The Forgotten Eligibles. Protest over the Ministry of Culture's ranking of 200 art historians

Gli idonei dimenticati. Protesta per la graduatoria dei 200 storici dell’arte del Ministero della Cultura

The CISDA (Committee of Qualified Art Historians) has issued a strong protest against the Italian Ministry of Culture's intention to let the ranking list from a 2018 public competition for Art Historian Officials expire on May 30, 2026, without extension. This would invalidate the eligibility of 204 qualified candidates who passed rigorous selections. The protest has escalated into a parliamentary inquiry directed at Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli, and a public demonstration is scheduled for April 28 in front of the Ministry's headquarters in Rome.

Crimson Coast Dance Society, artist host male intimacy event at Nanaimo Art Gallery

The Crimson Coast Dance Society is hosting a keynote presentation and film screening at the Nanaimo Art Gallery featuring artist Kevin Jesuino. The event focuses on Jesuino’s "Tender City: The Slow Dance Project," a socially engaged initiative that invites queer, trans, and bisexual men to perform partnered silent slow dances in public urban spaces.

AKKA Venice Project: Beyond the Exhibition

Lidija Khachatourian, founder of AKKA Project, discusses her gallery's evolution from Dubai to Venice, where it remains the only gallery dedicated to African and diasporic artists. In an interview with ART AFRICA, she explains her shift from a market-driven model toward a research-led, custodial approach that prioritizes long-term relationships and slowness over high-volume programming. The gallery, established in Venice in 2019, operates with a deliberate resistance to market pressures, focusing on care, continuity, and direct material support for its artists.

Artists In Erbil Turn Canvas Around in Bold Exhibition with No Visible Art

Fourteen Kurdish artists staged a provocative "Non-Art Exhibition" at Media Gallery in Erbil to commemorate World Art Day. In a radical departure from traditional gallery formats, the participants displayed only the reverse sides of their canvases, completely concealing the painted surfaces from the audience. Organized by artist Ahmed Nabaz, the one-day event kept its conceptual twist a secret from the participating artists until the moment of the opening.

Booth Western Art Museum Names New Director

Dr. Eric Singleton has been appointed as the new director of the Booth Western Art Museum, set to assume the role in mid-July. He was selected after a nationwide search led by Georgia Museums President and Board Chair Lorri McClain, who praised his extensive experience, creativity, and collaborative leadership style. Singleton currently serves as the McCasland Chair of Cowboy Culture and Curator of Native American Art and Ethnology at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, bringing over 25 years of museum experience to the Booth. He has previously worked at the Gilcrease Institute of American History & Art and the Philbrook Museum of Art, and holds a Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University.

Elizabeth Hawes exhibition shows how forgotten designer influenced radical fashion

The Cincinnati Art Museum will host "Elizabeth Hawes: Radical American Fashion," the first major museum exhibition dedicated to the early 20th-century designer, running from April 24 to August 2. Curated by Cynthia Amnéus, the show features over 50 garments from the 1920s through the 1960s, drawn largely from the museum's collection of 23 Hawes pieces—the second-largest after the Met's Costume Institute. Hawes, a Vassar graduate who worked as a Paris copyist before becoming disillusioned with the fashion industry, advocated for comfort, personal identity, and gender-fluid clothing, and wrote nine books critiquing fashion's commercial cycle.

Missoula Art Museum opens new exhibit on buffalo’s tribal significance Friday

The Missoula Art Museum has launched "Buffalo Is Our Good Medicine," a collaborative exhibition by artists Aspen and Cameron Decker. The show features a diverse array of media, including traditional ledger art, sculpture, hide paintings, and multimedia installations that center on the buffalo's vital role within tribal communities. Many of the works utilize hides harvested from the Yellowstone herd, blending historical storytelling with contemporary artistic practices.

Pictures: Castle Drogo hosts powerful women’s history art exhibition this March

The Herding Cats Arts Collective is presenting a month-long exhibition titled 'A Woman’s Place' at Castle Drogo, a National Trust property on Dartmoor. The exhibition, running throughout March 2026, features contemporary works that explore the domestic and social structures governing the lives of women connected to the estate during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Through research conducted with castle historians, the artists utilize domestic materials and imagery to highlight the often-overlooked histories of both the working-class staff and the upper-class residents of the fortress.

