Art Smiley Gallery officially opens, welcoming government and diplomatic guests

Art Smiley Gallery officially opened its first physical location in Al Quoz 2, Dubai, on September 5, 2025, with the launch of the "Global Art Odyssey—Where Art Meets the World!" exhibition. The hybrid-format show features 35 artists from 16 countries and runs through October 5, 2025. Distinguished guests included Khalil Abdul Wahid, fine art director from Dubai Culture Authority; Emirati artist Ahmed Al Awadhi; and Sultana Faroua Kazim, global ambassador for UNESCO IAA. The opening also included a virtual component via Art Smiley's upgraded website.

Casa Sanlorenzo in Venice opens its first exhibition with a focus on ocean pollution

Casa Sanlorenzo, a new cultural space in Venice established by yacht builder Sanlorenzo, has opened its inaugural exhibition titled "Breathtaking." The installation by Italian artist and photographer Fabrizio Ferri addresses ocean plastic and microplastic pollution, featuring large-scale portraits of celebrities including Sting, Helena Christensen, Willem Dafoe, Isabella Rossellini, Susan Sarandon, and Naomi Watts, all depicted covered in plastic and debris. At the center of the installation is a glass coffin filled with seawater, symbolizing the fragility of marine ecosystems. The exhibition was previously shown at the Museo di Storia Naturale in Milan, where it attracted over 40,000 visitors in four days.

First Look: Artist Vicki Lee’s New Gallery in Potts Point

Sydney-based artist Vicki Lee is opening a new gallery at 16-18 Bayswater Road in Potts Point on September 20, following a previous space in Surry Hills. The 260-square-metre venue spans two levels and features a multi-sensory exhibition titled *Inner Peace, Dinner Please*, which includes a sound-healing listening space with yoga mats, a confessional booth with a shredder for discarding written sins, a light installation, and inhalers scented with frankincense. Lee’s husband, photographer Ted O’Donnell, also exhibits collaborative floral works, and DJ/producer Stu Turner will perform live sets on Saturdays.

Notta Gallery Opening This September in Downtown Lakeland

Notta Gallery, founded by Danielle Klonecki, Andy Webb, and Katie Webb, will open with a "soft-ish" launch on September 5 at 125 N. Kentucky Ave., Suite 103, in downtown Lakeland, Florida. The space, formerly occupied by June Taylor (now Junely), aims to make art approachable and build collectors through a mix of interactive elements, affordable works, and higher-end pieces. The inaugural show is titled "Love Lakeland."

Exhibitions by Lee Sipe and Chase Lanier open at Sumter County Gallery of Art on Aug. 28

Two new exhibitions open at the Sumter County Gallery of Art on August 28: Lee Sipe's "Precious Vessels, Asian Spirit" and Chase Lanier's "Within the Margin of Err/Or." Sipe, a Korean-born artist based in Columbia, South Carolina, creates intricate vessels from copper wire, pine needles, and natural materials, drawing on her Asian heritage. Her work has been acquired by the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery. Lanier, a University of Georgia graduate, produces works that explore form, color, and the passage of time using fire and precise delineation. Both artists will attend the opening reception.

'Daring' new gallery to open with aim of making art ‘accessible to everyone’

A new art gallery called Future Rebel Art Gallery is set to open on Canal Street in Stourbridge, UK, founded by local artist Cal. Housed beneath the vintage store Grandad’s Attic opposite the Bonded Warehouse, the space aims to display contemporary and thought-provoking works from artists aged 17 to 70, including sculptures, mixed media, audio-visual art, and interactive pieces. All works will be for sale, and the gallery plans to host around five exhibitions per year, each running for ten weeks. The opening on August 23 will feature food, drinks, live music, and creativity.

Artists from Sandra Art4All Studio set to exhibit in Proud 2 Create Summer Show in Margate

The Sandra Art4All Art Studio, founded by Sandra Hampton in 2016, is presenting its sixth annual Proud 2 Create summer show at The Margate School, opening August 13. The exhibition features 12 local artists with learning impairments and disabilities, including Autism, Charge Syndrome, Hearing Impairment, and Cerebral Palsy, showcasing over 180 original artworks in various media such as drawings, paintings, and photographs. The artists range in age from 13 to 54, and the opening event runs from 4pm to 8pm with many artists in attendance.

