Heart Café and Church in Liverpool is hosting an art exhibition titled 'Rebirth' until May 3rd. Curated by café employee Emily Blackmore, the show features 25 works by 21 local artists, interpreting themes of spring and new beginnings. It opened on Good Friday to align with ideas of spiritual transformation.
The Grayson Gallery & Art Center (GGAC) in Grayson, Kentucky, is hosting an opening reception for its annual 'Celebrate the Earth 2026' art show and sale on April 24. The event, part of the non-profit's monthly Final Fridays series, will feature original, handmade works from regional artists focused on Earth Day themes, alongside a display of art by homeschooled children. Live music will be provided by the band Kentucky Memories, and the evening will include an awards ceremony with cash prizes and ribbons.
The Idlib Directorate of Culture in Syria opened a visual arts exhibition titled "Coming Colors" as part of its cultural week activities, coinciding with World Art Day. The exhibition features approximately 70 works by amateur and professional artists, with paintings exploring symbolic themes of unity, resilience, and victory.
Artist Andy Gillis of Troy will present an exhibition titled "The art of dots in acrylic," featuring his intricate mandala paintings, at the Starworks Cafe and Taproom in Star. The show opens with a free reception on April 30 and will remain on view through July 30.
Hōhepa Canterbury, a not-for-profit organization, will host its biennial Art and Sculptural Exhibition in Christchurch next month. The event features works from over 50 established and emerging New Zealand artists, including Renata Przynoga and Gwyn Hughes, alongside pieces created by Hōhepa residents. A VIP preview and auction will be held on May 22, followed by public exhibition days on May 23-24, with proceeds funding the organization's wellness and community programs.
A local artist known as MTB Artwork is launching a solo exhibition of new acrylic paintings on cardboard on June 27, 2026, at a renovated flat and shop space on Kingsley Park Terrace in Northampton. The artist began painting in 2020 as a therapeutic activity and has since sold over 400 pieces internationally.
An art exhibition titled "Yaadon ka Silsila," featuring works by artist Dr. Tooba Najam, was held at the Punjab Council of Arts. The event was documented with a photograph of a visitor viewing the displayed artworks.
The Southwick Cultural Council is hosting its 25th Annual Fine Art Exhibition Show and Sale at Town Hall on April 26-27. The event features over 40 artisans, with works in oils, acrylics, watercolors, wood carvings, sculpture, photography, and mixed media, most of which are for sale. A jury process selects participants, and the event includes live music and a display by the Southwick Historical Society.
Six prominent Nigerian art collectors are exhibiting selections from their private collections at the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art (YSMA) in Lagos. The exhibition, titled 'Collecting Now 2', showcases contemporary African art and highlights the personal tastes and motivations of these influential individuals.
The Marblehead Arts Association (MAA) launched its fourth annual 'Variations' national art exhibition, drawing over 400 attendees. The show features 190 selected works from nearly 800 submissions across fine art, photography, and 3D categories, judged by artists Christina Grace Mastrangelo, Lou Jones, and Simon Kogan. Prizes were awarded in each category, and curator Paul McMahan arranged the galleries thematically to emphasize the exhibition's focus on diverse interpretations.
The Finlandia Art Gallery in Hancock, Michigan, will open a new exhibition titled 'Liminal Sanctuaries,' featuring the work of artist Bonnie Loukus. The show consists of oil paintings depicting wildlife and natural settings, including a notable piece of a sandhill crane, each intended to convey a story about solitude and connection with nature.
The Niagara Falls culture committee is accepting submissions for its annual juried art exhibition. Local artists have until May 30 to submit up to two original works in mediums like painting, photography, fibre, and digital art, with selected artists notified in June. The exhibition will run from August 6 to November 7 at the Atrium Gallery in The Exchange, featuring cash awards for emerging artists, the mayor's selection, and best in show.
Artist Mike Clann is presenting a solo exhibition titled 'Faces & Places' at the ARTS Ross Gallery in Fayetteville. The show features a retrospective of his paintings from the last twenty years, and all proceeds from sales will be donated to support children's arts education programs run by the organization ARTS.
North Carolina Central University's Art Museum hosted the "New Horizons" Exhibition, a juried showcase of student work across disciplines like fashion, studio art, graphic design, and animation. The event, which ran from March 22 to April 26, featured nearly 50 student artists and community members, with participants explaining their creative processes and the meanings behind pieces like Natna Kesete's "This Can't Be America."
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.
Berlin's finance senator Stefan Evers (CDU) has been appointed to temporarily lead the city's cultural administration, marking the third change in leadership within a year. This follows the resignation of Joe Chialo in May 2025 and the departure of his successor Sarah Wedl-Wilson on the previous Friday, after months of controversy over the approval of funding grants. Evers will hold both finance and culture portfolios until the Berlin state election on September 20, 2025. The decision was made by CDU district chairpersons after initial talks with former justice senator Thomas Heilmann fell through.
Berlin's cultural administration is pressing ahead with reforms to make funding for projects against antisemitism legally secure, following the resignation of Culture Senator Sarah Wedl-Wilson. Cultural State Secretary Cerstin Richter-Kotowski told the culture committee that a working group established under Wedl-Wilson is now implementing recommendations from the state audit office report, which had found serious legal violations and omissions in the allocation of funds for antisemitism prevention projects. Richter-Kotowski emphasized that the administration continues its normal operations despite the leadership change, and she publicly thanked both Wedl-Wilson and the recently dismissed State Secretary Oliver Friederici for their service.
