‘Life-changing’ exhibition to feature MP’s artwork

Abstract artist Joey Lowe is organizing a large-scale art exhibition at The Sessions House in Spalding, Lincolnshire, on May 9-10, featuring around 50 artists. A surprise participant is Sir John Hayes, the local MP for South Holland and the Deepings, who has submitted his own artwork for the show. The event also includes a mini youth exhibition with works from five local schools. Joey Lowe launched his first exhibition in 2024, and the event has grown in popularity, drawing hundreds of visitors and creating opportunities for participants.

Senior artists explore censorship, AI and transformation in the capstone exhibition

Shippensburg University senior art students presented their capstone exhibition at the Huber Art Center, featuring works in printmaking, digital art, ceramics, and charcoal drawings. Artists Luke Lindvall, Gerald Pratt, Kaylee Will, Alayna Mandich, and Lily Bramucci explored themes including censorship, artificial intelligence, horror, and personal transformation. Lindvall pushed printmaking onto unconventional surfaces like skateboards and furniture, Pratt addressed over-censorship in politics, Will warned against over-reliance on technology and AI in raising children, Mandich used horror imagery to examine beauty, and Bramucci connected pit-fired ceramics to life choices and hardship.

Chester County art exhibition at Chester County art association

The Chester County Art Association in West Chester hosted the Chester County High School Art Exhibition and PA 6th District Congressional Art Competition reception on April 15. The event featured nearly 500 student works including sculptures, oil paintings, colored pencil pieces, and photography, with awards presented for both competitions. Josiah Fung of Wilmington Friends School won first place in the congressional competition for his piece "Friends for Life," which will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. The exhibition was coordinated by the Chester County Intermediate Unit and partially funded by CCRES Educational and Behavioral Health Services.

Surrey Heights Dementia Care Centre Partners with Local School For Dementia Friendly Art Exhibition Visit

Residents of Surrey Heights Dementia Care Centre, part of CHD Living, visited a dementia-friendly art exhibition and sculpture trail hosted by King Edward School, Witley, in partnership with appART. Wellbeing Coordinator Karen accompanied residents on short walks to the school, where they engaged with artworks including Beatles-themed pieces and a tiger sculpture. One resident, Nick, was encouraged to apply to exhibit his own work at next year's event, while another resident, Karen, who had previously declined outings, participated calmly and enthusiastically.

You Can Help Create Art at This Free Providence Event

The Providence Chalk Art Festival will take place on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at the Providence Rink in Rhode Island. For one day, the rink's concrete surface becomes an open-air gallery where artists of all ages and skill levels create chalk artworks in designated squares. Visitors can watch professional chalk artists at work, walk among the colorful street art, and even participate by creating their own chalk designs in special areas set aside for kids and amateurs. The event also features live music, food vendors, and family-friendly activities, all free to attend.

Celebration of arts and community as free exhibition prepares for return

The Fairwinds Fine Art Exhibition is returning to Cowes Yacht Haven on the Isle of Wight from May 1 to 4, featuring works by 13 local artists. Entry is free, and all proceeds will support the Andrew Cassell Foundation, the Ring Daisy Bus, and Mountbatten Isle of Wight. The exhibition was inspired by the late John Garlick, a sailor and art enthusiast, and is continued by his family and artist Peter Allen.

Polis presents Governor’s Legacy Award at Loveland art show

Colorado Governor Jared Polis presented the one-time 250/150/35 Governor’s Legacy Award to Longmont sculptor Parker McDonald at the Loveland Museum during the annual Governor’s Art Show. McDonald’s mixed-media sculpture “Compadres,” depicting a bison with a small bird on its back, was selected for telling a distinctly Colorado story. The award commemorates three milestones: the nation’s 250th anniversary, Colorado’s 150th anniversary, and the show’s 35th year. The juried exhibition features over 60 Colorado artists and is jointly sponsored by the Loveland and Thompson Valley Rotary clubs.

The auction market breathes a sigh of relief – but not everywhere

Der Auktionsmarkt atmet auf – aber nicht überall

The article reports that the auction market is showing signs of fragile recovery in 2025, with Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillips all posting mid-double-digit percentage increases at their London sales in March compared to the previous year. However, the article notes that the prior year was exceptionally weak, and underlying issues such as high debt levels, aggressive commission models, and unresolved succession questions continue to threaten the stability of the major auction houses.

