‘Before Common Era’: artist Jamz Jamezon exhibits in Silves

Belgian artist Jamz Jamezon presents 'Before Common Era' at Espaço JALI in Silves, Portugal, running until May 24. The exhibition features canvas paintings, wooden sculptures from salvaged materials, and reclaimed cardboard works, alongside a film documenting his murals. Jamezon, who began his career in graffiti in Ghent, now creates large-scale public murals in hospitals, schools, and care centers, aiming to bring calm and fantasy to intense environments. The venue, a former cork factory transformed by Marion Buz into a cultural center, also hosts a cork oak tree mural painted by the artist in its garden.

Art charity takes over vineyard for exhibition

Art for Cure, a charity founded in 2014 by Belinda Gray after her own breast cancer diagnosis, is holding its annual exhibition at Wyken Vineyards near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, from May 1 to June 28. The show features over 200 sculptures and artworks by 30 sculptors and numerous other artists, displayed across the vineyard grounds and in the Leaping Hare restaurant. Up to 50% of sales commissions go to breast cancer research charities; the charity has raised £1.5 million to date from £3 million in art sales.

The world’s finest nature images are now on display at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery (SMAG)

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition has opened at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery (SMAG) in Shropshire, UK, running until 20 June 2026. On loan from the Natural History Museum in London, the show features over 60,000 entries judged anonymously by an international panel, including a striking image of a lioness and cobra by Gabriella Comi. Alongside the main exhibition, a community photography competition highlights local Shropshire photographers focusing on 'Wildlife on your doorstep'.

Cumbria’s largest museum gains six new trustees

Cumbria's largest museum, Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery Trust in Carlisle, has appointed six new trustees to its board, expanding the total to 15 members. The new trustees include Lord Richard Inglewood, a former government minister; Lisa Middleton, head of marketing at National Museums Liverpool; Joanne Orr, former director of Tullie and ex-chief executive of Museums Galleries Scotland; Malcolm Rogers, a banking and finance specialist; Helen Smout, chief executive of Culture Perth and Kinross; and John Stevenson, a former MP for Carlisle. The appointments were announced by Tullie chair Andrew Smith and director Andrew Mackay.

Arts Festival – Call For Artists

The Voice of the Valley newspaper has issued a call for artists to participate in an upcoming Arts Festival scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, June 13 and 14, 2026. The festival will feature a juried art exhibit, a saloon art exhibit, a textile exhibition, children and youth exhibits, and free dance and music performances, along with an MV Idol, Jr. performance after the parade.

Corning gallery to feature late artist Martin A. Poole

The West End Gallery in Corning, New York, will host a tribute exhibition for the late artist Martin A. Poole, a Corning native who passed away in late 2025. The show runs from May 15 to June 11, 2025, with an opening reception on May 15 featuring harpist Meredith Kohn Boeck and treats from Old World Cafe. Poole, who studied fine arts and printmaking at SUNY Buffalo, taught at the 717 Cedar Arts Center and other local groups, and his work has been represented by West End Gallery for 47 of its 49 years.

Bowersock Gallery opens 22nd season with new artists

Bowersock Gallery in Provincetown is opening its 22nd season with an exhibition titled "Master Builders: New Voices, New Works," running from May 22 through June 3, 2026. The show introduces three new female artists—Sally Fama Cochrane, Hillary Scott, and Jennifer Frank Rand—alongside new works by the gallery's returning stable artists, including Kevin Kusiolek, Steve Bowersock, Emma Ashby, and Jeanne McCartin. An opening reception will be held on May 22 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Call for artists open for 17th annual juried exhibition

The City of St. Catharines has opened the call for artists to submit work for its 17th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, titled "Current." Emerging, student, and established artists living in the Niagara Region are invited to explore the theme of currents—literal waterways like the Welland Canal and Niagara River, as well as cultural, social, and technological forces. Submissions in all mediums created within the past three years are eligible, with a deadline of June 29, 2026. The exhibition will run from September 18, 2026, to January 22, 2027, in the City Hall gallery, and selected artists receive an exhibition fee and possible acquisition into the city's Municipal Art Collection.

28 Texas Galleries to Participate in Affordable Art Fair Austin, May 14-17

The third annual Affordable Art Fair Austin will take place from May 14 to 17 at the Palmer Events Center, featuring 28 Texas galleries and a total of 55 galleries from locations as far as Sydney, Australia. Artworks are priced between $100 and $12,000, and the fair includes live painting, an interactive mural, family programming, and a raffle benefiting Dell Children’s Medical Center. Over 30% of participating galleries are Austin-based, with local names such as Art From the Streets, Davis Gallery & Framing, and Wally Workman among them.

