Art galleries book rooms at Austin's Loren Hotel for free Friends Fair this weekend

Friends Fair returns to Austin this weekend, transforming hotel rooms at The Loren Lady Bird Lake into temporary exhibition spaces for art galleries from across the country. Organized by Phillip Niemeyer of Northern-Southern, Meredith Williams of Martha’s Gallery, and others including McLennon Pen Co. and Ivester Contemporary, the fair will occupy 19 rooms on the hotel’s second floor, with each invited gallery creating a unique installation. The event is free to attend with an RSVP and runs Friday and Saturday.

Art and Design seniors exhibit their work at Krannert Art Museum

More than 100 seniors from the School of Art and Design at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will showcase their final projects at Krannert Art Museum from May 9 to May 16. The Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition features work across all disciplines, including art education, art history, graphic design, industrial design, and studio art. Graphic design students Rinnell Borges and Natalie Mora created the exhibition's branding and catalog under the theme "Myth of Originality," drawing inspiration from fellow students' work and university archives. Individual projects include Borges's syrup packaging concept, Mora's communication guide for Latino communities, Caroline Dorion's charcoal drawings of draped female figures, and Sylvie Leyerle's children's book about her adoption from China.

Cincinnati Art Museum Announces Major Charley Harper Exhibition

The Cincinnati Art Museum has announced its first full-scale scholarly exhibition of works by Cincinnati-based artist Charley Harper, titled "The Art of Charley Harper: Creatures Wild and Tame." The exhibition will run from October 16, 2026, through March 7, 2027, featuring around 150 works, including ten large paintings commissioned by the U.S. National Park Service that were only briefly displayed in Washington, D.C., in the 1990s. The show is presented in partnership with the Charley Harper Art Studio and marks the artist's first museum retrospective.

Catch a wave to RAM for new exhibit

The Bakersfield Museum of Art (RAM) has opened a new exhibition titled "Catch a Wave," featuring works that explore themes of water, movement, and coastal culture. The show includes paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media pieces by regional and national artists, aiming to evoke the sensory experience of being near the ocean.

Claremont Lewis Museum of Art’s Project ARTstART presents exhibit of children’s art

The Claremont Lewis Museum of Art is presenting the 15th annual "ARTstART: StART It Up!" exhibition from May 8-10, featuring artwork created by elementary school students from all seven Claremont elementary schools. The show, curated by high school participants in the museum's Project ARTstART program, includes collages, sculptures, paintings, and works on paper, and will be held at the Ginger Elliott Exhibition Center in Memorial Park. The exhibition also includes hands-on art-making activities for visitors.

$100M Brandywine Conservancy expansion aims to ‘completely reimagine’ visitor experience

The Brandywine Conservancy in Chadds Ford, Delaware County, has announced a $100 million expansion plan aimed at transforming the visitor experience. The project will increase exhibition capacity by 80% and open 10 miles of new trails on the campus, significantly expanding the institution's footprint and public offerings.

At Luckygirl Gourmet Gallery, Art Leads and Snacks Follow

Nikki Brovold has opened Luckygirl Gourmet Gallery in Portland's Pearl District, a hybrid space where art takes precedence over food. The gallery's inaugural exhibition, "Who's That Girl," features nine artists including Tom Relth, Eric Rue, Paul Solevad, Michelle Yamamoto, Richard Cutshall, and Paula Bullwinkel, with a focus on abstractive figuration and feminine perspectives. Brovold, who previously worked at a global consulting firm in New York and as a gallerist at the Portland Art Museum, curates the art while also offering a small selection of elevated snacks and drinks, such as Makabi & Sons cookies and Puff Coffee cold brew. The space is co-owned by Brovold's husband, Shawn Przybilla.

NEW PROJECT ON PUERTO RICAN ART AND HISTORY: $200K grant will support the initiative at NBMAA

The New Britain Museum of American Art (NBMAA) has received a $200,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to support a new project titled "Puerto Rico in Focus: Historical Interventions." The initiative is part of a multi-year museum effort to explore Puerto Rico’s complex relationship with the United States through exhibitions, research, and community programs.

Mixed-media group exhibition ‘MUD METAL OIL’ comes to Centrespace

A mixed-media group exhibition titled ‘MUD METAL OIL’ is opening at Centrespace, a gallery in Bristol. The show brings together multiple artists working across diverse materials and processes, exploring themes of materiality and transformation through sculpture, painting, and installation.

Review: The 82nd Whitney Biennial is weird, provocative, and leaves viewers wanting more

The 82nd Whitney Biennial has opened, drawing attention for its weird, provocative nature that leaves viewers wanting more. The exhibition, held at the Whitney Museum of American Art, features a range of contemporary works that challenge conventional boundaries and spark dialogue.

