Diego Montoya's drag designs are art, and a major museum finally agrees

Diego Montoya, a fashion and costume designer known for his work on RuPaul's Drag Race and HBO's We're Here, has opened a solo exhibition titled 'Resplendent Dreams: Reawakening the Rococo' at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. The show, running from June 6, 2025 to March 29, 2026, features costumes created for drag queens including Sasha Velour, Blair St. Clair, Kandy Muse, Jimbo, and Miz Cracker, as well as a new commission 'Rocaille' made for the museum. Montoya worked with exhibition designer Mandie Holden to present the costumes on custom mannequins that evoke drag silhouettes rather than standard fashion displays.

Ullapool-based Art Week set to return across Wester Ross

An Talla Solais (ATS) gallery in Ullapool is bringing back its Art Week from September 5 to 14, 2025, featuring over 150 artists across venues in Wester Ross. The program includes the Artist’s Studio Trail, the Members Show, pop-up exhibitions, workshops, artist talks, a film premiere of 'Scoraig Violin', and a community ceramics project. Highlights include a tribute to late Glasgow Girl Florence Jamieson through her daughter Becky Thomson’s open studio, and new work by artist-in-residence Nina Edge at Ullapool Museum.

A new art show brings L.A. climate inequities to life at Descanso Gardens

Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles opens a new exhibition titled “Roots of Cool: A Celebration of Trees and Shade in a Warming World,” co-curated by climate researcher Edith de Guzman and artist Jolly de Guzman. The all-women show features outdoor installations and gallery works that address shade equity—the unequal access to cooling shade across urban neighborhoods. Highlights include Leslie K. Gray’s three-part “Bus Stop” series depicting the climate challenges of female bus riders, Chantée Benefield’s “Cool Canopy” of suspended umbrellas (a recreation after her original was lost in the Eaton fire), and works by Kim Abeles and Diana Kohne inside the Sturt Haaga Gallery and Boddy House.

Mystic Seaport Museum exhibition chronicles whale oil industry's far-reaching impact

The Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut has opened a new exhibition titled "Monstrous: Whaling and Its Colossal Impact," which explores the deep connection between the US whaling industry and capitalism. Featuring objects from the museum's permanent collection—including 19th-century photographs, blubber hooks, ship models, captain's logbooks, a sperm whale jawbone, a jar of blue whale fetuses, and whale oil products—the show illustrates how whale oil lit lamps and greased machines for over a century. A giant scratchboard mural by contemporary artist Jos Sances, titled "Or, The Whale" (2019-20), dominates the space, while references to Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick" permeate the exhibition, which also includes a copy of a 1930 illustrated three-volume edition.

Mural Arts’ ‘No Place Like Home’ student exhibition champions the importance of art education

Mural Arts’ Art Education program presented its annual student exhibition, “No Place Like Home,” at a transformed exposed-brick home in Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties neighborhood. The two-day show featured artwork from over 100 students ages 11 to 18 who attend the organization’s after-school art courses. The gallery space was turned into a whimsical house with themed rooms, including a bedroom, kitchen, and living room, displaying drawings, paintings, and craft projects such as paper flowers, painted clouds, and papier-mâché pets. Mural Arts founder Jane Golden spoke at the opening, emphasizing the importance of art education access for all Philadelphia youth.

A guide to Bay View Gallery Night 2025

The 14th annual Bay View Gallery Night will take place on Friday, May 30, 2025, in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood. The free, community-focused event features over 60 participating sites including galleries, breweries, restaurants, and shops, showcasing local artists, musicians, and makers. Highlights include live painting, tattoo art, virtual reality art, pet-friendly activities, and a complimentary shuttle service between key venues like Lincoln Warehouse and Hide House.

alt_ Chicago - A new arts hub for Austin

Alt Space Chicago (alt_ Chicago), an artist-led nonprofit, celebrated the grand opening of its new arts hub in the historic Austin Bank building at 5645 W. Corcoran Pl. on Chicago's West Side. Over 500 people attended the event, which featured an open house, art exhibition, sustainability panel, artist market, and Sunday worship. The space will house mixed-use areas for events, exhibitions, retail, teaching, workshops, and a cafe. The building was purchased with grant money and nonprofit funds. The House Collective, a group of five nonprofits and 10 artists-in-residence, will share resources to offer classes, workshops, and exhibitions, with 10% of its income going back into the community to support elders and single-parent households.