The ‘Art Couple’ of Cardiff to showcase work at The Cali Life Gallery grand opening

The Cali Life Gallery in Cardiff, California, is holding its grand opening on July 26, featuring a joint exhibition by local artists Rosemary KimBal and Raymond Elstad for the first time. Rosemary, a Zen painting master, and Raymond, a former dance photographer turned linocut artist, met in 1987 at one of her brush painting classes and later married. The gallery, owned by artists Greg and Rachel Cali, aims to showcase local talent and California-inspired art.

'First Light' exhibition at opening of That Art Place in Carlton

That Art Place, a local art school run by Andronika Christodoulou, officially opened its new studio and gallery space in Carlton, Sydney, on July 12 with an exhibition titled 'First Light.' The event showcased works by over 65 young artists from the St George area, ranging from children as young as six to adult learners, featuring paintings, charcoal sketches, and mixed media. Highlights included a People's Choice Award won by 14-year-old Celeste Damayanwong for her charcoal lion portrait 'Majesty,' with second and third places awarded to Zoe Sigrimis and Alessia Chiotis. The opening featured mocktails, canapés, live music by The Magnificals Orchestra, and a Monet-inspired cake, marking the school's expansion from a small Bexley studio after six years of operation.

Enjoy new exhibitions at Bundaberg Art Gallery

Three new exhibitions—'Carbon_Dating', 'Mom Bras', and 'repeating gestures of becoming'—will open at Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery as part of its Winter Program. The shows feature sculpture, installation, photography, and textile art exploring themes of identity, environment, and the female form. Artist Charmaine Lyons will install 700 clay pears in the gallery's Vault space for her site-specific work 'repeating gestures of becoming', inspired by The Tale of the Handless Maiden. An opening night party is set for Friday 18 July, followed by public talks on Saturday 19 July, including a conversation with curator Beth Jackson and artist Cassie Arnold.

‘An act of solidarity’: exhibitions raising funds and awareness for Palestinians open in London

Two exhibitions raising funds and awareness for Palestinians open in London this week. The main show, titled 'GAZAGAZAGAZA', features over 400 donated works by more than 200 artists from 35 countries, organized by Studio 1.1 and the artist-led activist community Artists Supporting Palestine (ASP). Proceeds from sales, including postcard-sized works priced at £20, will benefit Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). Additional fundraising initiatives include prints by Gaza-based artists and a badges project supporting children in Gaza.

New National Centre for Environmental Art opens near Grampians

A new Wama Foundation has opened near the Grampians (Gariwerd) mountain range in Pomonal, western Victoria, Australia, featuring the National Centre for Environmental Art and a native Australian botanical garden. The 16-hectare project, 14 years in the making, launched on July 5 with an exhibition titled 'End & Being' by Jacobus Capone, which uses pre-recorded performance art filmed on Mont Blanc glaciers to address climate change. The site also includes a feral-proof endemic plant garden serving as a seed bank for post-bushfire revegetation.

Chungnam Provincial Council Daum Art Hall to Hold Folk Painting Exhibition

The Chungnam Provincial Council is hosting a folk painting exhibition titled "Taking a Rest in Folk Paintings" at Daum Art Hall in its council building from July 1 to July 31. The exhibition features six artists from Hyuhyuhan Minhwa Studio—Kang Mi-ae, Kim Eung-mi, Kim Myung-sook, Koo Min-seo, Park Jin-sook, and Woo Soo-ji—displaying works such as Vase Paintings, Lotus Paintings, Ilwolobongdo, and Tiger Paintings that reflect traditional Korean folk art symbolism.

Opening celebrations for artist-led Woy Woy gallery

A vacant retail space in Deep Water Shopping Centre, Woy Woy, Australia, has been transformed into a new artist-run gallery called Deep Water Art Space. The gallery will officially open on July 5, 2025, with a community celebration featuring free activities for children and adults, a ribbon cutting by Member for Gosford Liesel Tesch, and a roster of rotating exhibitions, workshops, and live art demonstrations by 21 local artists.

6 curatorial projects picked for Art Macao 2025

The Cultural Affairs Bureau of Macau has announced the six winning curatorial proposals selected for the 'Local Curatorial Project' of Art Macao 2025, the Macao International Art Biennale. Chosen from 34 submissions by a panel of international and local experts, the projects include 'Genetic Duration' by Guilherme Ung Vai Meng, 'After Oriental Garden' by Cheong Weng Lam, 'The Sea of Languages: Macao Language Research Programme' by He Yanjun and Zhang Ke, 'A Speakable Position for Women' by Cheong Cheng Wa and Wang Jing, 'Beneath the Wetware Peninsula' by Daisy Di Wang and Wong Mei Teng, and 'Jacone’s Tower' by Feng Yan and Ng Sio Ieng. These proposals will be exhibited during Art Macao 2025 and are shortlisted for the chance to represent Macau at the 61st Venice Biennale Collateral Event.

