SOPAC's Herb + Milly Iris Gallery Presents INSPIRED MINDS: Young Artist Exhibition Opening Reception Thursday, May 14

The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) will open the INSPIRED MINDS: Young Artist Exhibition in its Herb + Milly Iris Gallery on May 14, 2026, with a free public reception at 5:00 PM. Over 300 students from 20 area high schools submitted more than 1,000 original works across media including photography, digital art, painting, drawing, sculpture, fiber arts, and ceramics; 70 pieces were selected for the exhibition. The show is sponsored by the Iris Family Foundation and features professional installation, a formal reception, and opportunities for students to sell their work.

New exhibition created by three talented artists comes to Waterford amid major success

A joint painting exhibition titled 'Creations of a Colourful Mind' by three artists—Marja van Kampen, Olivia O’Keeffe, and Martina Furlong—has opened at The Old Market House Arts Centre in Dungarvan, Waterford. The national touring exhibition, which previously appeared in counties Cork, Clare, Tipperary, Wicklow, Wexford, and Laois, marks the trio's tenth collaborative show, following their success at the Tramore Coastguard Cultural Centre last spring.

A Village Becomes a Gallery – Mountshannon Arts Festival

The Mountshannon Arts Festival transforms the Irish village of Mountshannon into an open-air gallery, featuring artworks displayed throughout public spaces, homes, and businesses. The festival brings together local and international artists, turning the entire village into a curated exhibition space for the duration of the event.

Into the Wild - Art exhibition by Gina O’Connor

Artist Gina O’Connor has launched her latest solo exhibition, "Into the Wild," at Cultúrlann Sweeney in Kilkee. This collection marks her second show at the venue and her seventh solo exhibition overall, featuring a series of semi-abstract paintings inspired by the landscapes of the Wild Atlantic Way. The works, including titles such as "Blown Away" and "Atlantic Bliss," utilize bold, spontaneous mark-making to represent natural elements like mountains, seas, and flora.

‘Bándearg’ exhibition to bring bold colourful art to Mayo

The contemporary art exhibition “Bándearg” is set to open at the Books At One gallery in Louisburgh, County Mayo, featuring the work of five Ireland-based female artists. Running from April 18 to May 13, the show brings together Olivia Jones, Tina Poole, Anna Marie Savage, Nickie Harrington, and Maria Mollohan to explore the multifaceted nature of the color pink through diverse styles ranging from geometric precision to nature-inspired abstraction.

How the Edam exhibition is giving ‘edam’, or space, to Kerala’s women artists

The article reports on 'Edam', a collateral exhibition of the Kochi Muziris Biennale curated by Aishwarya Suresh and KM Madhusudhanan. Featuring 36 Malayali artists, the show consciously avoids stereotypical depictions of women as confined to home and family. Instead, it highlights deeply personal works by women artists such as Priti Vadakkath, Indu Antony, Nithya AS, and Devika Sundar, whose art reflects their individual struggles and lived experiences. The curators also faced challenges including financial constraints, spousal opposition, and helping recent art graduates gain confidence to articulate their work.

Highlanes Gallery opens 2026 with first solo exhibition by emerging artist James Moonan

Highlanes Gallery in Drogheda, Ireland, has opened its first exhibition of 2026 with 'Once Upon a Page', the debut solo show by emerging artist James Moonan. The exhibition features award-winning recent works alongside pieces Moonan created throughout his childhood, tracing his artistic journey. Moonan, a young creative with autism, has received national recognition in the Credit Union Art Competition. The opening was attended by the Mayor of Drogheda Michelle Hall, gallery director Aoife Ruane, representatives from Drogheda Credit Union, and members of the local community.

Pete Hogan Announces 2025 Open Studio Exhibition on Dublin Bay This Thursday

Irish maritime artist Pete Hogan will open his Sandymount studio on Dublin Bay to the public on Thursday, 11 December 2025, for an event titled Open Studio ’25. The exhibition, themed “Dublin in the Rare Auld Time,” will feature paintings, drawings, and sculpture, with a launch evening from 6 pm to 10 pm at 153 Strand Road, Dublin 4, followed by viewings by appointment. Hogan, a solo circumnavigator in the 1990s and a regular contributor to Afloat.ie, combines his sailing experience with visual art.

Midlands to Miami: Prolific Offaly digital artist to feature at prestigious art exhibition

Alan Bolton, a digital artist from Tullamore, Offaly, has been selected as one of the featured artists at Context Art Miami 2025, opening December 2. He will present five new artworks at the fair, which highlights how technology is reshaping art. Bolton is one of five Irish participants among over 1,300 international exhibitors. The article traces his journey from creating Bebo skins as a teenager in Ireland to studying at Dublin Institute of Technology, moving to Los Angeles after graduation, and building a career as a leading digital artist.