Berlins nächste Bruchlandung
Berlin's culture senator, Sarah Wedl-Wilson, resigned on Friday after being pressured by Mayor Kai Wegner amid a funding scandal. She approved 13 project applications totaling €2.6 million intended for combating antisemitism, bypassing mandatory co-payment rules and ignoring objections from her state secretary. Leaked chat logs revealed that CDU parliamentarians Christian Goiny and faction leader Dirk Stettner pushed her to fast-track approvals, leading to violations of budget law. The state audit office had flagged irregularities, and Wegner withdrew his support, prompting her resignation.
Berlin's Senator for Culture, Sarah Wedl-Wilson, has resigned after less than a year in office, following a damning report from the Berlin Court of Audit. The report found that the allocation of €2.6 million in funding for 13 projects aimed at combating antisemitism was 'evidently unlawful,' citing a lack of proper criteria, arbitrary project selection, and violations of budget regulations. Wedl-Wilson stated she stepped down to prevent damage to the fight against antisemitism, and Governing Mayor Kai Wegner accepted her resignation, vowing to reform the funding system. The opposition has accused CDU politicians of exerting improper influence to push through the projects.
Biennale-Jury will Länder mit IStGH-Vorwürfen nicht berücksichtigen
The jury of the Venice Art Biennale has announced that it will not consider countries whose heads of state or government face allegations of crimes against humanity from the International Criminal Court (ICC) when awarding prizes this year. The jury, led by Brazilian art historian Solange Farkas, cited its commitment to defending human rights. While no specific countries were named, the ICC currently has arrest warrants against Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes in Ukraine and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in Gaza. The Biennale leadership stated the jury acted in full autonomy and independence.
Kultursenatorin wegen Rechnungshofberichts unter Druck
Berlin's Court of Audit has issued a scathing report accusing Culture Senator Sarah Wedl-Wilson (independent) of serious legal violations in the allocation of €2.6 million in anti-Semitism prevention grants for 2025. The audit found that the selection process was arbitrary, lacked transparent criteria, and violated state budget regulations. Six of the 13 funded projects—receiving €2 million—were deemed ineligible for the specific budget line, and some recipients were newly founded entities that were not properly vetted. The report warns that the grants may need to be repaid.
EU plant Strafe für Biennale-Teilnahme Russlands
The European Union has threatened to cut funding for the Venice Biennale if it allows Russia to reopen its national pavilion at the upcoming exhibition. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated that Russia's return is "morally wrong" while the country is bombing Ukrainian museums and destroying cultural heritage. Russia, in coordination with the Biennale foundation, had announced plans to participate this year with works by Russian artists, marking its first appearance since the 2022 invasion.
Le Musée de la Reddition de Reims rouvre ses portes après un an de travaux
The Musée de la Reddition de Reims (Museum of the Surrender of Reims) reopened on May 7, the 81st anniversary of the German surrender signed in its map room, after a year-long closure. The renovation, costing approximately €2 million, focused on conservation: protective glazing, improved ventilation and lighting, and anoxic treatment of collections to halt degradation of original maps, documents, and war room objects. The museum also overhauled its scenography, designed by Belgian agency Kascen, to present a clearer chronological narrative covering the occupation, Allied presence in Reims, liberation, postwar reconstruction, and reconciliation, rather than just the surrender itself. The museum now displays 17 uniforms, 130 objects and weapons, and 65 archival documents, including the act of capitulation and General McAuliffe's jacket.
L’Iran absent de la Biennale de Venise
Iran will be absent from the 2026 Venice Biennale, marking a notable gap in the international art exhibition. The decision reflects ongoing geopolitical tensions and logistical challenges that have prevented the country from participating in one of the world's most prestigious cultural events.
The personal art collection and belongings of the late actor and style icon Diane Keaton will be sold at auction this June. Bonhams, in partnership with The Fine Art Group, will conduct the sales under the title "Diane Keaton: The Architecture of an Icon" across four events in New York and Los Angeles.
The Wayrick Wildlife Art Gallery at the Schermann Hoffman's Nature Center in Somerset County, New Jersey, is hosting the "Open Air/Open Space" juried art exhibition from February 6 through March 25. The show features works by professional and novice New Jersey Plein Air artists, celebrating the county's Open Space Preservation Program and its public park system.
The 16th annual Rochester Deck Art exhibition opened on May 19, 2026, in downtown Rochester, Michigan, displaying skateboard artworks created by artists ranging from elementary school students to adults. The exhibition features multiple categories and is hosted in storefronts and windows throughout the city, with works such as Michelle Villette's first-place winner and Claire LaMontagne's "Phoenix Rising" on view.
The Schaap Center, a long-anticipated arts venue, is finally opening this weekend, fulfilling a dream for local arts enthusiasts in the Detroit area. The center is expected to host a variety of cultural events and exhibitions, marking a significant milestone for the community's arts scene.
The solo art exhibition of Tapati Bhowmik Majumder, Tripura's first National Award-winning woman artist, opened on May 12 at Mumbai's Jahangir Art Gallery. The show was inaugurated by Maharashtra Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, marking the first time a Governor of Maharashtra has attended an inauguration at the gallery. Special guests included professor and artist Maruti Selke and actress Jayati Bhatia. The exhibition runs through May 18.
The 26th Annual North Coast Open Studios (NCOS) will take place on weekends June 6-7 and June 13-14, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a kickoff art night on Friday, June 5 from 6 to 9 p.m. The event features 150 local artists opening their studios to the public between Eureka and Trinidad, and east to Willow Creek. A DreamMaker project of the Ink People, NCOS offers visitors the chance to see artists in their creative spaces, purchase art directly from makers, and enjoy the 'creative disaster' of working studios. Some artists are open by appointment year-round, and the Friday kickoff overlaps with Eureka Friday Night Markets.