Madras art gallery celebrates four decades with local artists showcase

The Art Adventure Gallery in Madras, Oregon, is celebrating its 40th anniversary on May 7th with a special event from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The gallery opened in 1986 after a Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce art show revealed strong community interest but no permanent exhibition space. The anniversary event will showcase work from local artists, including the Tananáwit artist community of Warm Springs, and the first 40 attendees will receive free ice cream in hand-made ceramic bowls.

The Met’s ‘Costume Art’ Exhibit Puts Every Type of Body on Display

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has opened a new exhibition titled 'Costume Art' that showcases a diverse range of body types through fashion and costume design. The display features garments and ensembles designed to celebrate inclusivity, with mannequins and presentations representing various shapes, sizes, and abilities, challenging traditional fashion norms.

Venue of National Centre for Contemporary Arts on Niakrasava Street to Cease Exhibition Activities in June

The National Centre for Contemporary Arts (NCCA) in Minsk, Belarus, has announced that its venue on Niakrasava Street will cease exhibition activities from June 22, 2026. The institution is set to be liquidated, with its premises and collections transferred to the National Art Museum, while the Niakrasava Street space will be taken over by the Belarusian State Academy of Arts. The closure is linked to the newly appointed chairman of the Union of Artists, Andrei Vasileuski, and reportedly supported by the Culture Ministry.

Grohmann Museum Exhibit Focuses on Veterans and Service

The Grohmann Museum in Milwaukee has opened a new exhibition pairing two shows by contemporary American artists focusing on military service. Ohio-born Mary Whyte's "We the People: Portraits of Veterans in America" features 50 large-scale watercolor portraits of veterans from various wars and backgrounds. Milwaukee photographer Dennis Darmek's "Boots and Sand: The Marines of 29 Palms" presents two dozen color photographs taken at the Marine Corps base in California's Mojave Desert, where Darmek himself trained in 1969. The photos capture both posed and candid moments, highlighting diversity within the modern Marine Corps, including women in combat roles.

Province invests $35M to help expand Art Gallery of Ontario

The Ontario provincial government has announced a $35 million investment over two years to support the Art Gallery of Ontario's (AGO) expansion project, the Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery. The funding will create at least 13 new galleries across five floors, adding 40,000 square feet of space and increasing display area by 30%. Construction is expected to be complete by fall 2027, enabling the AGO to welcome up to 120,000 additional visitors annually. This provincial contribution supplements a $35 million lead gift from Dani Reiss, $25 million from the Government of Canada, and other private donations.

New experimental art gallery launches in Brighton

A new experimental art gallery, the Founders Room, is launching in Brighton in May 2026 as part of the Brighton Festival. The inaugural exhibition, titled Act 0, is organized by The Adelaide Salon in collaboration with Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival. It features works by two artist couples—Isobel Smith and The Baron Gilvan, and Lucy Newman and Bob Dixon—exploring process-led, relational, and interdisciplinary practices. The exhibition questions the boundary between artist and artwork, presenting painting, drawing, and performance-led works that blur authorship and lived experience.

A new cultural space that works on the memory of the city (also through postcards) has been born in Rome

A Roma è nato un nuovo spazio culturale che lavora sulla memoria della città (anche attraverso le cartoline)

A new cultural space called URBS has opened in Rome's Testaccio district, founded by architect Andrea D'Antrassi in collaboration with Giovanni Colombara. The space debuted in 2024 as "The Smallest Museum by URBS," a 20-square-meter venue housing over 1,600 historical postcards of the city, creating a visual archive spanning different eras. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions, such as the current show "Not Mine, Not Yours" by Iranian artist Mehrdad Shadrooh, curated by Barbara Blasi, which draws from a family video-photo archive covering over eighty years of history. A commercial space has also been opened in Trastevere.

Artist Emily Strong featured at Hunterdon Art Museum starting Sunday, May 17

Artist Emily Strong will be featured at the Hunterdon Art Museum starting Sunday, May 17. The exhibition showcases her work, though specific details about the pieces or theme are not provided in the article.

Native artists highlighted Thursdsay

An event highlighting Indigenous art, the “Evening of Native American Artistry,” will take place Thursday at the Jackson Hole History Museum in conjunction with the seventh annual Teton Powwow. Curated by Susan Durfee and Al Hubbard of Central Wyoming College, the exhibit “Behind Linear Narratives” focuses on ledger art—drawings on repurposed accounting paper—featuring historic works from the late 1800s alongside contemporary pieces by father-and-son artists Terrance Guardipee and Terran Last Gun. Six other downtown galleries will each host an Indigenous artist, and Central Wyoming College’s culinary program will collaborate with chefs from Owamni Restaurant and NATIFS to create heritage-inspired appetizers.

‘MANA’ Exhibit to showcase the richness of Masungi through art - Pressenza

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) invites the public to 'MANA', a contemporary art exhibition organized by the Silaw Artist Collective at the NCCA Gallery in Manila from May 7 to 30, 2026. Curated by Eghai Roxas, the show features works by 15 artists including Melvin Culaba, Henri Cainglet, and Derick Macutay, exploring the tension between commodification and environmental conservation, with a focus on the Masungi Georeserve landscape.

