Petroglyphs and cave paintings, some more than 4,000 years old, discovered in Mexico

Archaeologists from Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH) have identified 16 petroglyphs and cave paintings near the Tula River in Hidalgo. The artworks span over 4,000 years, ranging from prehistoric times through the Mesoamerican Postclassic period and into the early colonial era. The discovery, which includes depictions of the rain god Tláloc and various anthropomorphic figures, was made during archaeological salvage work for a new passenger rail line connecting Mexico City and Querétaro.

Arts Groups Speak Out Against US Trade Representative’s Potential New Tariffs

The U.S. Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, has launched a Section 301 investigation into 60 countries to determine if forced labor practices create unfair trade advantages. This move follows President Trump’s continued push for sweeping tariffs after previous attempts were struck down by the Supreme Court. Major art organizations, including the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) and Heritage Auctions, are formally petitioning for works of art and antiquities to be exempt from any resulting duties.

lincoln center mural kicks off project improve access damrosch park

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts has unveiled a new large-scale mural titled "The Future We Create" by Spanish artist Vanesa Álvarez and local artist Derval Fairweather. Installed on construction fencing along Amsterdam Avenue, the vibrant public artwork was produced in collaboration with the nonprofit ArtBridge. The design was informed by community workshops involving local residents and students, transforming a temporary urban barrier into a celebratory visual narrative.

Artnet and Artsy Come Together Under Shared Leadership

Artnet and Artsy, two of the most influential digital platforms in the art world, have merged under a single leadership structure following a series of acquisitions by Beowolff Capital. Jeffrey Yin has been appointed CEO of the unified company, while Beowolff founder Andrew Wolff will serve as chairman. Despite the shared management, both entities will maintain their distinct branding, with Artnet focusing on market data and journalism while Artsy continues its emphasis on art discovery and e-commerce.

Beloved CUNY Social Practice Art Program to Shut Down

Social Practice City University of New York (SPCUNY), an artist-led initiative supporting social justice-minded art across the CUNY system, will cease operations in February 2027. Founded in 2021 by artists Chloë Bass and Gregory Sholette with support from the Mellon Foundation, the program distributed over $535,000 in fellowships to 129 faculty and student fellows. The closure is prompted by the departure of both co-directors from their academic positions at Queens College, leaving the independent project without a clear institutional pathway for leadership transition.

A Bodybuilder’s 3,300-Year-Old Egyptian Stele Heads to TEFAF

A 3,300-year-old Egyptian stele once owned by bodybuilding pioneer Ben Weider is set to be a highlight at TEFAF New York this May. The limestone carving, which depicts Pharaoh Thutmose IV, was gifted to Weider in 1964 and recently surfaced at a Montreal auction before being acquired by the London-based gallery David Aaron. Alongside the stele, the gallery will present a 2,500-year-old greywacke bust of a goddess, which was recently authenticated after being dismissed as a fake due to its pristine condition and 18th-century restorations.

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.

How to Extract the Story of Appalachia

The artist collective GRIT has issued a sharp critique of Fia Backström’s exhibition, "The Great Society," currently on view at the Queens Museum. The authors argue that Backström, a European artist, engages in "extractive" storytelling by focusing exclusively on trauma, environmental disaster, and poverty in West Virginia. They contend that the exhibition’s aesthetic choices—such as inverting landscape photographs and omitting human subjects—flatten the region's complexity into a spectacle of misery that alienates the very community it claims to represent.

After a Decade of Delays, a 5th-Century Church in Glasgow Will Become a Museum

The Govan Heritage Trust is moving forward with a $6 million redevelopment of Govan Old, a historic 5th-century church site in Glasgow, following a decade of financial and pandemic-related delays. The project, designed by jm architects, will transform the late 19th-century building into a self-sustaining cultural complex featuring a museum, tourist attraction, and commercial business spaces.

LA Artists Honor Dolores Huerta’s Defiant Spirit

The Chicano cultural center Plaza de la Raza in Los Angeles has launched "DOLORES," a major group exhibition celebrating the 96th birthday and enduring legacy of labor leader Dolores Huerta. Featuring works by over 30 artists, including Barbara Carrasco and Vincent Valdez, the show utilizes portraiture, mixed media, and depictions of migrant labor to honor Huerta’s contributions to the United Farm Workers (UFW) and Chicano civil rights.

trump admin white house ballroom national security risk

The Trump administration has filed an emergency motion to overturn a federal judge's ruling that halted a $400 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom renovation at the White House. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon previously ordered a stop to the project following a lawsuit by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which argues the president lacks the unilateral authority to alter the historic site. The administration's appeal claims the construction pause creates grave national security risks and that the court lacks the authority to interfere with presidential renovations.