Local Notes: Claremorris duo are All-Ireland handball champions

A local news column from Claremorris, Ireland, reports on multiple community items, including a new art exhibition. Claremorris Gallery will host 'Slow Heat', a solo exhibition by artist Emma Stroude, opening on September 27, 2025. Stroude, a graduate of Chelsea College of Art and Design and the Slade School of Art, is known for her work in painting, drawing, and mixed media. The column also covers the victory of Claremorris handball players Niall Joyce and Paddy Murphy in the All-Ireland Senior Hardball Doubles Championship, a visit from the No Name Club to St Colman's College, and local golf competition results.

‘Fragile Earth’ art exhibit brings environmental awareness and activism to Livermore

Livermore Valley Arts has opened 'Fragile Earth: A Call to Action,' a new exhibition at the Bankhead Theater that blends visual art with scientific understanding and grassroots advocacy. Featuring local and regional artists such as Denson Karin, Maureen Langenbach, Bernice LaRosa, and Caroline Powers-Robinson, the show presents diverse media including painting, sculpture, photography, and interactive installations. A partnership with Quest Science Center adds 'Style Transfer,' an interactive photo booth using machine learning, alongside work from the Tri-Valley Youth Climate Action Program. The exhibition runs through Oct. 19.

‘Occupation is buried deep in our psyche’: the haunting exhibition showing Irish support for Palestinians

An exhibition titled 'Dlúthpháirtíocht' (the Irish word for solidarity) is on display at Metamorphika Studio in Hackney, London, featuring over 50 works that connect Palestinian and Irish histories. The show includes pieces by Palestinian artist Nabil Abughanima, who fled Gaza two months ago, and Irish photographer Seamus Murphy, alongside works by Amal Al Nakhala, Spicebag, and Council Baby. Co-curated by Seán Óg Ó Murchú, the itinerant exhibition will travel to Dublin, Cork, and Belfast after its London run ends on 19 July.

Awash in color: Newport Beach Art Exhibition showcases over 200 works by area artists

The 58th annual Newport Beach Art Exhibition took place on June 30, 2025, at the Newport Beach Civic Center, drawing about 2,000 attendees. The one-day event featured over 240 artworks including paintings, sculptures, photography, and mixed media, displayed in the Community Room and Civic Green. Notable participants included Joyce Cox, whose oil on linen painting "Soaking Up The Zen" attracted attention; Jeff Guzzetta, who won third place in 3-D art for a stained glass mosaic surfboard titled "Sol"; and Elena Kealy, who received the Juror's Choice Award for her oil on canvas work "Bliss." Other award winners included Kevin Avery, who took second place in Photography for "Rich Strike." The exhibition was organized by the Newport Beach Library and supported by the Newport Beach Arts Foundation.

INSPIRED MINDS: Young Artist Exhibition Opens May 15 at SOPAC

The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) announced the return of the INSPIRED MINDS: Young Artist Exhibition, a showcase of visual art by high school students from Essex County, running from May 15 to August 17, 2025, in the Herb + Milly Iris Gallery. Over 1,000 submissions were received, with a jury selecting about 80 pieces for display. The opening reception on May 15 will also feature the third annual Paul Bartick Emerging Artist Award, presented to Millburn High School senior Obenewaa Frimpomaa, a Scholastic National Gold Art Medalist whose work explores identity, history, and empowerment of underrepresented voices.

Excerpt from the Iliad in a mummy's abdomen and gold tongues: rare discoveries made in Egypt

Extrait de l’Iliade dans l’abdomen d’une momie et langues en or : de rares découvertes effectuées en Égypte

Archaeologists working at the necropolis of Oxyrhynchus in Egypt have made a series of rare discoveries, the most significant being a fragment of papyrus from Homer's Iliad found inside the abdominal cavity of a Roman-era mummy. This marks the first time a Greek literary text has been found incorporated into the ancient Egyptian embalming process, suggesting a unique hybridization of funerary practices.

Slane Castle Unveils CAIM: A groundbreaking contemporary art exhibition

Slane Castle in Ireland has announced CAIM, a new contemporary art program launching with an inaugural exhibition from September 12th to 30th. Curated by Jenn Ellis of Apsara Studio and Matilda Liu of Meeting Point Projects, the exhibition will feature immersive installations, sculptures, and multimedia works by emerging and established international and local artists. The works engage with themes of protection, ritual, and humanity's bond with nature, set within the castle's historic grounds and state rooms. The opening weekend includes an exclusive Riverside Gala Dinner on September 13th.