Before SoHo, This Building Was at the Heart of New York’s Arts District

A West Side co-op building originally built for artists and later converted into offices is being transformed into a luxury condominium called Parc Beaufort. The building, located in a historic New York arts district, once housed a vibrant community of creatives before commercial use took over.

Exploring Hong Kong’s Textile Trail

A new cultural initiative in Hong Kong, the 'Textile Trail,' guides visitors through several neighborhoods to explore the city's industrial past as a major Asian textile exporter. The trail features preserved factories, warehouses, and other architectural remnants that tell the story of this foundational industry.

A Roma il popolare quartiere Quadraro ospita un festival d’arte diffuso. Il programma

The IPER Festival delle periferie returns to Rome's Quadraro neighborhood for its fifth edition, titled "Super Lieux (Super luoghi) Periferie. Storie e geografie." Running until May 31, the festival features conferences, roundtables, study days, talks, exhibitions, and performances. A highlight is "Überlagerungen," a diffuse art review curated by Spazio Y that animates the Quadraro Vecchio district on May 16 with actions, installations, and shows from 4 PM to 11 PM. Participating venues include Spazio Kina, vineria Moggio, and osteria Grandma, with works by artists such as Lucia Bricco, Giulio Cassanelli, Felice Levini, and many others.

Two spectacular libraries are under construction in Milan: photos of the construction sites

A Milano sono in costruzione due spettacolari biblioteche: le foto dei cantieri

Milan is currently undergoing a significant cultural transformation with the construction of two major public libraries: the European Library of Information and Culture (BEIC) and the Lorenteggio Library. The BEIC, a massive 30,000-square-meter project designed by Onsitestudio and funded by the PNRR, is rising in the Porta Vittoria district as a national-level cultural hub. Meanwhile, the Lorenteggio Library, designed by a team led by Grau Magaña Urtzi, is taking shape in a strategic suburban area to provide essential community services and social integration.

Milan provides spaces to open 10 new neighborhood bookstores: the tender to open one

Milano mette a disposizione spazi per aprire 10 nuove librerie di quartiere. Il bando per aprirne una

The City of Milan has launched a public tender to open ten new neighborhood bookstores by repurposing vacant municipal properties. Part of the "Sefémm" program, the initiative offers spaces ranging from 30 to 190 square meters across various districts, including central and peripheral areas. The selection process will heavily prioritize the social and cultural impact of the proposals over financial bids, favoring micro-enterprises and independent operators who commit to creating community hubs.

Here’s what’s happening at Art in the Loft

Art in the Loft in Alpena is preparing for its SummerView 2026 exhibit, featuring roughly 30 local and regional artists in its 7,000-square-foot space. The exhibit has a soft opening on May 26 and an opening reception on June 2, showcasing original works in multiple mediums and techniques, all available for purchase. The gallery is also celebrating its 25th anniversary with a gala on November 7.

Jordan Creek renewal project isolates downtown Springfield gallery

The Renew Jordan Creek revitalization project in downtown Springfield has severely impacted Fresh Gallery, an award-winning local art space. Extensive road closures on Boonville Avenue and ongoing construction noise have cut off the gallery from its usual pedestrian and tourist traffic, leading to a drastic decline in sales and foot traffic. To combat these challenges, the gallery has launched a GoFundMe campaign and is attempting to reinvent its business model to survive until construction concludes in mid-2024.

