Absa Bank showcases 2023 L’Atelier Ambassador in solo exhibition

Absa Bank Ghana, in partnership with the L’Atelier Art Programme, hosted a solo exhibition in Accra featuring Edward Lawerh Dugbartey, the 2023 Absa L’Atelier Ambassador. The event drew art enthusiasts, collectors, curators, and young creatives to celebrate Dugbartey’s work and his contribution to Ghana’s visual arts scene. Dr. Paul Bayliss, Senior Specialist for Art and Museum Curatorship at Absa, emphasized the bank’s commitment to nurturing emerging African talent through masterclasses, international residencies, mentorship, and marketing support.

Chiang Mai, Bangkok transform into open-air galleries once again

The Galleries' Nights 2025 returns to Chiang Mai and Bangkok, transforming both cities into open-air galleries. The event, presented by the Embassy of France, will showcase over 200 artists across more than 80 galleries—Chiang Mai on November 1-2 and Bangkok on November 21-22. This 12th edition marks the 340th anniversary of Franco-Thai diplomatic relations and is adapted in tribute to HM Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother for her contributions to traditional arts and craftsmanship. The program highlights gender equality in the arts with support from the French organization Aware, and features free transport options including traditional red trucks in Chiang Mai and electric tuk-tuks in Bangkok. The closing ceremony will be held at Jim Thompson Art Center on November 23, with a performance by choreographer Jitti Chompee.

Art Smiley Gallery officially opens, welcoming government and diplomatic guests

Art Smiley Gallery officially opened its first physical location in Al Quoz 2, Dubai, on September 5, 2025, with the launch of the "Global Art Odyssey—Where Art Meets the World!" exhibition. The hybrid-format show features 35 artists from 16 countries and runs through October 5, 2025. Distinguished guests included Khalil Abdul Wahid, fine art director from Dubai Culture Authority; Emirati artist Ahmed Al Awadhi; and Sultana Faroua Kazim, global ambassador for UNESCO IAA. The opening also included a virtual component via Art Smiley's upgraded website.

How a Bangkok art show was censored following China's anger

Burmese artist Sai and his wife have fled to the UK to seek asylum after their exhibition at the Bangkok Arts and Cultural Centre was censored following complaints from Chinese embassy officials. The show, titled 'Constellation of Complicity: Visualising the Global Machine of Authoritarian Solidarity,' opened on 26 July 2025 and featured exiled artists from China, Russia, and Iran. Chinese representatives, accompanied by Bangkok city officials, demanded the removal of works by Tibetan, Uyghur, and Hong Kong artists, leading to the blacking out of artist names, removal of flags, and switching off of films. The couple alleges Thai police are looking for them, though police deny this.

Exclusive: Thai gallery removes China-focused artworks after 'pressure' from Beijing

A Thai gallery has removed artworks focused on China from its exhibition after reportedly facing pressure from Beijing. The pieces, which addressed sensitive political themes, were taken down following diplomatic or official intervention, according to the gallery's statement. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between artistic expression and geopolitical influence in Southeast Asia.

In Berlin, a controversy over subsidies sweeps away the culture official

À Berlin, une polémique sur des subventions emporte l’élue à la Culture

Sarah Wedl-Wilson, Berlin's senator for culture, resigned after the Berlin Court of Auditors ruled that €2.6 million in public subsidies for 13 antisemitism-fighting projects were awarded illegally, bypassing regulatory checks and violating budget law. The controversy intensified when a parliamentary inquiry revealed that CDU politicians, including Christian Goiny and Dirk Stettner, pressured her to approve the funds immediately, coordinating with the Israeli embassy, despite warnings from state secretary Oliver Friederici, whom she later dismissed. Stefan Evers, the finance senator, has been appointed interim successor until Berlin's parliamentary elections in September.

Grind – Charity Skateboard Art Exhibition Ramps Up For Its Third Year In Loganholme

FIRST Disability Support & Training Service in Loganholme, Queensland, is hosting the third annual Grind skate deck art exhibition in July 2026, with over 100 entrants from across Australia. The exhibition features custom-designed skateboard decks by members of the public, school students, and people living with disabilities, under the theme 'Myths, Monsters & Mayhem'. Judges include skateboard deck artist Brett Clifton, Skate Advantage ambassador Matilda Wilson, and metalwork artist Colleen Lavender, with a live skate demonstration by professional skater Jesse Noonan.

Chiamata aperta ad artisti e architetti under 35 a Roma. Obiettivo? Progettare un’opera in dialogo col Gazometro

A new open call for artists and architects under 35 has been launched in Rome, inviting proposals for a public artwork in dialogue with the iconic Gazometro (gasometer) in the Ostiense district. The initiative is promoted by Spazio Taverna in collaboration with Eni and ROAD – Rome Advanced District, and was announced on May 21 during the event "ON THE ROAD – Distretti di Innovazione." Participants are asked to design a monument, pavilion, or installation that engages with the former industrial complex, now a creative hub hosting the cultural program Arte al Gazometro since 2024. A jury including Marco Bassan, Ludovico Pratesi, Mattia Voltaggio, Claudio Quaternato, and Lorenza Baroncelli will select the winner, who will receive a €3,000 prize; the ten finalists will be published on Artribune and gain access to a Masterclass at the School of Vision. Submissions are open from May 21 to July 31, 2026, with results announced in September.

