Owatonna Arts Center seeking submissions for its 73rd annual Steele County Arts Exhibition

The Owatonna Arts Center (OAC) is calling for submissions for its 73rd annual Steele County Arts Exhibition, with the submission period open through April 30 and the exhibition running from May 3 to May 31. Artistic Director Silvan Durban, who has been with the center for 48 years, notes that all forms of physical media are accepted and there is no specified theme, encouraging broad participation from both returning and new artists. The exhibition continues a local tradition that began in the 1930s with the Owatonna Arts Project supported by the University of Minnesota and the Carnegie Foundation.

Ripple Effect Art Festival to Spread Across County

The inaugural Ripple Effect Arts Festival will take place April 16–26 across Santa Cruz County, featuring 11 days of performances, exhibitions, workshops, and interactive events spanning visual art, music, dance, theater, film, fashion, and spoken word. The festival includes two concurrent exhibitions at M.K. Contemporary Art in downtown Santa Cruz: 'The Anatomy of Wonder: Photo Sculptures' by Michael Garlington and 'Rochambeau' featuring eight local and Bay Area artists. Major hubs include Santa Cruz and Watsonville, with a grand finale near the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk featuring musician Helado Negro.

“Butcher, Hymes, & Murtha,” April 29 through June 29

The Quad City Arts International Airport Gallery is hosting a three-person exhibition featuring the work of Aaron Butcher, MaryKay Hymes, and Diane Murtha from April 29 through June 29. The showcase brings together Butcher’s whimsical illustrations on shaped wood with diverse fiber art pieces created by Hymes and Murtha, highlighting a range of techniques from collage to intricate quilting.

Park City Photographer Selected for Spring Salon Third Year in a Row

Park City photographer David Winegar has been selected for the Springville Museum of Art’s 102nd annual Spring Salon for the third consecutive year. His winning entry, 'Balancing Act,' is a large-format, hand-processed black and white photograph depicting an ancient pine tree at sunrise in Canyonlands National Park. The piece explores themes of resilience and perseverance through the lens of the Utah landscape.

Art exhibition celebrating Glasgow's immigrant women

Scottish artist Gerard Burns has launched "Mother Glasgow," a portrait series featuring fifteen oil paintings of immigrant women who have made Glasgow their home. Debuting on International Women’s Day, the project showcases a diverse cohort ranging from a nine-year-old Ukrainian girl to an 87-year-old Italian resident, representing various professions including nursing, politics, and the arts. The works are being displayed across digital billboards and will tour prestigious Scottish venues.

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.

Springville Museum of Art hosts John Hafen exhibition

The Springville Museum of Art has opened the first major retrospective of John Hafen, a co-founder of the Springville Art Movement and one of Utah's most influential artists. The exhibition features 64 of Hafen's paintings, including works from the museum's own collection and loans from other museums and private owners. Highlights include the painting "Girl Among the Hollyhocks" and "The Sycamore Tree," alongside a biography of the artist and interpretive quotes from his writings. Hafen, a Swiss-born plein-air painter who studied in France and settled in Utah, is known for his tonalist landscapes that emphasize mood and sentiment over exact representation.

Fort Worth Contemporary Arts to Open New Location in September

Fort Worth Contemporary Arts (FWCA), the contemporary art gallery of Texas Christian University (TCU), will open a new 2,000-square-foot location at 3050 Waits Avenue in September 2025, one block from its former site. The inaugural exhibition on September 5 will be "Indian Removal Act III: We are a Wounding" by San Antonio artist Joe Harjo, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma, continuing his series on Native American historical and contemporary issues. The previous location at 2900 W. Berry Street closed in November 2024 after a final memorial exhibition honoring influential faculty member Dr. Frances Colpitt, as the university repurposes the site for student housing under an $83 million development plan.

Sinead Gallagher back on home shores for first solo exhibition in Donegal

Letterkenny native Sinead Gallagher returns to County Donegal after over 20 years abroad to present her first solo exhibition in the county, titled 'Home Shores'. The show of abstract expressionist paintings opens September 7, 2025 at the Lifford Old Courthouse and runs through September 28. Gallagher, who lived and worked in Germany and North America, now resides in Kilcar with her husband, filmmaker and poet Marc Littler. She has held more than 40 exhibitions in Europe and her work appears in international collections.

Youth Empowerment Shelter Artists Celebrate Creativity and Community with Local Exhibition

Young artists from the Youth Empowerment Shelter (YES) in The Dalles, Oregon, will showcase their work in a public exhibition and reception on June 13, 2025, at Yvonne’s Art Studio. The art program, revived by artist Yvonne Pepin Wakefield with seed funding from NW Natural and additional support from the Roundhouse Foundation, has provided a safe, joyful space for youth aged 11–17 to develop skills and create deeply personal artwork. The pieces will be permanently installed at SafeSpace in Hood River, a nonprofit supporting children affected by abuse and neglect.