New art gallery opens in old Boyle Heights Sears building

A new art gallery, Mark Jude Gallery, has opened in the historic Sears building in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. The 5,000-square-foot space, plus a repurposed satellite gallery, occupies part of the 1.8-million-square-foot former Sears mail-order plant, which closed in 1992 and shut its store in 2021. The gallery features works by artists Megan Mueller, Antonio Kim, and Caterina Piccardo, and plans to host immersive exhibitions including performance art, experimental film, and interactive storytelling. Owner Mark Jude, a former executive chef at the Smithsonian Institution, moved the gallery from the Arts District to take advantage of lower rent and more space.

Art exhibition at Two Selves Gallery explores a journey through depression

Two Selves Gallery in Troy, New York, opened a new exhibition titled "Coming Out of Darkness: Landscapes of Presence" by artist Patricia Wood during the April Troy Night Out event. The show, on display through May, is divided into three sections: a series of acrylic paintings on black velvet depicting forest scenes from the Adirondacks, a middle section featuring reference photos, miniatures, encaustic works, and mental health resources, and a front section with oil paintings of Winnie the Pooh characters and Wood's jewelry. Wood describes the exhibition as a personal journey through depression, using light and dark to convey her struggle and recovery.

Once taboo, now on view: Seoul debuts major queer art exhibition

Art Sonje Center in Seoul has launched "Spectrosynthesis Seoul," the first large-scale institutional exhibition in South Korea dedicated specifically to queer art. Organized in partnership with the Sunpride Foundation, the show features 74 international and Korean artists across two major sections, exploring themes of identity, sign language bias, and the historical queer spatiality of Seoul neighborhoods like Itaewon.

nat ward ditch plains beach monograph

Photographer Nat Ward has published a new book titled "Ditch: Montauk, NY 11954," featuring panoramic images taken over four summers at Ditch Plains Beach in Montauk, New York. The project began during a residency at the Edward F. Albee Foundation in 2018, using a medium format panoramic camera to capture the diverse human interactions on the crowded beach. Ward's photographs document strangers becoming neighbors, political tensions dissolving under umbrellas, and the raw honesty of beachgoers, including a woman in a red MAGA hat and a young man confident in his desirability.

Keith Jacobshagen retrospective opens May 16 at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art

The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art in St. Joseph, Missouri, will host a retrospective exhibition titled "The Shape of the Prairie" for American landscape painter Keith Jacobshagen, opening May 16 and running through August 16. The show spans 50 years of Jacobshagen's career, featuring rarely exhibited sketchbook pages alongside finished oil and watercolor paintings that capture the skies and plains of his Nebraska home.

Amsterdam Breaks Traditional Tourism Norms by Embedding Cultural Art, Exhibitions and Narratives into Public Spaces and Streets

Amsterdam is tackling overtourism by embedding art, culture, and history directly into its public spaces, streets, and transit systems, transforming the city into an open-air museum. Led by amsterdam&partners, the initiative uses digital screens, art installations, and interactive urban furniture to guide visitors toward hidden cultural gems, encouraging spontaneous engagement with local heritage. Major institutions like the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum, and Eye Filmmuseum, along with smaller venues such as Foam Museum and STRAAT Museum, are part of a network designed to distribute cultural attention more evenly across the city.

Otterbein Granville honors artist Jane Heller with new exhibit

The Jane Heller Gallery at Otterbein SeniorLife Granville in Ohio will open a new exhibit titled "Connecting with Jane" on May 1, 2026. The exhibition honors the late founding resident Jane Heller, showcasing her abstract art that has been displayed at the Columbus Museum of Art and featured in regional competitions over the past 50 years. The opening reception runs from 5 to 6 p.m., and the exhibit will be on view for two months.

Moon Gallery debuts at Heights Church, showcasing local HCU artists

Howard D. Moon, a longtime benefactor of the Heights community, partnered with Houston Christian University (HCU) and Heights Church to establish the Moon Gallery, a new exhibition space dedicated to showcasing local artists. The gallery was officially dedicated on December 4 with an opening ceremony inside Heights Church (formerly Baptist Temple), honoring Moon's late wife Jeanette, a passionate arts supporter. The inaugural exhibition featured works by HCU faculty and MFA students, including artist Julia Marcucci Wood and assistant professor Hillaree Hamblin, who spoke about the gallery's mission to foster community engagement and inclusivity.