The church, the village, the park. FAI's 'Places of the Heart' returns to save ruins

La chiesa, il borgo, il parco. Tornano i Luoghi del Cuore del FAI per salvare i beni in rovina

The Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano (FAI) has launched the 13th edition of its "Luoghi del Cuore" (Places of the Heart) initiative, a biennial census that invites Italians to vote for cultural heritage sites most in need of restoration. Since 2003, the campaign has collected over 13.5 million votes, with the 2024 edition alone receiving more than 2.3 million votes for over 41,000 sites across 6,508 municipalities. The initiative has funded 180 recovery projects, 40% of which involve churches, followed by environmental, architectural, and archaeological assets. Notable successes include the Church of San Pietro dei Samari in Gallipoli, the Oratorio del Sasso in Orasso, and the Complesso di Sant’Angelo Magno in Ascoli Piceno.

“Equatorial territories” art exhibition opens in Budapest – photos

The Embassy of Ecuador in Hungary opened the art exhibition “Equatorial Territories” (Territorios Ecuatoriales) on May 7th at the Széphárom Community Space in Budapest, running through May 29th. The show features 40 paintings and sculptures by five Ecuadorian artists—Miguel Betancourt, William Cáceres García, María Fernández de Córdova, Salomé Lalama, and María Elena Machuca—exploring the colors of the Andean equatorial zone and advocating for environmental preservation. Admission is free.

Hong Kong Exhibition Opens at 61st Venice Biennale, Showcasing Local Artists' Work

Hong Kong officials, led by Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law, inaugurated the Hong Kong Exhibition at the 61st Venice Biennale on May 8, 2026. For the first time, the Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) is collaborating with the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC) to present works by local artists Kingsley Ng and Angel Hui in a Collateral Event running through November 2026. Law also attended the Chinese Pavilion opening and met with the Italian ambassador and the rector of Ca' Foscari University.

Sadeqain Art Exhibition opens in Canada, celebrating Pakistan’s artistic legacy

A three-day Sadeqain Art Exhibition has opened in Mississauga, Canada, inaugurated by Pakistan’s High Commissioner Muhammad Saleem Khan. Organized by the Sadeqain Foundation with local and media partners, the exhibition showcases the work of renowned Pakistani artist Syed Sadeqain Ahmed Naqvi (1930–1987), featuring Islamic calligraphy, paintings, drawings, wall carvings, and Urdu poetry. The event aims to introduce his artistic legacy to a wider international audience and is expected to attract art experts, students, and cultural enthusiasts.

EOI Exhibition for 2027: Berninneit Art Gallery, Phillip Island Opportunities

Bass Coast Shire Council has officially opened the call for Expressions of Interest for the 2027 exhibition season at Berninneit Art Gallery on Phillip Island. Artists, curators, and collectives are invited to submit proposals for six-week exhibition slots in the award-winning facility, which serves as the region's first purpose-built professional visual arts space. The application window remains open until May 29, 2026, targeting a diverse range of contemporary practices from local and national creators.

A Unique Ebru Art Exhibition - Painting on Water Opens in Bishkek

The Kyrgyz National Museum of Fine Arts named after Gapar Aitiev is set to host a specialized exhibition of Ebru art, the traditional Turkish technique of painting on water. Organized by the Ebristan public foundation and supported by the Turkish Embassy, the event features live masterclasses where artists will demonstrate the creation of symbolic imagery, including the national flags of Turkey and Kyrgyzstan and the Batken region's Aigul flower, before transferring the floating pigments onto solid surfaces.

Media Advisory: Art Exhibition Showcases San José’s 2025 Creative Ambassador Projects

The City of San José’s Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs is hosting an art exhibition reception on November 7, 2025, at The Citadel Art Studios to showcase projects by the 2025 Creative Ambassadors. The five ambassadors—Julie Cardenas, Matt Casey (More Mas Marami), Jessica Gutierrez, Miguel Ozuna, and Steven Rubalcaba—have each developed community-engaged creative works over the past year, including a shared film camera photography project, zine-making workshops, a community audio archive, a collaborative collage using repurposed materials, and art workshops for mothers and children.

Inspiring new art exhibition by People of Determination lands at Dubai Airports

Dubai Airports (DXB) has partnered with Mawaheb, an art studio for People of Determination, to launch a new exhibition in Terminal 1. The show features 12 canvases by artists with disabilities, spanning abstract, figurative, surrealist, and pop art styles, and will be on view in September near the Airlines Lounge. Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports and a Mawaheb Ambassador, and Wemmy de Maaker, founder of Mawaheb, both spoke about the initiative's impact.