Feminist art show vandalised at French photography centre

A feminist art exhibition titled 'Cyprine Benzin' at the NegPos art and photography centre in Nîmes, France, was vandalized during the night of 25–26 April. One or more intruders destroyed over 30 of the 40 works on view, spray-painting phalluses and sexual imagery on the walls. The exhibition, by artist Kamille Lévêque Jégo, celebrated women’s pride and empowerment and had opened on 11 April. It was the second attack on the gallery, following a prior break-in that damaged one work. The centre’s director, Patrice Loubon, described the attack as part of a 'masculinist backlash,' and three professional photography networks condemned a 'growing climate of intolerance against female photographers.'

Southern Israel art exhibition explores trauma of Oct 7

An art exhibition in southern Israel brought together religious and secular artists to process the trauma of the October 7 Hamas-led massacre. Held at the Shafir Youth Center, the event was part of the Herzog Center for Promoting Inclusive Creativity's yearlong "Creating Space" initiative, curated by Israeli designer Zohar Yerom. Works spanned movement, poetry, painting, sculpture, and video art, with interactive installations including Avivit Shaked's "The Womb" and Avital Ora Fishwait's "The Birth Room." Audience members participated by writing pre-October 7 memories and painting images of healing.

How Expensive Art Auctions Really Are

Wie teuer Kunstauktionen wirklich sind

Art auction houses often promote transparency through public bidding, but the final hammer price is merely the starting point for a complex web of additional costs. Buyers frequently face buyer's premiums, value-added taxes, and resale right royalties (droit de suite) that can inflate the final invoice by up to 50 percent beyond the initial bid.

Baumgartner Restoration Painstakingly Brings a Neglected Portrait Back to Life

Art conservator Julian Baumgartner, who runs Baumgartner Fine Art Restoration in Chicago, received an anonymous portrait that arrived severely damaged—folded inside a mangled parcel with substantial creases, tears, and worn-away paint. Using reversible, archival materials and meticulous attention to detail, Baumgartner painstakingly restored the neglected painting, giving it a second chance at life.

Painterly Figures Entwine in Soojin Choi’s Ceramic Sculptures

Ceramic artist Soojin Choi creates intricate sculptures of entangled pairs, using stoneware slabs and nylon strands to achieve a precarious balance that minimizes contact with the ground. Her painterly background is evident in the gestural marks, visible brushstrokes, and drips on the white-slipped surfaces, with the artist describing her process as a "constant negotiation with gravity."

New Art Vault Installation: How to Have a Flying Dream

A new immersive installation titled "How to Have a Flying Dream" by interdisciplinary artist Nancy Dewhurst opens at Gallery One’s Art Vault in Albuquerque, with a reception on May 15. The installation explores the phenomenon of flying dreams through objects, dream journaling, immersive imagery, and a digitized 16 mm film projected onto the ceiling, inviting visitors to engage in dream training exercises.

A New Look at Rabelais and His World

The article examines the philosophical and literary significance of laughter in François Rabelais's work, particularly *Gargantua and Pantagruel*, contrasting his celebratory view with the predominantly negative assessments of laughter in Western philosophy from Plato to Hobbes. It highlights how Rabelais channels a durable tradition of folk humor as a form of affirmative relief from oppression and official solemnity.

Carnegie Hall Museum Gallery showcases textile artist Holly Lei Cole

Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg, West Virginia, has opened a new exhibition in its Museum Gallery featuring textile artist Holly Lei Cole. The show is part of the ongoing Carnegie Hall ArtWalk, a self-guided gallery experience across four spaces in the historic 1902 landmark. Cole, a Virginia-based fiber and art-quilt artist, presents works that blend drawing, painting, sewing, and mixed media, exploring themes of endangered species, animal-human relationships, and nature. Before turning to art quilting in 2016, she worked as a costume and set designer for Broadway, The Muppets, Ringling Bros. Circus, and regional theaters. The exhibition is free and runs through the end of June.

Juancho Cano Shares Heritage Through Art Exhibition ‘FRAGMENTARIO’

Colombian artist and musician Juancho Cano presents his exhibition “FRAGMENTARIO: Visions in Pieces” at Athentic Brewing Co. in Athens, Georgia. The show features two sets of paintings: one created in Colombia and the other after his move to the United States three years ago. The works draw heavily on the heritage and culture of Pasto, Colombia, including imagery from the annual Carnaval de Negros y Blancos, such as the Andean devil figure. Cano also plans a multimedia event on June 7 incorporating music, stage art, and video, with contributions from his band BAMBARABANDA and colleagues.

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.

In Pompeii, an immersive experience is born that takes visitors back to 79 AD. Here's how it works

A Pompei nasce un’esperienza immersiva che riporta i visitatori proprio al 79 d.C. Ecco come funziona

A new immersive experience called Discovery Pompeii Alive is set to open in June 2026 at the MaxiMall Pompeii, just steps from the archaeological site of Pompeii. Developed by 3DBA and managed by Irgenre Group in collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Experiences, the project uses multisensory technology, spatial sound design, and interactive devices to transport visitors back to the hours before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The experience aims to reconstruct daily life in ancient Pompeii—its villas, public spaces, and homes—culminating in the eruption itself, blending historical reconstruction with emotional engagement.

