Everything to know about the Met Gala 2026: Theme, hosts and what to expect

The Met Gala 2026 will take place on the first Monday in May, with the theme "Costume Art" and a dress code of "Fashion is Art." The accompanying exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art explores depictions of the dressed body throughout time, pairing garments with artworks from the museum's collection. Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour are named co-hosts, while Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos serve as honorary chairs. The event will debut the newly named Condé M. Nast Galleries, a permanent 12,000-square-foot space in the museum's Great Hall, allowing the exhibition to run for nine months from May 10, 2026 to January 10, 2027.

India at Venice Biennale 2026 curtain raiser: Many voices, one resonance

India has announced its participation in the 61st Venice Biennale with the India Pavilion exhibition titled 'Geographies of Distance: Remembering Home,' curated by Amin Jaffer. The exhibition, presented by the National Gallery of Modern Art and the Ministry of Culture, will feature works by five artists: Alwar Balasubramaniam, Ranjani Shettar, Sumakshi Singh, Skarma Sonam Tashi, and Asim Waqif. It will run from May 9, 2026, with previews from May 6-8. The pavilion is supported by Isha Ambani, chairperson of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, and Sunil Munjal, founder of Serendipity Arts Foundation. Additionally, on May 8, Kochi-Muziris Biennale president Jitish Kallat will announce the curator for its seventh edition.

In Paris, step inside Swedish artist Mamma Andersson's broken reality

Swedish artist Mamma Andersson is preparing for a new exhibition, 'Œuvres sur papier', at David Zwirner Paris, showcasing her works on paper including aquatint, etching, lithograph, and woodcut. The article visits her studio in Stockholm, where she discusses her creative process, recurring motifs like chairs, masks, and deer, and her collaborations with writer Karl Ove Knausgaard. The show also features vitrines with reference materials and books alongside original artworks.

Turner Prize: Mythical shapes and the impact of oil explored in 2026 shortlist

The Turner Prize 2026 shortlist has been announced, featuring four artists: Simeon Barclay, Kira Freije, Marguerite Humeau, and Tanoa Sasraku. Their works include a spoken-word performance about industrial northern England, sculptures exploring human emotions, mythical ecological forms, and installations examining the political history of oil. The shortlisted works will be exhibited at the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, with the winner revealed on December 10. Each shortlisted artist receives £10,000, and the winner gets £25,000.

DOGE Cuts to National Endowment for the Humanities Were Unconstitutional, Court Rules

A federal judge ruled that the cancellation of over 1,400 grants by the National Endowment for the Humanities, carried out by Elon Musk's Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE), was unconstitutional. Judge Colleen McMahon of the Federal District Court in Manhattan ordered DOGE to rescind the cancellations, finding that the cuts violated the First Amendment and the equal protection component of the Fifth Amendment. The lawsuits were filed after the NEH chairman was dismissed and the agency was redirected under President Donald Trump's "America First" cultural campaign, with acting chair Michael McDonald cutting most grants awarded by the previous administration. The cuts, totaling more than $100 million, disrupted research, publications, and humanities programming, and were reportedly flagged using ChatGPT to target grants related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Met Gala Boycott Message Projected on Bezos’s Manhattan Penthouse

On May 3, 2026, the activist group Everyone Hates Elon projected messages condemning Jeff Bezos and Amazon onto Bezos's luxury penthouse in Manhattan's Madison Square Park, ahead of the Met Gala on May 4. The projections included a video testimony from Amazon warehouse worker Mary Hill, who called for honoring workers instead of billionaires, and slogans such as 'Boycott The Bezos Met Gala.' The group also projected onto the Chrysler and Empire State buildings. This action follows earlier protests, including littering the Met with fake urine bottles and wheatpasting posters across the city, all targeting Bezos's role as an honorary co-chair of the gala.

Major, International Touring Exhibition ‘Treasures of the Pharaohs’ Coming to the Kimbell Art Museum in 2027

The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, announced it will host the major international touring exhibition 'Treasures of the Pharaohs' from March 14 to September 19, 2027. Featuring 130 artifacts from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and the Luxor Museum, the exhibition spans 3,000 years of ancient Egyptian history, including royal treasures, newly discovered objects from the 'Golden City' in the Valley of the Kings, and works from Dynasty I to the Ptolemaic period. The exhibition is currently on view at the Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome and will travel to the de Young museum in San Francisco before arriving at the Kimbell.