us holocaust museum canceled programming angering trump

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) has reportedly removed educational content and canceled programming to avoid potential conflict with the Trump administration. Former employees allege that the museum preemptively scrubbed web pages linking Jim Crow laws to Nazi-era policies and rebranded or canceled workshops on the "fragility of democracy" to avoid being labeled as "woke." While the museum claims these decisions were based on funding challenges, internal records show a significant increase in net assets during the same period.

dc judge orders stop trump ballroom project

A U.S. District Court judge has issued a ruling to halt the construction of a massive 90,000-square-foot ballroom on the site of the White House's former East Wing. Judge Richard J. Leon rejected the Trump administration's claims that the President has the unilateral authority to demolish historic structures and build new ones using private funds. The ruling follows a lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which argued that the project violated federal statutes and disrupted the architectural integrity of the historic site.

NYU Steinhardt Presents 2026 MFA Thesis Exhibitions

NYU Steinhardt's Department of Art and Art Professions is presenting its 2026 MFA Thesis Exhibitions in two parts at the 80WSE Gallery in Greenwich Village. The first exhibition, titled 'Hoodwinked,' runs from April 1 to April 18 and features works by Nicholas Koby, Richard Medina, Roselynn Sadaghiani, Mario Saponaro, and Brooke Schneider. The second, 'Eggshells,' runs from May 6 to May 23 and showcases artists Ariel Barish, Christopher Chan, Mélanie Dumas, Roxie de Là, and Fan Qi.

Take Your Practice Further in a Visual Arts Residency at Banff Centre

The Banff Centre is accepting applications for two thematic visual arts residencies in late 2026 and early 2027. The first, "On Other Archives," focuses on reinterpreting archival methods and will be led by artists Deanna Bowen and Krista Belle Stewart with curator Tarah Hogue. The second, "Future Figurations," explores speculative futures and world-building under the guidance of artists Rajni Perera and Marigold Santos.

Remnants of 3,400-Year-Old Loom in Spain Sheds Light on Bronze Age Textile Production

Archaeologists in Spain have published new research on a remarkably preserved 3,450-year-old wooden loom, discovered in 2008 at the Cabezo Redondo site. The loom survived because a fire destroyed the surrounding Bronze Age village and a roof collapsed on it, charring and protecting the wood from decay. This rare find includes over 200 lightweight loom weights, suggesting the community was engaged in intensive production of delicate wool textiles.

Not just dollars, euros and pounds: Tefaf speaker sets out art’s deep value for wellbeing

Professor Daisy Fancourt presented research at the Tefaf Summit in Maastricht, detailing the measurable health benefits of arts engagement. Her findings, drawn from longitudinal data and biological markers, show arts therapies can double symptom improvement for depression and regular cultural attendance can nearly halve depression risk over a decade.

biennale of sydney jewish group pro palestine artists

The Biennale of Sydney has officially denied allegations of discrimination and bias following claims from Australia’s Jewish community that the exhibition's selection process favored anti-Zionist artists. The controversy intensified when the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies declined a preview invitation, citing "objectionable social media activity" by participating artists rather than the artworks themselves. In response, the Biennale maintained that its selection process is based strictly on artistic merit and that the organization maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward all forms of racism, including antisemitism and Islamophobia.

lebanese ministry of culture urges unesco to grant enhanced protections to cultural property

Lebanon’s Ministry of Culture has formally petitioned UNESCO to secure enhanced protections for the nation’s cultural heritage sites as regional conflict intensifies. Culture Minister Ghassan Salamé urged the UN agency to intervene with belligerent parties to ensure the safety of irreplaceable landmarks, including the National Museum of Beirut and the Roman ruins of Baalbek. UNESCO confirmed it has shared the coordinates of these World Heritage sites with all involved parties to prevent accidental or intentional targeting during military operations.

IMLS Funding for Freedom Truck Mobile Museums Under Trump Administration

imls funding museums libraries trump freedom truck museum

The Trump administration has launched 'Freedom 250,' a fleet of six 'Freedom Trucks' serving as mobile museums to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. These tractor-trailers, which will tour the United States through 2026, feature historical artifacts such as George Washington’s spectacles and an Aitken Bible, alongside interactive AI-powered displays developed in partnership with Hillsdale College and PragerU.