Exit Homo?

Hua Wang and Emanuel Heim are presenting their dual exhibition "Natural Inversions" in Berlin, curated by John Silvis. The show features abstract queer painting, sculptural installations, and explores themes of perception, materiality, and transformation. An artist talk moderated by Monopol editor Sebastian Frenzel accompanies the exhibition, where the artists discuss transhumanism, artificial intelligence, spirituality, and how technology is reshaping our understanding of being human.

Aging more slowly thanks to museums? Science confirms it

Vieillir moins vite grâce aux musées ? La science le confirme

A study published on May 11 in Innovation in Aging by University College London analyzed data from 3,556 adults in the UK, measuring their cultural engagement against biological age using epigenetic clocks. Researchers found that those who visit museums, exhibitions, concerts, or libraries at least once a week age approximately 4% more slowly than those who rarely participate. Even three cultural outings per year correlate with a 2% slowdown in biological aging, with monthly visits yielding a 3% effect—comparable to the benefits of physical exercise.

À Florence, une transformation silencieuse pour préserver son patrimoine

Florence is undertaking a major restoration of Giotto's Campanile, the first comprehensive conservation of the 14th-century bell tower since its construction. The project, budgeted at over €7 million, addresses decades of damage from pollution, acid rain, and natural aging, including detached stone slabs, darkened facades, and microfractures. The four-year scaffolding will be designed to minimize visual impact and gradually reveal restored sections. Separately, the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore is executing a €60 million program to restore the Collegio Eugeniano (which will become its new headquarters) and expand the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo to 11,000 square meters by 2030. The Ponte Vecchio will also undergo summer cleaning and consolidation of its piles, funded equally by the municipality and the Antinori family.

Aristophil : Gérard Lhéritier obtient une peine aménagée

Gérard Lhéritier, founder of the investment firm Aristophil, has had his prison sentence reduced to two years under electronic monitoring after pleading guilty in a French plea-bargaining procedure. Originally sentenced in December 2025 to five years in prison for fraud, Lhéritier's scheme involved selling shares in manuscripts and historical documents, causing losses estimated at several hundred million euros to nearly 18,000 investors.

Turin experiments with a robot guide in one of its historic palaces

Turin expérimente un robot-guide dans l’un de ses palais historiques

The Palazzo Madama in Turin, Italy, has introduced R1, a humanoid robot guide developed by the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Genoa, to accompany visitors through the historic palace. Since late March, R1 has been testing its ability to navigate the building's constrained interiors, interact with diverse audiences, and provide explanations about artworks, artists, and the palace's history. The robot uses infrared cameras, lasers, pressure sensors, and a LED matrix to move, avoid obstacles, and communicate, with over 80% of users reporting positive interactions during the six-week trial. Previous tests occurred in 2022 and May 2024.

Aristophil : Gérard Lhéritier reconnaît sa culpabilité et obtient une peine réduite

Gérard Lhéritier, founder of the art investment firm Aristophil, has pleaded guilty in a French court under a procedure known as comparution sur reconnaissance préalable de culpabilité (CRPC), effectively a plea bargain. On April 14, he admitted responsibility for fraud and deceptive commercial practices after more than a decade of denial. This late admission, made just before his expected incarceration, reduces his sentence from the five years of imprisonment handed down in December 2025 to two years under electronic monitoring. The case stems from Aristophil’s collapse, which involved selling shares in manuscripts and historical documents as attractive investments, leaving thousands of investors heavily impacted.

Electric Slide at Gallery Kendra Jayne Patrick

Electric Slide, a group exhibition at Gallery Kendra Jayne Patrick, features 96 images documenting the show with no accompanying videos or text descriptions. The exhibition brings together multiple artists in a curated display, though specific artist names and artwork details are not provided in the article text.

Rachel Mentzer Transforms Discarded Cartons into Dusky Collagraphs

Ohio-based artist Rachel Mentzer creates collagraph prints using discarded cartons as printing plates, carving them with images of birds, trees, and energy infrastructure. Her process involves carving the cardboard, sealing it with polyurethane, inking it, and transferring the image via an etching press, often incorporating chine collé for color. Her work was recently shown at the Manhattan Graphics Center, and she will participate in the Suzanne Wilson Artist-in-Residence Program at Glen Arbor Arts Center this summer.