'Room of Wonders' exhibit opens at Cantor Art Gallery at the College of the Holy Cross

The 'Room of Wonders: A Worcester Wunderkammer' exhibition has opened at the Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery at the Priory Arts Center, College of the Holy Cross. Curated by Birgit Straehle, the show features works by artists including Abu Mwenye, Caelum Lam, Jose Vicente Criollo, and Madeleine Lord, with sculptures such as Criollo's 'Night Owl' (2025) and 'Fish' (2023), and Lord's 'Old Friends' (2022) and 'Saint Recyclus' (2024). The opening reception took place on June 6, 2025, drawing local arts organizer Tina Zlody and Holy Cross staff member Casey Denis.

Art exhibition puts Eastbourne in the frame

The Historical Society of Eastbourne is presenting an exhibition of unseen artworks and photographs at the Hutt Art Centre in May 2025. Spanning 1847 to 2025, the show includes portraits, landscapes, seascapes, and historical scenes from the eastern harbour and Eastbourne communities, featuring works by artists such as Alan G Collins, Gordon Brown, Gregory Chaston, and Charles Cheesman. Highlights include a set of photographic negatives discovered in the cupboards of Hutt Art Centre member Iris Caulfield, believed to have been found at a garage sale in the late 1980s, and a 1932 image of then-Eastbourne mayor Sam Fisher speaking at a civic ceremony.

20 artisti lavoreranno in 20 paesini remoti di 20 regioni italiane. La rassegna che porta l’arte contemporanea nei borghi torna per il settimo anno

The seventh edition of "Una Boccata d'Arte," an initiative by Fondazione Elpis, will bring contemporary art to 20 remote villages across all 20 Italian regions. Twenty artists, each paired with a curator, will create site-specific projects that will be inaugurated simultaneously on June 20-21, 2026, and remain on view until October 4. A key innovation this year is that artists and curators spent extra time engaging with local communities before designing their works, fostering deeper connections. Examples include Greek artist Vasilis Papageorgiu transforming a traditional tablecloth from a resident of Tredozio, and Francesco Alberico collaborating with a socio-health facility in Bressanone to create a bird-themed installation.

Pune’s JM Road to Transform Into Open-Air Art Gallery for a Day as PMC, Bharati Vidyapeeth College Host Street Art Festival

Pune's JM Road will transform into an open-air art gallery on November 16, 2025, hosting the inaugural Pune Street Art Festival 2025. Organized by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Fine Arts, the one-day event will feature paintings, sculptures, pottery, ceramics, and mixed-media works from about 50 artists selected via the PMC Care app. The festival aims to make art accessible to the public, with no commission on sales and prices starting at ₹500, and includes live demonstrations and artist-audience dialogues.

Upper Grand student artists debut work in juried show at county museum

The Wellington County Museum and Archives in Ontario will host the Emerging Insights exhibition, a juried show featuring visual arts students from the Upper Grand District School Board. The exhibition, organized in collaboration with the Elora Fergus Arts Council and regional high school art departments, opens May 28 with a reception and runs through September 30. Local artists Phil Irish and Eric Montgomery served as jurors, selecting works across various media and styles.

Limerick Museum Sybil Connolly exhibition opens until July 31

Limerick Museum has opened 'Dressed to Impress: Sybil Connolly and the Art of Irish Elegance', an exhibition celebrating the life and work of Sybil Connolly, one of Ireland's most renowned fashion designers. Curated by Dr. Zara Power, the show features rarely seen garments, including a piece worn by Máirín Lynch, as well as maquettes, sketches, and interior design objects on loan from the Hunt Museum and Cork Public Museum. The exhibition runs until July 31, 2026, and admission is free.

Salt, memory and ocean currents: Parvathi Nayar’s solo exhibition

Senior contemporary artist Parvathi Nayar's solo exhibition explores the interconnectedness of human histories and natural forces, focusing on themes of salt, memory, and ocean currents. The show features works that examine how human narratives are shaped by and inseparable from environmental elements, as described in a review by Deepa Natarajan Lobo.

Inside the new Galway gallery blending art with coffee – ‘I definitely didn’t want a stuffy white box’

A new gallery has opened in Galway, Ireland, blending visual art with a coffee shop experience. The founder explicitly rejected the traditional 'stuffy white box' model, aiming to create a more accessible and welcoming space where visitors can engage with art in a relaxed, everyday setting.