The process for awarding the title of Italian Capital of Culture should be rethought. Here's why.

Il processo per assegnare il titolo di Capitale Italiana della Cultura andrebbe ripensato. Ecco perché

An analysis of the selection process for Italy's "Capital of Culture" title reveals a consistent pattern: cities chosen for the prestigious designation are almost exclusively administered by political coalitions aligned with the national government in power at the time of selection. The sole exceptions were Bergamo and Brescia, which were jointly awarded the title via a special parliamentary decree in recognition of their suffering during the pandemic, bypassing the standard procedure. This political alignment has persisted across different legislatures and changes in government.

Beijing Artists Association Holds Third Session of Seventh Council and Art Committee Work Conference

北京美术家协会召开第七届理事会第三次会议、艺委会工作会议

The Beijing Artists Association convened its Seventh Council Third Session and Art Committee Work Conference at the Beijing Conference Center. The meeting was chaired by Fan Di'an, President of both the China Artists Association and the Beijing Artists Association, with Ma Xinming, Party Secretary and Executive Vice Chairman of the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, also delivering a speech. Key agenda items included reviewing the council's work report, discussing a draft five-year high-quality development action plan for the city's art sector, and announcing the membership list for a new working committee focused on new artistic groups. The afternoon featured group discussions where participants proposed recommendations on thematic creation, technology integration, talent cultivation, and rural revitalization.

Albany Center Gallery seeks artists, vendors for Summer Art Fest

Albany Center Gallery is seeking artists and vendors for its third annual Summer Art Fest, a free outdoor art festival taking place July 18 at Quackenbush Square and Clinton Market Collective in downtown Albany. The event features a curated pop-up gallery, a new vendor market, a kids' art corner, interactive activities, and live artmaking. Submissions are free, with a deadline of June 10, and guidelines are available on the gallery's website. Last year's festival drew over 1,000 attendees from the Capital Region.

How Capital Walls’ mural program has shaped Albany's streets and artists for 10 years

Capital Walls, a mural program in Albany, New York, has transformed the city's streets over the past decade by commissioning large-scale public artworks from local and national artists. The initiative has produced dozens of murals that have become landmarks, revitalizing neighborhoods and fostering community engagement with visual art.

Art museum - The art of stillness: Dib Bangkok

Dib Bangkok, a major new contemporary art museum, has opened in Thailand's capital. Conceived by the late Thai businessman and art collector Petch Osathanugrah and realized by his son Purat 'Chang' Osathanugrah, the museum is housed in a converted 1980s warehouse redesigned by LA-based Thai architect Kulupat Yansantrast of WHY Architecture. It features 7,000 square meters of gallery space across 11 galleries, a central courtyard, an outdoor sculpture garden, and a penthouse. The inaugural exhibition, titled '(In)visible Presence,' presents 81 works by 40 artists exploring memory and the unseen, curated by director Miwako Tezuka.

Free and Pay What You Wish in N.Y.C.: Museums, Movies and More

The article details a wide array of cultural institutions and events in New York City that offer free admission or operate on a "pay-what-you-wish" model. It lists specific days and times for museums, movie screenings, and other attractions where visitors can access culture without a fixed ticket price.

Rabat’s street art festival reshapes the city into a living gallery

The Jidar Street Art Festival has concluded its latest edition in Rabat, Morocco, transforming the capital’s urban landscape into an expansive open-air museum. This year’s event featured twelve large-scale murals created by a diverse roster of local and international street artists, alongside a program of workshops and guided tours designed to engage the public with contemporary urban art.

Turning passion and pride into success

The article reports on the global surge in appreciation for handicrafts, highlighted by their prominent presence at the 2024 Venice Biennale, where curator Adriano Pedrosa noted a renewed interest in traditional, handmade techniques once considered marginal to fine art. It specifically focuses on Saudi Arabia's strategic push to capitalize on this trend by designating 2025 as the Year of Handicrafts, launching the Nama' Accelerators program through the state-run Cultural Development Fund (CDF) to support artisan businesses. The program has already helped entrepreneurs like Ranad Alsaif, who is preparing to open the first specialized natural-dyeing studio in the country.

Valve’s art galleries will be Oulu2026 Galleries next year – applications are open

Valve’s art galleries, including the Valve Gallery, Paljetti Restaurant, and the Oskari Jauhiainen Gallery in Kiiminki, will become part of the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture programme next year. Free exhibition periods are now open for applications through the We are the Culture open call until August 31, with rental fees of €22.40 per day for the Valve Gallery and free use for the other two venues. Funding of €500–€2,000 is available based on criteria such as novelty, participation, and European perspective.

LAX Art Program’s Call to Artists

The LAX Art Program, operated by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), has issued a call for muralists to create large-scale artworks for display in the terminals of Los Angeles International Airport. Up to ten finalists will be selected and awarded commissions ranging from $14,000 to $38,000, with murals to be installed for a minimum of two years. The initiative, part of the broader Meet Me at the Mural project, is open to professional artists, artist teams, and curators residing in Southern California, with proposals due by July 30, 2025.