Louvre to raise ticket prices by 45% for most non-EU visitors

The Louvre museum in Paris will increase ticket prices by 45% for visitors from outside the European Union, effective January 14, 2026. The cost for non-EU visitors from countries such as the UK, US, and China will rise from €22 to €32, generating an estimated €17.5 million in additional annual revenue. The decision comes as the museum faces significant budget cuts, including a 7% reduction in public subsidies, and seeks funding for a €1.1 billion renovation project. Staff unions have criticized the move as undermining the museum's universal mission since its founding in 1793.

Hundreds at London’s British Library go on strike, as Tate workers consider action

Around 300 workers at the British Library in London have gone on strike from 27 October to 9 November over a pay dispute, organized by the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS). The strike threatens to disrupt the opening of the major exhibition "Secret Maps" (until 18 January 2026). Meanwhile, more than 100 PCS members across Tate's four sites are being balloted for possible strike action, with a postal ballot closing on 11 November. The unions demand inflation-proof pay rises, citing low wages that force employees to take second jobs and loans, while management offers increases of 2.4% at the British Library and 3% at Tate.

Emory student art featured in High Museum education center exhibit | Emory University | Atlanta GA

Emory University undergraduate students are exhibiting their artwork at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta through November 2, in the museum's Greene Family Education Center. The exhibition, the first of a planned annual show, features 18 pieces by six students, three of whom curated the show after being selected by a panel of judges from Emory Libraries and the Michael C. Carlos Museum. Students worked with faculty sponsors and High Museum staff to install the work, gaining hands-on experience in exhibition planning, artist statements, and professional presentation.

How one Swiss museum helped to evacuate thousands of Gaza artefacts ahead of an Israeli strike

The Geneva Museum of Art and History (MAH) coordinated a frantic evacuation of thousands of archaeological artefacts from Gaza’s main storage facility on 9 September, ahead of an Israeli strike that destroyed the Al-Kawthar residential tower housing the repository. The facility, operated by the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem (EBAF), contained finds from key sites including the fourth-century Saint Hilarion Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site. MAH staff, led by curator Béatrice Blandin, negotiated with Israeli authorities, Swiss diplomats, UNESCO, and the Aliph Foundation to secure a brief window for removal. Despite the operation, 30% of the artefacts—mostly ceramics and lapidary objects—could not be saved.

Art freedom under fire

The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) censored an exhibition titled 'Constellation of Complicity: Visualising the Global Machinery of Authoritarian Solidarity' after pressure from the Chinese embassy. The exhibition, which opened on July 24, featured works by exiled artists from Myanmar, Iran, Russia, and Syria exploring authoritarian alliances. Following a visit by Chinese embassy staff, several works were removed, including a multimedia installation by a Tibetan artist, and texts mentioning 'Hong Kong', 'Tibet', and 'Uyghur' were redacted. The curator, Sai, a Myanmar artist in exile, said the interference was not unexpected.

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.

‘The pain has become unbearable’: Tel Aviv Museum of Art workers stage daily protest outside the institution

Since early April, employees of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art have been staging a daily 30-minute protest outside the museum's two public entrances before opening hours. Initiated by senior curator of Israeli art Dalit Matatyahu, the protest brings together staff with diverse stances on the war, the hostage crisis, and the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The demonstration takes place at the intersection of the museum and Hostages Square, a site already central to hostage-family activism. Participants include chief curator Mira Lapidot and contemporary art curator Shahar Molcho, who describe the protest as a moral response to the unbearable transition from the charged square to museum work.

British Museum faces internal criticism over private Israel independence day event

The British Museum (BM) in London hosted a private event on 16 May marking the anniversary of the founding of Israel, organized by the Israeli embassy. Speakers included Israeli ambassador Tzipi Hotovely and UK minister Maria Eagle, with attendees such as comedian Jimmy Carr and politicians Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage. The event has sparked anger among museum staff and external critics, who argue it is insensitive given the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has led to widespread famine and civilian deaths. Staff have organized a petition demanding the museum cease relations with Israeli cultural institutions, gathering 250 signatures.