Wintour: Met Gala still makes me nervous

Wintour: Met-Gala macht mich immer noch nervös

Anna Wintour, longtime host of the Met Gala, admitted at a press conference that even after nearly 30 years, the star-studded fundraiser still makes her nervous, calling it both her favorite and most terrifying time of year. The annual Costume Institute Benefit, which raises millions for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, is expected to bring in more donations than ever this year, according to Wintour and museum director Max Hollein. This year's gala opens the exhibition "Costume Art" with the dress code "Fashion is Art," and new gallery spaces for the Costume Institute will debut. Co-chairs include Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos, while New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly declined to attend.

Venice Biennale Awards Jury Won’t Consider Russia and Israel

The international awards jury for the 61st Venice Biennale has announced it will not consider countries whose leaders are charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for prizes. The all-women jury, chaired by Solange Farkas, published a statement on e-flux declaring this policy, which implicitly targets Russia and Israel, whose leaders Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu face ICC warrants. The jury is responsible for awarding Golden Lions for the best national pavilion and best artist in the central exhibition. A majority of artists in the main show issued an open letter supporting the decision, while the Biennale Foundation faces criticism for allowing both nations to participate in 2026.

Thiago de Paula Souza Appointed Curator of Eighth Athens Biennale

Thiago de Paula Souza, a Brazilian-born curator and educator, has been appointed curator of the Eighth Athens Biennale, scheduled for spring 2026. De Paula Souza, based in São Paulo and a member of the artistic committee of NESR Art Foundation in Angola, is recognized for focusing on artistic practices involving transmutation through eroticism, gender nonconformity, and intimacy. He previously cocurated the 2025 Bienal de São Paulo, the 2024 Panorama da Arte Brasileira at MAM São Paulo, and the survey “Some May Work as Symbols: Art Made in Brazil, 1950s–70s” at Raven Row, London, and served on the curatorial team of the 2018 Berlin Biennale.

art olivia walton crystal bridges

Olivia Walton, former TV journalist and current board chair of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, discusses her leadership and vision in an interview for Cultured's 2026 CULT100 honorees. She took over from founder Alice Walton, her husband's aunt, in 2021 and has championed free admission and expanded access. The museum is set to open a major expansion in May, doubling its public space and celebrating its 15th anniversary alongside America's 250th birthday.

Wiggy stardust! The mind-blowing hair artist who astonished Rihanna and Cate Blanchett

Taiba Akhuetie, a London-based artist who uses human and synthetic hair as her primary medium, is preparing for her first solo exhibition at the Sarabande Foundation. Her unsettling, taxidermy-like sculptures transform everyday objects—handbags, mirrors, rocking chairs, and umbrellas—into eerie, hair-covered artworks. Akhuetie began her career as a braider, founding the salon Keash Braids in Peckham, and pivoted to sculptural work during the pandemic. Her creations have attracted high-profile clients including Rihanna, Cate Blanchett, and Nigerian singer Tems, and have been featured by Vogue.

Would you sit on this? Australian designers take on the humble chair – in pictures

For the 10th edition of Melbourne Design Week, over 100 chairs by Australian designers are on display in an exhibition titled '100 Chairs', curated by Friends & Associates. Selected from an open call, each chair had to be made in Australia and functional for sitting. The designs range from traditional timber dining chairs to experimental pieces, including a chair that transforms into a table, a horse-shaped chair, and one with a satanic theme. The exhibition is held at South Magdalen Laundry, Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne until 24 May 2026.

Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogotá's director departs amid accusations she harassed staff

The Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogotá (Mambo) is in a leadership crisis after its director, Martha Ortiz, resigned amid accusations of harassment and creating a toxic work environment. Her departure follows the dismissal of artistic director Eugenio Viola in February, which sparked an open letter signed by over 140 cultural figures demanding transparency. The museum's board chair, Ángela Royo, and financial manager Francy Hernández are temporarily overseeing operations while searches for both director and artistic director are underway.

Mary Lovelace O’Neal, painter and activist, 1942–2026

Mary Lovelace O’Neal, the American painter, professor, and civil rights activist, has died at age 84. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, she was a co-founder of the Non-Violent Action Group while a student at Howard University, later earning an MFA from Columbia University. Known for monumental abstract works on soot-black surfaces, she developed her signature technique through the Lampblack series (1960s–70s) and continued evolving her practice through series such as Whales Fucking (1970s–80s) and Panthers In My Father’s Palace (1980s–90s). In 1985, she became the first African American woman to receive tenure in the Department of Art Practice at the University of California, Berkeley, where she taught for nearly three decades and served as chair from 1999 until her retirement in 2006.

Senior Art Exhibition 2026 Showcases the ‘Incredible Crossroads’ of Studio Art Majors

The Senior Art Exhibition 2026 at Colby College Museum of Art's Joan Dignam Schmaltz Gallery of Art in Waterville showcases capstone projects from 17 graduating studio art majors. The works span painting, photography, printmaking, digital media, and sculpture, created after a yearlong capstone course coordinated by Associate Professor Bradley Borthwick. The exhibition runs through May 23 and includes a catalog with artist statements and critical essays.