Artscape Jamestown To Host Opening Reception May 21

ArtScape Jamestown has finalized its 2026 season, with an opening reception scheduled for May 21 from 5 to 7 p.m., hosted by Chautauqua Art Gallery and Pearl City Clay House. Now in its fourth year, the program will display 59 banners featuring juried works by regional artists throughout downtown Jamestown, transforming the city into an open-air gallery. The original artwork will be exhibited indoors at both venues from May 21 through July 4, with additional summer programs including Sunday Artist Salons, interactive tent activities, and plein air sketching sessions at the Farmers Market.

Daylight Chaser exhibit features Kalispell artist

A new exhibition titled "Daylight Chaser" opens May 1 at Phillips Gallery in Kalispell, featuring oil paintings by self-taught artist Brian Braunberger. The works depict Flathead Valley landscapes, drawing on Braunberger's background in graphic design and marketing to create what he describes as an interpretation of nature's "emotional fingerprint of lighted rhythm." A reception with an artist's talk will be held on opening night, and the show runs through May 30.

Old Town Arts & Crafts Guild Presents Art at Dart’s

The Old Town Arts & Crafts Guild, a nonprofit organization, is hosting an Artist's Showcase at Dart's Barn in Southold, New York, on May 2nd and 3rd from 9 AM to 4 PM. The event will feature fine art, photography, handcrafted items, and works by Carolyn M. Bell and the Peconic Impressionists, with free admission and light refreshments.

The Center Announces Community Art Gallery for HopeFest 2026

The Center for Counseling & Consultation in Great Bend, Kansas, has announced a community art gallery titled "Because Every Story Deserves to Be Seen" as part of HopeFest 2026. The gallery invites local artists, community members, and classrooms of all ages to submit artwork exploring themes of mental health, healing, resilience, and hope. Submissions in various mediums including painting, photography, mixed media, sculpture, poetry, and fiber art will be accepted through August 1, 2026, with selected works displayed at the event on September 19 and some pieces potentially shown for an extended period afterward.

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.

Glencoe Mansion to Host Gallery Art Show Featuring Works by LaDonna Sepers

Glencoe Mansion in Radford, Virginia, will host a gallery art show titled "Palette and Prism" featuring works by artist LaDonna Sepers from May 14 through June 25, 2026. An opening reception will be held on May 14 from 5:30 to 7:00 PM, free and open to the public. Sepers, who studied art at the University of Wisconsin, works in oil, watercolor, and heavy body acrylics, focusing on the expressive light in the eyes of human and animal subjects.

Art e Fekts to host artist Paul DeLuca’s pottery exhibit May 8

Art e Fekts Gallery in Downtown Pittston will host "This is Me – The Pottery of Paul DeLuca," the second exhibit of 2026, opening on Friday, May 8 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Dr. Joseph Lombardo Gallery. The exhibit coincides with the first 2nd Friday Art Walk of the year and will run until June 5, featuring the unique ceramic work of regional artist Paul DeLuca, who owns and operates Bank Street Pottery.

Goss Opera House unveils open, accessible Art Alley gallery

The Goss Opera House in Watertown has launched Art Alley, a new gallery space located in the hallway between the Goss and Mavericks. The grand opening took place on May 2 in partnership with the Downtown Collective's “ART of Downtown” event. The inaugural exhibit features local photographer Patrick “PJ” Anderson and his #JunkOnPavement series, titled “Taking Out the Trash: #JunkOnPavement,” which captures overlooked objects found in everyday spaces. The gallery will host rotating artwork by local and regional artists, with QR codes linking visitors directly to artists' online profiles.

West Kootenay Camera Club opening show at Castlegar art gallery

The West Kootenay Camera Club is hosting its 35th Annual Photo Show at the Kootenay Gallery of Art in Castlegar from June 4-13, 2026. The exhibition features judged photo entries across categories such as nature, human interest, places and landscapes, creative, black and white, after dark, and alternate media, with an opening reception on June 4 from 5-7 p.m.

20 artisti lavoreranno in 20 paesini remoti di 20 regioni italiane. La rassegna che porta l’arte contemporanea nei borghi torna per il settimo anno

The seventh edition of "Una Boccata d'Arte," an initiative by Fondazione Elpis, will bring contemporary art to 20 remote villages across all 20 Italian regions. Twenty artists, each paired with a curator, will create site-specific projects that will be inaugurated simultaneously on June 20-21, 2026, and remain on view until October 4. A key innovation this year is that artists and curators spent extra time engaging with local communities before designing their works, fostering deeper connections. Examples include Greek artist Vasilis Papageorgiu transforming a traditional tablecloth from a resident of Tredozio, and Francesco Alberico collaborating with a socio-health facility in Bressanone to create a bird-themed installation.

Stefano Boeri designs a new monastery that will be born in Milan in the district where Expo 2015 was held

Stefano Boeri progetta un nuovo monastero che nascerà a Milano nel quartiere dove si fece l’Expo2015

Stefano Boeri Architetti has designed a new monastery, the Monastero Ambrosiano, to be built by 2029 in the Mind – Milano Innovation District, the tech hub developed on the site of Expo 2015 in Milan. Presented at the Abbey of Chiaravalle, the project is commissioned by the Diocese of Milan and includes a church for 300-350 worshippers, a Cloister of Religions, a Garden of Religions, and a Library of Religions, blending contemporary architecture with monastic tradition and interfaith dialogue.