Holy smoke! London’s National Gallery used to allow visitors to spark up just metres from the art

London's National Gallery opened a smoking room in 1975, located dangerously close to galleries housing priceless paintings. A photograph from the gallery's annual report shows staff members Betty Churchyard and Phyllis Rowlands using the facility. The smoking room was closed decades ago, well before the 2007 ban on smoking in public places, and the space has now been repurposed as part of the Roden Centre for Creative Learning, which opened in February 2025.

Gina Blickenstaff Brings Bold Color Home To Fort Collins

Artist Gina Blickenstaff is set to present her second annual solo exhibition, "The Method and the Madness," at the Center for Creativity in Fort Collins. Spanning all three of the venue's galleries, the five-day event coincides with Fort Collins Art Week and features an artist talk alongside a showcase of her vibrant, color-focused paintings. Blickenstaff, a recipient of the Dame JaCkie Erickson Creative Catalyst Award, is transitioning from a primarily digital presence to deeper local engagement through this immersive physical installation.

MEXICAN CURATOR ANNOUNCED FOR LIVERPOOL BIENNIAL 2027

The Liverpool Biennial has appointed Lucía Sanromán and Aimee Harrison as Co-curators for its 2027 edition. Sanromán, Chief Curator at Mexico City's MUAC, brings an international perspective on socially engaged art, while Harrison, a long-time Biennial staffer, provides deep local knowledge and experience in community-focused projects. The festival will run from June 5 to September 12, 2027, utilizing historic buildings, galleries, and unexpected spaces across the city.

Laois artist Siobhán launches second solo art exhibition

Siobhán Parkinson, a local artist, sound therapist, and playwright from Laois, Ireland, launched her second solo art exhibition titled "Playing with Colour: From Dawn Til Dusk" at Mountmellick Library on May 5. The exhibition features 24 mixed-media works including drawings, paintings, and photographs, organized into three rooms representing dawn, noon, and dusk. The launch included a holistic sound healing session with instruments like sound bowls and a gong, guided meditation, and a celebration cake. Parkinson, a member of the Mountmellick Art Collective, debuted her first solo show at the same venue in February 2023.

New exhibits open during First Friday reception at Ocean City Center for the Arts

The Art League of Ocean City will host its May First Friday reception on May 1, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Ocean City Center for the Arts. Highlights include Patrick Leib's participatory "Little Free Art Gallery" installation, a new utility box mural by Brandon Bell, and several gallery exhibitions: "Saltwater Taffy" (fiber arts) at the Thaler Gallery, "Flora and Fauna" (juried photography) at the Sisson Gallery, "Celebrating the Year of the Horse" by Joanne Guilfoil and Lynn Yockelson at Studio E, and mosaic works by William Camelio at the Spotlight Gallery. Satellite exhibits are also on view at The Princess Royale and The Coffee Beanery.

Santa Monica Art: Husband-Wife Duo Shows at Bruce Lurie

The Bruce Lurie Gallery in Santa Monica is set to host "Observed / Imagined," a joint exhibition featuring the work of husband-and-wife duo Gary and Jody Levinson. Opening April 18, 2026, the show juxtaposes Gary’s minimalist, award-winning street photography with Jody’s intuitive abstract paintings. While Gary’s work focuses on the patient observation of solitary figures in sparse environments, Jody’s practice explores internal narratives of gender and power through a physical, multi-media approach.

Celebrate Discovery at FAU’s Annual Art of Science Gallery Opening

Florida Atlantic University's Division of Research is opening its seventh annual Art of Science gallery with a reception and awards presentation on March 31 at the Ritter Art Gallery on the Boca Raton campus. The event celebrates the winning entries from a photography and video competition that highlights the intersection of scientific research and artistic expression, featuring over 200 submissions from faculty, students, staff, and postdoctoral fellows.