‘The Mini Art Show’ opens in Philadelphia this Friday

A new exhibition called 'The Mini Art Show' opens this Friday, June 27, at the vintage shop At My House in Philadelphia's Queen Village. The show features artwork no larger than three inches, including pocket-sized paintings, sculptures, mosaics, and tiny textiles from 21 local artists. Curated by local artist Fabiola Lara, known for her art vending machines, the exhibition runs through late July. The opening night includes specialty cocktails, and the store will provide magnifying glasses for visitors to examine the tiny works closely.

Leaders of former Maine syringe provider open Winterport art gallery

Abby D'Alessio and her husband Josh, former leaders of the Bangor-based Health Equity Alliance (HEAL)—which operated a syringe exchange and closed in April amid financial turmoil—have opened Selah Gallery on Main Street in Winterport, Maine. The gallery, named after a Biblical word meaning 'pause' and 'reflect,' offers a space for mindful contemplation and sells a mix of artwork, skin care products, jewelry, and accessories, with pieces priced from a few hundred dollars to $100,000. Abby D'Alessio, who stepped down as HEAL's harm reduction manager in December, curates the gallery, while Josh D'Alessio is a featured photographer. The space also includes the 'Canvas of Courage' project, which showcases artists who have faced homelessness, substance use, or mental health struggles, such as acrylic painter Ben Rasche.

New Bedford Art Museum celebrates 30 Years with 'Best of SouthCoast' exhibition and gala

The New Bedford Art Museum is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a gala and the opening of a "Best of SouthCoast" exhibition on June 10, 2025. The show highlights two centuries of artistic talent from the region, featuring works inspired by the local landscape and seascape.

New Indigenous Art Gallery at Outback at Isa Officially Opened

A new Indigenous art gallery, the Maltha Waru Arts Workshop, has officially opened at Outback at Isa in Mount Isa, Queensland, on May 30, 2025. Councillor Travis Crowther delivered the opening speech, marking the culmination of months of work by local Indigenous artists and Outback at Isa staff. The gallery, which began operating in December 2024, displays and sells art created by Indigenous artists from North West Queensland, including paintings, jewellery, textiles, carvings, spinifex paper, and contemporary works. Featured artists include Barbara Sam, Rebecca Sam, Hazel Munro, and others.

Village Art Gallery opens on Brevard Avenue in Cocoa Village

The Village Art Gallery has opened at 200 Brevard Avenue in historic Cocoa Village, owned by local artists Bruce Reigle and Teri Roper. The gallery represents 37 artists across multiple media including painting, photography, pottery, sculpture, and jewelry, and features a dedicated music/art room with ukuleles and hand-painted guitars, as well as a workshop for building and repairing picture frames and furniture. Reigle co-founded the Ukulele Lending Program with the Brevard County Library System, and the gallery is seeking donations to expand the program to all 17 libraries. The space also offers fine-art and drawing classes, and a Crystal Bowl Meditation event is scheduled for May 29.

Part 2 of Kingston Artists’ Showcase set to open in Market Wing Cultural Space

The City of Kingston has announced the opening of Part 2 of the Kingston Artists’ Showcase, a community-focused exhibition at the Market Wing Cultural Space inside Kingston City Hall. Opening May 21, 2025, and running through November 2025, this second installment features works by over 30 new local artists, including renowned artist Joanne Gervais and quilled artist Loreen Hynes. The showcase spans prints, paintings, textiles, and stained glass, selected through an open call, and follows Part 1 (October 2024–April 2025) which featured 31 artists. A free opening reception will be held May 28, 2025.

CUSP Gallery brings contemporary art to Belmont Chapel

CUSP Gallery is organizing the first art exhibition at Newport's historic Belmont Chapel following a major restoration. Titled "As Above, So Below," the show runs from June 14 to 22, 2025, and features circular paintings by local artist Juditta Musette that blend cosmic and earthly themes. The opening reception is June 14 from 5 to 7 p.m. The chapel, built in 1886 by financier August Belmont in memory of his daughter Pauline, recently underwent restoration led by the Belmont Chapel Foundation, earning the 2024 Doris Duke Historic Preservation Award and a Rhody Award for Historic Preservation. Musette will also preview a painting at the Belmont Stakes Race Day Fundraiser, donating it to the foundation's charity auction.