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.

Near Florence there is a castle that recalls the Orient. The rebirth of the gardens begins with architect Tommaso del Buono

Vicino Firenze c’è un castello che ricorda l’Oriente. Al via la rinascita dei giardini con l’architetto Tommaso del Buono

The Castello di Sammezzano, a Moorish-style castle near Florence, Italy, is set for a major revival. Built in the 19th century by the Marquis Ferdinando Panciatichi Ximenes d'Aragona, the castle is one of Italy's most important examples of Orientalist architecture, featuring over sixty uniquely decorated rooms, a monumental park, and rare botanical species. After decades of neglect, auctions, and sporadic openings, the property was purchased in 2025 by the family of entrepreneur Giorgio Moretti, who plans a €50 million restoration. The first phase will focus on rehabilitating the historic gardens, with work beginning in June 2026.

Aumenti salariali e welfare per i lavori della cultura. È stato firmato il nuovo Contratto Nazionale di Lavoro. L’intervista

A new national labor contract for Italy's cultural sector has been signed. The Federculture National Labor Contract, finalized on April 30, 2026, includes a 7.5% increase in minimum wages (effective December 1, 2024), doubled welfare contributions for healthcare, and a simplified job classification system. The agreement was reached between Federculture and major unions including FP CGIL, CISL FP, UIL FPL, and UIL PA, with negotiations for the 2025-2027 term set to resume on May 26.

In the countryside on the outskirts of Milan, a series of artistic performances will take place in a wheat field

Nella campagna alla periferia di Milano ci saranno una serie di performance artistiche in un campo di grano

The Biblioteca del Grano, an experimental agricultural and cultural site on the outskirts of Milan, is hosting a series of artistic performances and workshops led by artist Edoardo Mozzanega. Scheduled to coincide with Milan Art Week and Design Week, the program includes 'Tiger’s Nap,' a collective public sleeping performance, and 'A House Full of Tigers,' a workshop based on Social Dreaming. These events are part of the broader 'Learning Landscapes' initiative, which brings together international researchers and artists to explore food and land as cultural infrastructure.

Newly Restored Roman Artifacts from Ostia Antica Installed in Rome's Hotels

I reperti romani appena restaurati di Ostia Antica vengono allestiti negli alberghi di Roma

Three Roman masterpieces from the 2nd century AD, previously hidden in the storerooms of the Ostia Antica Archaeological Park, have been installed in the lobbies of historic hotels in central Rome. The works include marble portraits of Empress Faustina the Elder and noblewoman Domizia Lucilla, alongside a restored fresco of Lachesis, one of the Fates. This initiative, titled "Ostia Antica Goes to Town," is part of the broader "Art Outside the Museum" project, which pairs cultural institutions with the hospitality sector to bring archaeological treasures into the public eye.

Anna Thew's exhibition

New Art Projects gallery in London is presenting a solo exhibition of Anna Thew, an artist whose practice spans painting, performance, filmmaking, and music. The show brings together historic and recent works on paper and film, including pieces never before shown or screened, and will feature a new multi-screen projection created for the duration of the exhibition. Thew first made a film in 1980 and gained a reputation for challenging the Structuralist Materialist school of British experimental cinema through works that emphasize emotive content, poetic editing, and spoken word soundtracks.

‘Scattered Memories’: Fragments That Refuse to Fade

The Goethe-Institut Sudan, in collaboration with the Humboldt Forum Berlin, presents 'Scattered Memories,' a transcontinental exhibition at the Goethe-Institut Kairo from 1 to 3 May 2026. The show features Sudanese artists working across collage, film, music, performance, food, and storytelling to explore themes of loss, remembrance, and cultural memory. Public programs include discussions, guided tours, and a traditional coffee corner, transforming the exhibition into a space for communal gathering and exchange.

Dancing the Revolution: The Exhibition

The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago has opened 'Dancing the Revolution: From Dancehall to Reggaetón,' a major exhibition exploring dance as a political language. It features over forty artists working across installation, video, sculpture, and sound, tracing the cultural trajectories of dancehall and reggaetón from the Caribbean diaspora to global contexts.

Hannah Powell: Pushing the University Art Gallery forward

Hannah Powell, a University of Pittsburgh alumna, has been appointed as the first official coordinator of the University Art Gallery (UAG) at Pitt. After earning a degree in anthropology and a minor in museum studies from Pitt in 2016, she pursued a master's in museum studies from the University of Glasgow, then worked at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., and later at Pittsburgh institutions like the Heinz History Center and Carnegie Science Center. Since starting her role at the UAG in 2024, Powell coordinates exhibitions, plans educational programming, and improves accessibility to a collection of over 3,000 pieces, working alongside one other full-time employee.