Celebrate Discovery at FAU’s Annual Art of Science Gallery Opening

Florida Atlantic University’s Division of Research is launching its seventh annual Art of Science exhibition at the Ritter Art Gallery in Boca Raton. The competition features photography and video submitted by FAU faculty, students, and staff that capture aesthetic moments encountered during scientific research. This year’s top honors go to Chelsea Bennice for her photograph of an octopus and Aleksandra Nedovic for her abstract visualization of drug development research.

Lake Tahoe Community College Staff and Faculty Art Exhibition celebrates opening reception inside Haldan Art Gallery

Lake Tahoe Community College's Haldan Art Gallery hosted the opening reception for its Biennial Staff and Faculty Arts Exhibition. The event drew over 150 attendees to view 60 works by 19 artists from the college's faculty and staff, featuring a diverse range of mediums including ceramics, painting, sculpture, photography, poetry, and music, unified under a theme of color and collaboration.

D’ART Gallery opens in Baku’s White City with inaugural “From Generation to Generation” exhibition [PHOTOS]

D’ART Gallery has opened in Baku’s White City district with its inaugural exhibition, “From Generation to Generation,” featuring nearly 50 works by Azerbaijani artists spanning multiple generations, including People’s Artists, Honoured Artists, and emerging painters, graphic artists, and sculptors. The gallery aims to bridge Azerbaijan’s historical artistic heritage with contemporary art, and all exhibited works are available for sale. The opening ceremony included remarks from notable figures such as sculptor Ömər Eldarov, Executive Director Rəvan Həsənov, Vice-Rector Fuad Salayev, and gallery co-founder and director Dilara Muzaffarli.

Art gallery at Cuesta College presents 2026 Student Annual Art Exhibition

Cuesta College is set to host its 2026 Student Annual Art Exhibition at the Harold J. Miossi Art Gallery from April 16 through May 22. The showcase features a diverse array of student-produced works spanning traditional and contemporary disciplines, including painting, ceramics, printmaking, and digital art. An opening reception on April 16 will kick off the event, which is free and open to the public on the San Luis Obispo campus.

Arzu Aliyeva and Alena Aliyeva attend exhibition titled “10 Years Lived in Colors” [PHOTOS]

On December 28, an exhibition titled “10 Years Lived in Colors” was held at the “Turkic World” Painting Gallery in the Eco-Park area of the Zirə Cultural Center, celebrating the center’s 10th anniversary. The show featured handcrafted works by student-artists aged 6–30 and teaching staff, spanning painting, sculpture, wood burning, quilling, batik, ebru, alcohol ink, graphics, and mixed media. Attendees included Arzu Aliyeva, head of the Baku Media Center, and Alena Aliyeva, who toured the exhibition and took photos with guests. The event opened with remarks by Leman Aliyeva on behalf of the center’s management, followed by Mazahir Rustamov, head of the Art Studio, discussing the studio’s decade of development. Honorary guest People’s Artist Ömər Eldarov congratulated participants. The program also included a fashion exhibition of Azerbaijani national costumes and modern garments, and a dance performance by “White Flower.” The celebration concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony.

A Major Art Fair Is Coming To Fort Mason Center With Over 80 Galleries

The San Francisco Art Fair returns to the Fort Mason Center for its 14th edition from April 16 to 19, 2026. Featuring over 80 local and international galleries, the event will take over the Festival Pavilion with a curated selection of modern and contemporary art. This year’s programming places a significant emphasis on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) artists and includes a robust schedule of panel discussions, curator-led talks, and educational workshops.

Leonhard Center and Bellefonte Art Museum seek submissions for art exhibition

The Leonhard Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Education at Penn State is partnering with the Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County (BAM) to organize an exhibition titled “Making Connections: Art, Engineering and Community.” Students, faculty, and staff are invited to submit original works exploring the intersection of art and engineering. Submissions from the College of Engineering will also be entered into the second annual Leonhard Center Art–Engineering Competition. The exhibition will be curated by Sarah Zappe, Joseph Cusumano, and Benjamin Fehl, who previously curated a related show at the Palmer Museum of Art. Applications are open through October 15, 2026, with the exhibition running from January 1 to February 28, 2027.