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.

There’s A Whimsical Pop-Up Exhibition With Cute Artworks & Sculptures Featuring Animals & Fruits

London-based illustrator Tess Smith-Roberts is making her solo debut in Singapore with a pop-up exhibition titled "Hello Singapore!" at the newly opened Heartware Store & Gallery in Joo Chiat, running from 25th April to 25th May 2025. The free-entry exhibition features a whimsical collection of colorful artworks, sculptures, silkscreen prints, and merchandise, all centered on playful motifs of animals, fruits, and food. Smith-Roberts, known for her bold and humorous style, has previously exhibited in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Seoul, and during the opening weekend she drew live portraits of visitors.

Art gallery opens in former Dockerills hardware store in Brighton

A new art gallery has opened in the former Dockerills hardware store in Brighton, following months of careful renovation. The space, operated by KMA, is a purpose-built gallery that will display hundreds of unique artworks across painting, print, sculpture, and ceramics. Its inaugural exhibition, titled Liminal, features works by artists Rachel Williams, Ashley Hanson, and sculptor Klaus W. Rieck.

Chassidus in Color Invites Community to Art Gallery Opening

The Chassidus in Color art contest has selected sixty finalist paintings from 180 submissions to be exhibited in a community gallery opening. The opening night event will take place on April 29, 2025, at the Maor Art Gallery in Brooklyn, featuring remarks from artist Yitzchok Moully. The exhibition will run for three weeks across two venues—Maor Art Gallery and Betzalel Art Gallery—before a finale at the Jewish Children’s Museum on May 18. Renowned Chabad artist Michoel Muchnik and a panel of fellow artists will review the finalists to determine the contest winners.

Iran will not participate in the Biennale

Iran nimmt nicht an Biennale teil

Iran has withdrawn from the Venice Biennale, according to an announcement by the Biennale organization reported in Italian media. No reasons were given for the decision. The withdrawal comes amid significant turmoil at the Biennale just days before its official opening on Saturday: the entire jury resigned over disputes regarding the treatment of Russia and Israel, the opening ceremony was canceled, and the traditional awarding of Golden Lions at the start has been postponed to the final day in November, with winners now to be decided by visitor vote rather than a jury.

Meloni on Venice Biennale: 'I've somewhat lost track'

Meloni über Venedig-Biennale: "Habe den Überblick etwas verloren"

Days before the opening of the Venice Biennale, the entire international jury resigned in protest over Russia's participation despite its war against Ukraine. The jury had previously excluded Russia and Israel from prize consideration due to International Criminal Court warrants against their leaders. Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni admitted she had "lost track" of the situation, while the government sent inspectors to Venice. Biennale organizers responded by postponing the Golden Lion awards until November and introducing two audience-choice awards that will include Russian and Israeli entries.

Associations Join Warning Against AfD Cultural Policy

Vereine schließen sich Warnung vor AfD-Kulturpolitik an

Nearly 30 cultural institutions in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt have issued a warning against the cultural policy proposals of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which is leading in polls ahead of state elections. The state network of cultural support associations, representing around 680 member groups, has now joined this warning, stating the AfD's plans amount to a restriction of artistic freedom and the instrumentalization of culture according to nationalist guidelines.

Accusé de viol, le directeur du Frac Bretagne est révoqué

The director of the Frac Bretagne (Regional Contemporary Art Fund of Brittany), Étienne Bernard, has been dismissed following an internal investigation into allegations of sexual violence. The case began in October 2025 when an anonymous testimony on the Instagram account #MeTooArtContemporain accused a former art professor of sexual assault; the post noted the accused had since become a Frac director. After graffiti appeared on the Frac Bretagne building, the institution hired the external consultancy Égaé to conduct an internal inquiry. Two reports submitted in February and April 2026 documented multiple serious allegations against Bernard, including harassment and assault. The board voted unanimously to revoke his position on May 4, 2026, and the public prosecutor's office in Rennes has opened a criminal investigation for moral harassment, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and aggravated rape. Bernard denies the allegations and has filed an appeal with the administrative court.