SOPAC's Herb + Milly Iris Gallery Presents INSPIRED MINDS: Young Artist Exhibition Opening Reception Thursday, May 14

The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) will open the INSPIRED MINDS: Young Artist Exhibition in its Herb + Milly Iris Gallery on May 14, 2026, with a free public reception at 5:00 PM. Over 300 students from 20 area high schools submitted more than 1,000 original works across media including photography, digital art, painting, drawing, sculpture, fiber arts, and ceramics; 70 pieces were selected for the exhibition. The show is sponsored by the Iris Family Foundation and features professional installation, a formal reception, and opportunities for students to sell their work.

Victoria artist organizes exhibition to benefit lesser-known charities

Victoria artist Tanya Bub is organizing a benefit exhibition titled "Wild Art for the Big of Heart" at the Victoria Gage Gallery from May 12 to 31, 2026. The show features 10 sculptures or installations, each representing a different local charity focused on people in need, animals, and the environment. Buyers can choose which charity receives 25% of the purchase price. Bub, who has been making art in Victoria since 2019, aims to highlight lesser-known organizations like Soap for Hope, and participating charities will host public events such as film screenings and talks.

Vacant Cincinnati warehouse to become new visual arts center

A long-vacant warehouse on Stathem Avenue in Westwood, Ohio, is being converted into the Apropos Art Society, a visual arts center. The project will include eight artist studios, a classroom for public workshops, and an art gallery, with the owners collaborating with an architect and contractor to transform the former plumbing warehouse. The center is expected to open by the end of the year.

Exhibition by Visual Artist Aly Roshdy to Open in Sofia

Visual artist Aly Roshdy will open his solo exhibition "Inside Out" at Sofia Green Gallery in Sofia, Bulgaria, with a vernissage on May 7. The show runs through May 21 and features a series of paintings and collages inspired by the artist's travels, each depicting a specific place seen through a window. Roshdy describes the window as both a literal frame for observing different cultures and a symbolic lens for documenting his journeys, capturing moments of silence and contemplation.

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.

Scottsdale Arts opens ‘Visions ’26’ student exhibition

Scottsdale Arts has opened 'Visions ’26,' an exhibition at the Center Space gallery inside the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, featuring works by 40 high school students from six Valley schools. The show is the culmination of a yearlong mentorship program pairing young artists with 13 professional Arizona-based teaching artists, with instruction from faculty at Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, and Paradise Valley Community College. Participating students, including Emily Pye and Ilana Belogorodsky, created pieces in painting, multimedia, and sculpture, with Pye's mixed-media work 'Le Stagioni' exploring her Italian heritage and Belogorodsky's oil painting 'Refracted' representing childhood emotions.

Art gallery to open in downtown Toledo

Local artist Chris "Chilly" Rodriguez announced the grand opening of Mind and Soul Gallery, set to take place on Saturday, May 16 in the Gardner Building on Madison Avenue in downtown Toledo. The gallery will feature the work of Rodriguez and other local artists, aiming to bring a new creative space to the city's downtown area.

20 Years of Art Refuge 2006-2026

An exhibition titled '20 Years of Art Refuge 2006-2026' opens May 13th in London, celebrating two decades of the UK-registered charity Art Refuge. The show features photographs, maps, films, and objects documenting the charity's work with displaced people in Nepal, France, the UK, and elsewhere, including recent projects '24X24 DUNKERQUE' and 'MADE TOGETHER'. Visitors can also participate in pop-up versions of The Community Table, a creative psychosocial support initiative.

Henryk Ptasiewicz, His Life, His Art

Henryk Ptasiewicz, a British-born artist who became a fixture of the St. Louis art scene, died on October 22, 2025. He moved to St. Louis in 1999, built a practice through commissions and teaching, and in 2014 was invited to paint fiberglass cake sculptures for the city's 250th birthday, featuring figures like Dred Scott and Vincent Price. He was also a founding member of the Missouri Plein Air Painters and a frequent winner on the regional plein air competition circuit.

Tonight’s JT Art Walk features new “Walker’s Wipeout” store and gallery

The Joshua Tree Art Walk returns this Saturday in downtown Joshua Tree, featuring the grand opening of a new store and gallery called Walker’s Wipeout by local artist Walker Mettling. Mettling, a comic, woodcut, and risograph artist originally from Providence, RI, will exhibit his own absurdist neon comic dread multimedia works and plans to host other artists in the future. Other participating galleries include Hey There Projects with “Sous les etoiles” featuring Sofia Badaoui and Laura Cooper; La Matadora with “Fairytales & Fanciful Creatures”; Coyote Little with “Don’t Get It Twisted” showcasing fifteen desert-based textile artists; and The Beatnik Lounge with “Like A Dog: A Look at Selective Compassion” curated by Janice Taitel. Live music will be provided by Lee Scott and Joe Garcia on the Art Queen stage.