Arte Museum Las Vegas debuts BTS immersive exhibit as part of citywide 'The City' project

Arte Museum Las Vegas has launched a BTS-themed immersive exhibition titled "ARTE MUSEUM X BTS THE CITY ARIRANG," running from May 20 to June 17, 2026. Produced by digital design company d'strict, the exhibition is part of "THE CITY," a larger project connecting multiple urban locations with BTS's tour period. The installation pairs digital visual works with tracks from BTS's fifth studio album, ARIRANG, and includes a retitled "ARIRANG GARDEN" zone featuring five media art pieces. The exhibition opens a week before BTS's Las Vegas concert dates (May 23–28) and extends two weeks after.

'Altered Landscapes': Local artists to host talk on gallery show

Local artists C.V. Peterson and Holli Jacobson are presenting a joint exhibition titled 'Altered Landscapes' at the Pablo Center at the Confluence's James W. Hansen Gallery in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The show, which runs until June 21, features abstract works that explore Wisconsin's hills, landscapes, wildlife, and pollinators through an environmental lens. The artists will host an Artist Talk on May 17 to discuss their creative process and inspiration.

Geometry of the Inner World: Art as Therapy in Budapest

On 22 April, Art Corner by Clark and Leo opened its ninth exhibition, 'Art Is Therapy', featuring works by Hungarian artist Judit Horváth Lóczi at the Hotel Clark Budapest and Leo Bistro. The show includes paintings and small-scale sculptures that explore personal experience, emotional memory, and female identity through geometric structures and vivid colors. The exhibition builds on material first presented in Berlin in 2020, now expanded with new works, and was inaugurated with a private vernissage attended by prominent figures from the Hungarian art scene, accompanied by a performance from Zoltán Grecsó and cellist Endre Kertész, plus a specially curated gastronomic program.

This art exhibition wants to leave you ‘a bit happier’

Architect and artist François Valentiny, together with his wife Edith Burggraff, has opened a joint exhibition titled "L'art en partage" at the Valentiny Foundation in Remerschen, Luxembourg. Running until 10 May, the show features paintings and sculptures by the couple and is accompanied by concerts, workshops, and community events. Valentiny, known for designing landmarks like KPMG Luxembourg's headquarters and the Bijou building, studied architecture in Vienna and splits his time between Luxembourg and Austria.

Rome: A new cultural space opens in Trastevere (there's also an art radio station)

Roma: apre a Trastevere un nuovo spazio culturale (c’è anche un radio sull’arte)

A new cultural space called ASIF has opened in Rome's Trastevere district at Via della Lungara 24, launching on May 8 with an exhibition titled "Educazione sentimentale per architetti" by artist and illustrator Chiara Carrer, running until June 20. The space is distinguished by an accompanying radio station that extends its reach through programs exploring art and the city, with a team including Yasmin Rosciglione, Arturo Zanaica, Novella Hoffer, Iacopo Taddia, Monica Dell'acqua, Edoardo Taddia, and Blanca Castro Xiques. The inaugural show, curated by Bonvini 1909 (named Artribune's gallery of the year in 2025), features over sixty works including collages, engravings, and sculptures centered on the theme of dwelling.

Padua Airport Wants to Become a Cultural Hub

L’aeroporto di Padova vuole diventare un hub culturale

Padua's Gino Allegri Airport, historically used for military purposes and now partially repurposed for commercial and tourist flights, is transforming into a cultural hub. In December 2024, the Terminal Urbano opened inside the airport, a multifunctional space created by Heron Air (the private flight company that has managed the airport since 2021 under a 20-year concession). The space includes the Himmelmann exhibition area for temporary shows, performances, and conferences, and features permanent works such as Sergio Rodella's "Icaro." Now, the airport is moving to phase two: a massive renovation of former military hangars, set to begin by 2026, which will demolish old helicopter offices, refurbish the first hangar, and restore the former Aeroclub building. Some spaces will be sold to private entities, while others will be dedicated to public, non-profit artistic, and educational projects.

C’è un museo di Torino che cerca 100 lampade per realizzare una grande installazione. Ecco come partecipare

The MAO – Museo d’Arte Orientale in Turin has launched an open call titled "We need your light," inviting the public to lend up to three lamps each for a large-scale collective installation. Participants can deliver their lamps on May 17-18, 2026, by booking a time slot via Eventbrite; the museum will collect the objects, rewire them for safety, and incorporate them into a site-specific artwork debuting during Turin's Art Week in October 2026. The museum also encourages lenders to share the story behind their lamp, which will be filmed and included in the exhibition.