The Joys of Local Art

Coastal Breeze News published an article titled "The Joys of Local Art" that celebrates the value and appeal of art created within local communities. The piece highlights how local art fosters a sense of connection, supports regional artists, and makes art accessible to a broader audience.

Native-owned gallery and retail store to open in Downtown Las Vegas Arts District

The nonprofit IndigenousAF, founded by artist Fawn Douglas and UNLV professor A.B. Wilkinson, announced plans to open a Native-owned retail store and gallery in Downtown Las Vegas Arts District. The venue will feature 700 square feet of retail space, 1,600 square feet of gallery space, and 1,500 square feet of mixed-use space, located near Charleston Boulevard and 3rd Street. The organization has already met one-third of its three-year fundraising goal, and the store, also named IndigenousAF, is expected to open in the first quarter of 2026. A pop-up sale previewing items will take place on Black Friday, November 28, at Nuwu Art Gallery.

Arlington Museum of Art’s Game of Thrones Exhibit Opens

The Arlington Museum of Art has opened "Game of Thrones™: The Exhibition," an immersive display featuring over 60 original costumes, props, and behind-the-scenes materials from HBO's epic fantasy series. Curated in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences and the show's production archives, the exhibit showcases costumes worn by iconic characters such as Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow, alongside design sketches and insights into the craftsmanship of the series' award-winning costume designers and artisans.

Grand Egyptian Museum opening delayed again due to 'current regional developments'

The official opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), originally scheduled for July 3, has been postponed again due to the outbreak of war between Israel and Iran. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced the delay on Saturday, with the tourism and antiquities ministry citing "current regional developments" and stating the full launch will now occur in the last quarter of this year. The museum is already partially open, including its conservation studios (operating since 2010), contemporary program (since 2023), and most Egyptian galleries with the grand staircase, but the Tutankhamen galleries are being held back for the formal opening.

Cocoa’s picks: Gallery openings, mural celebrations and music competitions

The article highlights several arts events in Bellingham, Washington, including a community mural celebration led by Coast Salish artist Jason LaClair, an opening reception for Charles Villiers' solo exhibition "Untethered" at Cordata Gallery, an improvised musical called "You: The Musical" at The Upfront Theatre, and a Youth Chamber Music Competition hosted by the Harmony Chamber Music Festival. These events span visual art, theater, and classical music, with the mural project involving over 500 children and families in selecting the design.

Cumberland Artist Alliance art show

The Cumberland Artist Alliance is currently presenting a group exhibition at the Hayden Gallery, located within the Cumberland Public Library. Featuring works by local artists including Gordon Tempest, Germaine Gerie, Margaret Lachut, and Jerry Aissis, the show spans various media such as painting and photography. The exhibition will remain on view through the end of April, highlighted by a "Meet the Artists" reception and live demonstrations scheduled for April 22nd.

Creating a space to ‘Gossip’ with local artists

Seven local female artists have launched 'Gossip,' a self-produced group exhibition at Union Hall Gallery in San Diego’s Golden Hill neighborhood. Curated by Scarlett Baily, the show features a diverse array of disciplines including ceramics by Amber Schnitzius, oil painting by Baily Ludwick, and photography by Sarai Elguezabal. The exhibition emerged from the artists' shared desire to bypass the restrictive thematic requirements often found in San Diego’s limited gallery scene, opting instead for a space that prioritizes personal storytelling and creative intuition.

Adam Welch offers a solo show that looks like a group exhibition.

Adam Welch presents his first solo exhibition, "Terminal Moraine," at The Mine Factory, a newly opened gallery in Pittsburgh's Point Breeze neighborhood. The show runs through August 10 and features a dense installation of new, repurposed, and reconfigured paintings, drawings, sculptures, projections, and assemblages. Welch, best known as a curator at Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, fuses his dual roles by arranging the works in a way that initially resembles a group exhibition, with semi-random clusters and conglomerations that emphasize fragmentation over a singular theme.