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.

Svolta per il Museo del Fumetto che chiuse a Milano: nuova sede in un’ex biblioteca di Monza

The Franco Fossati Foundation's Museo del Fumetto (Comics Museum), which was evicted from Milan due to a €180,000 debt to the city, has found a new permanent home in Monza. The Monza city council approved the foundation's proposal on April 30, paving the way for the renovation of a former library in the Cederna district, which has been abandoned for years. The archive of 500,000 pieces will be temporarily stored in Desio while the Monza building is refurbished with €850,000 from the municipality and additional funds from the foundation.

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.

Veneto: In Place of a Liberty Café in Recoaro Terme, a Contemporary Art Center Opens. Interview with the Curator

Veneto: al posto di un caffè liberty di Recoaro Terme apre un centro d’arte contemporanea. Intervista alla curatrice

The historic Palazzo Caffè Nazionale in Recoaro Terme, a small spa town in the Veneto region of Italy, is being transformed into a contemporary art center called Cantiere del Contemporaneo, set to open on May 2, 2026. The project, curated by Elisabetta Bacchin, will focus on artist residencies, with the inaugural group including Romesh Bothalage, Pietro Chiarello, Francesco Pizzocchero, and Virginia Stevenin, who will work for two months in the converted spaces. The initiative is part of a broader regeneration plan funded by the National Plan for Borghi and the European Union's PNRR funds, aiming to revitalize the town's cultural and economic identity through contemporary art.

In Valcamonica il Parco archeologico di Luine ha chiuso e non si sa se e quando riaprirà: la storia

The Luine Archaeological Park in Valcamonica, Italy, closed on April 1, 2026, after the municipality of Darfo Boario Terme, led by Mayor Dario Colossi, failed to renew the management contract held by Zamenhof Art and ArchExperience. The park, which houses rock engravings dating back to the end of the Paleolithic period (about 13,000 years ago), is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a unique part of the Camunian park system. Weeks after the closure, the park remains in limbo with no clear reopening date, while multimedia installations and digital content created by the former managers are being removed. The story has received little media attention beyond local outlets.

A new certification has been created to improve the management and valorization of Italian cultural heritage

È nata una nuova certificazione per migliorare gestione e valorizzazione del patrimonio culturale italiano

A new certification standard called SGPI01:2024 has been launched in Italy to improve the management and valorization of cultural heritage. Developed by Certiquality and the Stati Generali del Patrimonio Italiano (SGPI), the standard was presented in Florence at Palazzo Guadagni Strozzi Sacrati, with the patronage of the Tuscany Region. It applies to all public and private entities that own or manage cultural and landscape assets, introducing a comprehensive management system that goes beyond legal compliance, focusing on conservation, economic sustainability, accessibility, and safety through independent third-party audits.

Zig Zag Gallery marks 15 years with Art Gala

Zig Zag Gallery in Kalamunda, Western Australia, is celebrating its 15th anniversary with an Art Gala and the annual Kalamunda Art Awards exhibition. The milestone event, set for June 6–28, 2026, will feature works from artists who have exhibited at the gallery over its history, alongside new participants. The awards include judged prizes for painting, sculpture, and environmentally focused works, as well as a People’s Choice Award voted by visitors.

Captured in Escalante: Art Festival Invites Artists and Visitors This September

The Escalante Canyons Art Festival returns September 18–27, 2026, in Southern Utah, inviting artists and visitors to engage with the landscape through plein air painting, studio submissions, and special categories like nocturne and miniature works. The festival offers over $10,000 in prizes, including a Best of Show purchase award of $1,500, and features a dedicated junior division with no entry fee. Highlights include the Escalante 150th Anniversary Paint-Out, workshops, live music, judges’ talks, historic walking tours, and a play by local playwright Raymond Shurtz, all set near the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument.

ART OSAKA 2026 RETURNS WITH EXPANDED VENUES

ART OSAKA 2026 will take place from 28 May to 1 June with an expanded two-venue format, featuring over 60 galleries from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, and beyond. The fair is split between the Galleries Section at Grand Green Osaka in the Umekita district and the Expanded Section at Creative Center Osaka, a former shipyard. A special exhibition, "Another 1990s—Kansai Artists Beyond Time," revisits regional art practices from the 1990s.

Colares studio opens its doors for one-day art show

Three artists—Maria José Meneses, Clara Rêgo, and Mary St. George—are opening their studio at Casa do Celeiro in Colares, Sintra, for a one-day "Open Studio" event on Saturday, May 30, from 12pm to 6pm. The event offers the public a rare behind-the-scenes look at a working art studio, featuring contemporary paintings, mixed media, sculptural ceramics, and artists' books in a 17th-century building that was once a barn and stable.