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.

Story of Stampé is the new social atelier in Turin: art gallery, workshop, laboratory of ideas and participation

Storia di Stampé è il nuovo atelier sociale di Torino: galleria d’arte, bottega, laboratorio di idee e di partecipazione

Stampé, a new community atelier in Turin, Italy, has opened at Via Stampatori 5, a historic street once home to printers. The space is a hybrid cultural hub combining an art gallery, a workshop, a showroom for artisanal and food products, and a social enterprise incubator. It launched with a group exhibition featuring seven cultural associations and the communication agency Hello Tomorrow, showcasing works by emerging artists and graphic artworks from past events. The initiative is part of the "Piani Generativi 2" social enterprise development project, funded by the city of Turin and the Compagnia di San Paolo foundation.

A Milano esiste una community di illustratori che racconta la città disegnandola dal vivo

Urban Sketchers Milano, a local chapter of the international Urban Sketchers community, recently held an event at Casa Galimberti, a notable Liberty-style building in Milan. The group, founded in 2007 by journalist and illustrator Gabriel Campanario in Seattle, brings together illustrators who draw urban scenes directly from life, on location. The Milan chapter, active since March 2008, is currently managed by Valentín Di Salvo, Stefano Ziffarelli, and Daniela Paglia, and organizes events such as a recent gathering at the garden of Via San Martino, which drew over 90 artists.

Cultural Observatories: Dinosaurs or Subjects Capable of Interpreting the Present?

Osservatori culturali. Dinosauri o soggetti in grado di interpretare il presente?

The Cultural Observatory of Canton Ticino has published a study on cultural observatories worldwide, including a map and list of surveyed organizations. The analysis reveals that cultural observatories are not a global phenomenon but are concentrated mainly in Europe and South America, with occasional presence in North America (especially Canada and Hispanic-oriented organizations in the US). Africa, Asia, and Oceania are almost entirely absent from the map. The study also highlights a high rate of inactive observatories: among the top 10 countries by active observatories, only Germany shows an effective activity ratio. Spain has 26 active observatories out of about 45 total, while Italy has 11 active out of over 20 inactive. The research defines observatories as non-profit organizations that combine cultural and statistical expertise to deepen and transfer knowledge about the cultural sector, and classifies as inactive those with no recent activity on web or social channels.

Lifework: An Exhibition by KCAT Studio Artists

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council presents "Lifework," an exhibition of artworks by seven artists from the Kilkenny Collective for Arts Talent (KCAT) Studio. The show runs from May 9 to August 26, 2026 at the Municipal Gallery, dlr LexIcon in Dún Laoghaire, featuring artists Thomas Barron, Declan Byrne, Lorna Corrigan, Sinéad Fahey, Fergus Fitzgerald, Andrew Pike, and Jason Turner. Curated by Dominic Thorpe, the exhibition pairs each artist's earliest work with recent pieces to highlight their long-term artistic development. A concurrent showcase of inclusive artwork from the county will be displayed in Gallery Two, accompanied by workshops programmed by Moran Been-noon and Rayne Booth.

Annual {Ink}arcerated art exhibition returns to Arizona Center May 15

The {Ink}arcerated: Creativity Within Confinement art exhibition returns to the Arizona Center on May 15, featuring 365 new paintings, drawings, and sculptures created by incarcerated individuals. Managed by doctoral students Alexis Klemm and Madeline Boersma from ASU's School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, the program involves distributing art supplies to 17 correctional facilities across Arizona, including a youth facility for the first time, and curating the completed works into a polished exhibition with museum lighting and display walls.

Explore Art Galleries in Fort Wayne

This article is a directory-style guide listing art galleries and museums in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It highlights the Fort Wayne Museum of Art as a major attraction and provides addresses, hours, and contact information for over a dozen other venues, including Artlink Contemporary Art Gallery, the Jeffrey R Krull Gallery at the Allen County Public Library, and galleries at the University of Saint Francis and Purdue University Fort Wayne. The guide also mentions appointment-only spaces like Wunderkammer Company and The Art Farm.