The 2026 Met Gala Theme and Dress Code, Explained

The 2026 Met Gala, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, is set for tonight with the theme "Costume Art" and the dress code "Fashion is Art." The event, which takes place annually on the first Monday in May, serves as a high-profile fundraiser for the Costume Institute and a fashion spectacle. Co-chairs include Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour. The theme is tied to the Met's upcoming exhibition of the same name, which will debut the Costume Institute's first permanent galleries—the Condé M. Nast Galleries—and explore "the centrality of the dressed body" by pairing garments with art spanning 5,000 years.

Phillips’ Evening Sale of Modern & Contemporary Art More than Doubles Auction Total from the Previous Year

Phillips’ Evening Sale of Modern & Contemporary Art achieved a total that more than doubled the previous year's auction result, driven by strong demand for works spanning the 19th to 21st centuries. The sale opened with three lots exceeding their high estimates, including record prices for Lee Bontecou's rare 'Untitled' (1985-2001), which set a new record for any two-dimensional work by the artist after nearly five minutes of bidding. Other records were set for Pat Passlof, P.S. Krøyer, and Joseph Yaeger. Top lots included Andy Warhol's 'Sixteen Jackies' ($16.2 million), Claude Monet's 'La Route de Vétheuil, effet de neige' ($9.9 million), and Jackson Pollock's 'Untitled' ($9.2 million). The sale also featured works from The Collection of Ambassador John L. Loeb, Jr., which achieved a combined $8.4 million, with two Vilhelm Hammershøi works acquired by prominent institutions.

How super-skinny red carpet trend at Met Gala clashes with own its body-positive Costume Art show

The Met Gala, organized by Vogue and themed around "costume art," was accompanied by an exhibition of the same name at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art opening May 10, focusing on the dressed body. While the exhibition has been praised for using inclusive mannequins representing diverse body types—including variously abled, fat, thin, and pregnant forms—the red carpet was criticized for its overwhelming thinness and the involvement of honorary chairs Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos, who reportedly sponsored the event for $10 million, sparking boycott calls. Fashion commentators like Diet Prada noted the Gala was more poorly received than ever, with some celebrities absent.

The Bad Bunny chairs taking over the art world

Edra Soto, a Puerto Rican artist based in Chicago, has created a series of plastic lawn chairs upholstered with the face of reggaetón superstar Bad Bunny, now on view in the exhibition "Dancing the Revolution: From Dancehall to Reggaetón" at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. The chairs, part of Soto's broader practice transforming everyday Puerto Rican objects into art, also appear at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City and were shown at EXPO Chicago. The exhibition explores the visual history and political power of Caribbean music, highlighting Bad Bunny's role in the 2019 protests that led to the resignation of Governor Ricardo Rosselló.

Met Gala 2026: Everything to Know About the Theme, Co-Chairs, Dress Code and More

The 2026 Met Gala will take place on May 4 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, with the theme "Costume Art" and a dress code of "Fashion Is Art." The event honors the spring 2026 exhibition of the same name, which inaugurates the Costume Institute's first permanent galleries, the nearly 12,000-square-foot Condé M. Nast Galleries. Co-chairs include Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour. The red carpet livestream will be hosted by Ashley Graham, La La Anthony, Cara Delevingne, and Emma Chamberlain on Vogue's digital platforms.

Mayor Mary Sheffield visits the newly renovated Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, or MOCAD

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield toured the newly renovated Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) on April 23, 2026, accompanied by Co-Directors Marie Madison-Patton and Jova Lynne, and Board Chair Charles Boyd. The renovation includes the renamed Julia Reyes Taubman Building, new large windows, an HVAC system, and a bar area, with exhibitions featuring works by Olayami Dabls, Carole Harris, and Martha Mysko.

The Craziest Venice Biennale Ever: One Week Before Opening, the Jury Resigns (The Public Will Decide the Lions!)

La Biennale di Venezia più pazza di sempre: a una settimana dall’apertura si dimette la giuria (I Leoni li deciderà il pubblico!)

The entire international jury of the 61st Venice Biennale has resigned en masse just one week before the opening. The jury, chaired by Solange Oliveira Farkas and including Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi, had publicly announced they would not consider countries whose leaders are accused of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court—effectively excluding Russia and Israel from the Golden Lion competition. This decision came amid ongoing tensions between Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli and Biennale President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco over Russia's participation, as well as controversy surrounding Israel's presence. After a meeting with Buttafuoco, the jury resigned, leaving the Biennale without a key body to award its top prizes.