belarus free theatre venice biennale collateral event

The Belarus Free Theatre (BFT), an underground performance group currently in exile, has announced its first major visual art exhibition titled "Official. Unofficial. Belarus." as a collateral event for the 61st Venice Biennale. Staged at the historic La Chiesa di San Giovanni Evangelista, the show features site-specific works by exiled artists including Sergey Grinevich, Vladimir Tsesler, and Nicolai Khalezin. The installations range from paintings functioning as altar panels to a massive sphere of banned books and a crucifix made of CCTV cameras, all designed to critique the surveillance and censorship of the Lukashenko regime.

destroyed bunny museum receives gift rabbit sculpture

The Bunny Museum in Altadena, California, which was destroyed during the 2025 Greater Los Angeles Wildfires, has received a major donation in the form of a 14-foot-tall stainless steel sculpture titled "Scanner." Created by Chinese artist Jesse Zhao and donated by local resident Wesley Zucco, the 1,100-pound work was unveiled on February 20 as part of the museum's rebuilding efforts. The institution, which previously held over 45,000 rabbit-related items ranging from Egyptian antiquities to pop culture memorabilia, lost its entire physical collection in the blaze, though its live animals were rescued.

judy baca great wall mellon grant allegations

Artist Judy Baca and the Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) are facing allegations of financial misconduct from ten former employees. The whistleblowers claim that Baca improperly used a $5 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to fund her private business operations and personal commissions. Specific concerns include a significant salary increase for Baca following the grant award and the blurring of lines between the nonprofit's staff duties and Baca's private studio work.

devyani saltzman abruptly leaves her role as director of the barbican in london

Devyani Saltzman has abruptly left her position as Director of Arts and Participation at the Barbican Centre in London. Her departure, which comes just weeks after the arrival of a new CEO and shortly after she unveiled a five-year creative vision for the institution, marks another sudden leadership change at the major UK arts center.

unt faculty open letter victor quinonez exhibition cancelation

Faculty at the University of North Texas's College of Visual Arts and Design have issued an open letter protesting the abrupt and unexplained cancellation of a solo exhibition by artist Victor "Marka27" Quiñonez. The letter, addressed to university leadership, argues the removal violates UNT's own policies on academic freedom and non-discrimination based on content, and demands an explanation for the decision.

wang contemporary ying alexander wang

Designer Alexander Wang and his mother Ying Wang have acquired the historic 58 Bowery building in New York's Chinatown for $9.5 million, marking its first Chinese American ownership. They are transforming the former bank into a cultural venue named Wang Contemporary, which will host exhibitions, performances, and festivals focused on Asian and Asian American creatives, with its inaugural exhibition curated by the art collective MSCHF.

eimear walshe trial airport protest us military gaza

Artist Eimear Walshe, who represented Ireland at the 2024 Venice Biennale, will stand trial alongside activists Áine Treanor and Aindriú de Buitléir, collectively known as the Shannon Three. They are charged with trespassing and illegally accessing a runway at Shannon Airport in County Clare during a 2024 protest where they raised a Palestinian flag and held a sign reading "US military out of Ireland." The protest, which shut down the airport for over half an hour, was staged on Land Day to draw attention to the conflict in Gaza and the use of the airport by US military and civilian aircraft allegedly transporting munitions to Israel.

mfa boston layoffs curators color response

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston laid off 33 staff members, including several curators of color, prompting accusations that the cuts disproportionately targeted minority employees. Director Pierre Terjanian issued a statement denying the claim, asserting that the percentage of staff identifying as people of color remained unchanged at one-third. Among those let go were Marina Tyquiengco, associate curator of Native American art; Nadirah Mansour, assistant curator of Islamic art; and theo tyson, a curator in fashion arts who was reportedly the only Black curator at the museum. A union representative said workers were notified only five minutes before the public announcement, and no leadership took pay cuts despite the elimination of the COO position.

secret mall apartment documentary mall artists netflix

The 2024 documentary film "Secret Mall Apartment," directed by Jeremy Workman, was released on Netflix on Friday. The film recounts the true story of artist Michael Townsend and seven others, many of them former students from the Rhode Island School of Design, who secretly built and lived in a hidden apartment inside the Providence Place mall from 2003 to 2007 as a protest against gentrification and consumer culture. The group was discovered in 2007, and Townsend was charged with trespassing, receiving probation and a lifetime ban from the mall. Originally released in theaters in March 2024, the documentary had been available on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV before its Netflix debut.

san diego comic con bans ai art

San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) has banned AI-generated art from its 2026 Comic-Con Art Show, reversing a previous policy that allowed AI art if marked not-for-sale and clearly identified. The change came after artists including Karla Ortiz, a plaintiff in a lawsuit against AI companies, condemned the old policy on social media as a disgrace to human artists. The new guidelines state that material created by AI, either partially or wholly, is not allowed, with the Art Show coordinator serving as the sole judge of acceptability.