The case gained traction after artist Kuo Yu Ping disclosed it on social media in December 2021, leading to additional victims coming forward. His planned exhibition for Taiwan at the 59th Venice Biennale was canceled in 2022.

Associations Join Warning Against AfD Cultural Policy

Vereine schließen sich Warnung vor AfD-Kulturpolitik an

Nearly 30 cultural institutions in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt have issued a warning against the cultural policy proposals of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which is leading in polls ahead of state elections. The state network of cultural support associations, representing around 680 member groups, has now joined this warning, stating the AfD's plans amount to a restriction of artistic freedom and the instrumentalization of culture according to nationalist guidelines.

Cultural heritage reform. The 'Italia in scena' law gives some answers but raises many questions

Riforma dei beni culturali. La legge “Italia in scena” dà alcune risposte ma produce tante domande

Italy's parliament approved the "Italia in scena" law in March 2026, a cultural heritage reform aligned with right-wing priorities: territorial valorization, local identity promotion, autonomy, and private-sector involvement. The law establishes a digital registry (Anagrafe), a roster of accredited operators, and a framework for private management of cultural assets, but allocates only €4.5 million annually—a symbolic sum compared to France's cultural mediation budgets. It also opens participation to the Third Sector (cooperatives, community foundations) but defers all critical details to implementing decrees with no strict deadlines or enforcement mechanisms.

Fellowship Open Call – Shaping Africa’s Curatorial Futures

Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) and the University of the Western Cape (UWC) have launched an open call for their fully funded 2027 Museum Fellowship Programme. The year-long initiative offers emerging African art professionals a combination of practical museum training and postgraduate academic study, aiming to develop the next generation of curators, researchers, and arts professionals on the continent.

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.

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.

San Francisco announces its first-ever executive director of arts and culture.

Matthew Goudeau has been appointed as San Francisco's first-ever executive director of arts and culture, tasked with safeguarding the arts as a key part of the city's creative economy and identity. The appointment comes amid uncertain federal arts funding, but local arts funding in San Francisco is projected to increase this year under Mayor Daniel Lurie's leadership.

Difficult search for new culture senator in Berlin

Schwierige Suche nach neuem Kultursenator in Berlin

Berlin's culture senator Sarah Wedl-Wilson resigned on Friday after a state audit found that her allocation of anti-Semitism prevention funds was unlawful. The CDU politician is being succeeded by former justice senator and Bundestag member Thomas Heilmann (CDU), who is reportedly the favorite for the post. Heilmann, 61, studied law, ran a successful advertising firm, and served as Berlin's justice senator from 2012 to 2016 before sitting in the Bundestag from 2017 to 2025. Governing Mayor Kai Wegner has not yet made a final decision, but transport senator Ute Bonde publicly endorsed Heilmann, citing his experience with Berlin's administration.

Berliner Kulturverwaltung arbeitet an Reformen

Berlin's cultural administration is pressing ahead with reforms to make funding for projects against antisemitism legally secure, following the resignation of Culture Senator Sarah Wedl-Wilson. Cultural State Secretary Cerstin Richter-Kotowski told the culture committee that a working group established under Wedl-Wilson is now implementing recommendations from the state audit office report, which had found serious legal violations and omissions in the allocation of funds for antisemitism prevention projects. Richter-Kotowski emphasized that the administration continues its normal operations despite the leadership change, and she publicly thanked both Wedl-Wilson and the recently dismissed State Secretary Oliver Friederici for their service.

"Wir wollen Rücknahme von Kürzungen"

Berlin's cultural senator Sarah Wedl-Wilson resigned on Friday after the Berlin Court of Auditors ruled that millions in funding for antisemitism prevention projects were illegal. The resignation has sparked a political debate, with CDU general secretary Ottilie Klein defending governing mayor Kai Wegner against opposition criticism, while Franziska Stoff of the Berlin Culture Conference demands stability and a reversal of budget cuts. Thomas Fehrle, director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, expressed personal regret over Wedl-Wilson's departure, praising her competence and engagement.