In Monica Rohan’s Paintings, Tablecloths and Chairs Uncannily Perch in Remote Landscapes

Monica Rohan, a Brisbane-based artist, creates vibrant oil paintings in which domestic objects like patterned tablecloths and bentwood dining chairs appear in remote, natural landscapes. Her recent works, including those from her upcoming solo exhibition "Invitations" at Sophie Gannon Gallery in Melbourne this June, increasingly omit human figures, allowing the objects themselves to become stand-ins for people. The scenes are inspired by her hiking trip through Tasmania, featuring alpine summits, streams, and meadows.

In Milan, the first exhibition-market dedicated entirely to 20th-century modernariato arrives

A Milano arriva la prima mostra-mercato dedicata interamente al modernariato del Novecento

The article announces the arrival of SOMO (Solo Modernariato), Italy's only fair dedicated entirely to 20th-century modernariato, in Milan. After two years in Alzano Lombardo near Bergamo, the event will take place at Superstudio Più in Via Tortona 27 on May 23-24, 2026. It will feature over 70 exhibitors from across Italy, showcasing furniture, lamps, and objects produced between the post-war period and the 1980s, targeting collectors, architects, interior designers, and a new generation of enthusiasts.

You can retrace the entire career of the legendary designer Alessandro Mendini in this exhibition in Verbania

Si può ripercorrere tutta la carriera del mitico designer Alessandro Mendini in questa mostra a Verbania

A new exhibition titled "Alessandro Mendini. COSE. Stanze come mondi" has opened at Villa Giulia in Verbania, Italy, running until September 27. Curated by art historian Loredana Parmesani, the show condenses the career of legendary designer Alessandro Mendini (1931–2019) into seven rooms, each centered on one of his iconic objects—such as the Poltrona di Paglia (1974) and the Poltrona di Proust (1978)—alongside 130 total pieces including drawings, paintings, and texts. The selection was made with Mendini's daughters Elisa and Fulvia, and the layout follows the villa's 19th-century plan, turning each space into a distinct chapter of his creative journey.

City College art faculty showcase their work in the Kondos Gallery

Sacramento City College's Kondos Gallery has opened its spring faculty exhibition, “The Other Half; SCC Art Faculty,” featuring works by five full-time art professors in painting, printmaking, mixed media, ceramics, and sculpture. A reception was held on April 30, 2026, attended by librarian Antonio López and others. The gallery, originally opened in the 1930s, was renamed after noted California artist Gregory Kondos, who served as its director in the mid-1970s until his retirement in 1982.

CalArts President Booed During Commencement Speech

California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) President Ravi S. Rajan was loudly booed by students during the school's commencement ceremony on May 15, as they held signs reading “Hold the Admin Accountable” and “Save Our Faculty & Staff.” The protest stemmed from ongoing financial turmoil at the esteemed art school, including a multi-million-dollar budget deficit, significant staff and faculty layoffs, and a decline in enrollment from 1,500 to roughly 1,200. Despite Rajan's attempts to redirect focus to the graduates, the booing persisted, and board chair Charmaine Jefferson unsuccessfully appealed for calm. The incident follows a broader crisis at CalArts, where over 75% of staff sought to unionize in 2024, and faculty held a “Chop from the Top” rally in March against proposed $5 million in cuts.

Step Aboard the Superyacht Circling This Year’s Cannes Film Festival

Over the weekend of the Cannes Film Festival, director Ron Howard premiered his documentary *Avedon*, which traces photographer Richard Avedon's rise from a working-class Jewish immigrant background to a defining chronicler of American culture. The film received a second life aboard the Renaissance superyacht with a party hosted by editor Graydon Carter, Ancient chairman and CEO Alexander Klabin, and Burgess chief executive John Beckett. Guests included actors Natasha Lyonne and Rosemarie Dewitt, photographer Jean Pigozzi, model Eddie Mitsou, Avedon's grandchildren Michael, Matthew, and Caroline Avedon, and producers Courtney Kivowitz, Sara Bernstein, Darcie Reisler, Dallas Rexer, Chris St. John, and Justin Wilkes. The after-hours cocktail allowed attendees to relive the film's most impactful scenes while mingling with the producers and the photographer's family.

At the 2026 Met Gala, 'Fashion is Art.' Here's what to expect

The 2026 Met Gala will take place on the first Monday in May at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, supporting the Costume Institute. The spring exhibition is titled "Costume Art" and will be the first to occupy the new Condé M. Nast Galleries. The dress code is "Fashion is Art," inviting guests to explore fashion as an embodied art form. Co-chairs include Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour, with Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos as honorary chairs. The event will be livestreamed by Vogue, hosted by Ashley Graham, La La Anthony, Cara Delevingne, and Emma Chamberlain.