Long threatened, the Palais de la découverte will finally reopen in 2027 after a seven-year closure

Longtemps menacé, le Palais de la découverte va finalement rouvrir en 2027 après sept ans de fermeture

The Palais de la découverte in Paris will officially reopen in March 2027 following a seven-year closure for extensive renovations. Located in the Palais d’Antin wing of the Grand Palais, the institution faced the threat of permanent closure or relocation to the Cité des sciences due to economic constraints. However, a joint decision by the French Ministries of Research and Culture has secured its future at its historic site, where it will feature a shared entrance with the Grand Palais to foster a unique dialogue between art and science.

See Norwich artist Dan Topalis' new exhibition at Dada Post

An exhibition featuring the work of Norwich artist Dan Topalis has opened at Dada Post in Norwich, Connecticut. Titled "Dan Topalis: Interchanges & Intersections," the show runs every Saturday through July 1 and presents two series: the "Crazy Clown Series" from 2022, depicting clowns performing feats of agility, and the ongoing "Dots" series of 2026, featuring colorful, two-color patterned compositions. Topalis, a Norwich native and 1973 graduate of Norwich Free Academy who also studied at the Philadelphia College of Art, works primarily in acrylic on canvas.

Ministers consider charging tourists to access UK national museum collections

UK government ministers are exploring the possibility of charging international tourists for entry to the permanent collections of national museums. This proposal is part of a broader search for long-term funding solutions for the arts sector, outlined in the government's response to the Arts Council England review led by Margaret Hodge. The review also prompted commitments to simplify funding applications and protect the Arts Council from political interference.

Hillary Waters Fayle Creates ‘Portraits of Place’ from Seeds, Foliage, and Petals

Artist Hillary Waters Fayle has developed a unique series titled 'Portraits of Place,' which utilizes foraged botanicals to create intricate cyanotypes. By collecting and drying seeds, petals, and foliage from specific locations like Grace Farms and Maymont Park, Fayle arranges them into symmetrical, mandala-like compositions on UV-sensitive paper. The resulting bright blue prints serve as a botanical record of a specific geography and moment in time.

Latefa Wiersch “Atlas Studios“ at Istituto Svizzero, Rome

Istituto Svizzero in Rome presents "Atlas Studios," the first solo exhibition in Italy by Swiss-based artist Latefa Wiersch. The show is specifically designed for the spaces of Villa Maraini and evokes the famous Atlas Studios film sets located on the edge of the Moroccan desert, which have been used by international film productions.

Une souscription pour la Maison-atelier Lurçat

The Académie des beaux-arts has launched a subscription campaign to acquire a monumental tapestry by Jean Lurçat, recently rediscovered by Christie's. The tapestry, titled *Bestiaire* (1930), measures 3 by 6.45 meters and was originally created for the artist's home-studio in Paris's 14th arrondissement. It will be publicly unveiled at Christie's Paris on May 6–7, 2025, before a private sale between the Académie and the auction house for €110,000. Donations are being collected online or by check to fund the purchase.

art brick hamza walker curator

Hamza Walker, the renowned curator and director of the Los Angeles nonprofit art space the Brick, is featured as a 2026 CULT100 honoree. He was a key driver behind the ambitious exhibition “Monuments,” which places decommissioned Confederate monuments alongside contemporary art at a time when American cultural history is increasingly politicized. The article includes a brief Q&A with Walker, touching on his personal tastes, work philosophy, and reflections on his career.

design david webster anthony ross costanzo new york

Architect David Webster's preserved High-Tech design home and office in New York, completed in 1981, has been purchased by countertenor and Opera Philadelphia general director Anthony Roth Costanzo. The apartment, located near the Chelsea Hotel, features an industrial, off-the-shelf aesthetic with repurposed vanity lightstrips, custom iron windows, and a sliding door. Webster and Costanzo discuss the home's history, design details, and the legacy of gatherings that once included writer and AIDS activist Larry Kramer.

Experimental Funding Schemes and Militant Analysis: The Experience of CERFI

The Center for Institutional Studies, Research, and Training (CERFI), a research cooperative co-founded by Félix Guattari in the wake of May 1968, sought to merge militant political practice with institutional psychotherapy. By adopting a model of 'analytical self-management,' the group utilized rotational roles and collective research to avoid the hierarchies and alienation typical of traditional academic and political organizations. This experimental structure was heavily influenced by the 'grid' system used at the La Borde psychiatric clinic, aiming to turn administrative labor into a tool for subjective liberation.

Spruill Center for the Arts to add 15 artist studios in Chamblee

The Spruill Center for the Arts is expanding its footprint by converting the former Chamblee City Hall into a new creative hub called Spruill Studios. Scheduled to open in June 2026, the 6,796-square-foot facility will house 15 affordable artist studios and a dedicated exhibition space. The project is the result of a strategic partnership with the City of Chamblee, which is leasing the 2002 building to the nonprofit for just $1 per year.

Nomad Artist Explores the Meaning of Home Through a London Exhibition

Illustrator Molly Maine, who has been traveling the world since 2016 while running her remote design studio, is opening her first solo exhibition in London. Titled "Nomad: Perspectives on Home in a Changing Japan," the show grew out of her experiences at the Colive Fukuoka conference and an artist residency in Kanazawa. During her time in Japan, Maine interviewed both earthquake evacuees from the Noto Peninsula and digital nomads who had relocated there, exploring contrasting experiences of displacement and belonging. The exhibition weaves together these voices through illustration commissions that examine what defines home.

Exhibition | Tang Maohong, 'Simplified' at ShanghART, Singapore

ShanghART Singapore presents 'Simplified', a solo exhibition by Chinese artist Tang Maohong opening on 16 May 2026. The show features paintings developed over the past two years since his relocation to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and marks his return to Singapore after a 2019 solo exhibition and twenty years since his participation in the first Singapore Biennale. Tang's new works explore a technique of mixing colors directly on the painting surface rather than using a palette, collapsing the image and the palette into a single pictorial space.

Native Artistic Instincts

The Indah Gallery, located within the Roblar Winery complex near Santa Ynez, is hosting a solo exhibition titled "Many Roads" by Native American artist Mitchell Robles. The show features works such as the large triptych "Thunder Mountain," along with pieces like "Little Thunder Horse," "Leaping Brown Horse," and "Sitting Bull," which blend ancient indigenous iconography with contemporary neo-Expressionist techniques. Gallerist and founder Max Gleason, himself an artist, has transformed a former barn into a dedicated art space that provides a serene setting for Robles's culturally resonant work.

Gallery openings and exhibits in Central Oregon this week

This article lists numerous gallery openings and ongoing exhibits across Central Oregon, including venues such as Amejko Artistry, Art Adventure Gallery, Artists’ Gallery Sunriver, and the High Desert Museum. Featured shows include nomadic woven artwork by Anna Amejko Peterson, a 40th anniversary exhibition of Jefferson County artists, “A Man Named York” at the Belknap Exhibit Center, and “Drawn West — A History of Promoting Place” at the High Desert Museum, among many others spanning pottery, photography, fiber art, and historical displays.

Around town: Art Garden reopens in new downtown gallery

Art Garden, a combination art gallery and plant shop in Asheville, North Carolina, reopens on May 7, 2025, at a new downtown location at 98 N. Lexington Ave. The business was displaced after its former home in Riverview Station was flooded by over 25 feet of water during Tropical Storm Helene in September 2024. The reopening includes a preview party for the ReRoot art exhibit, a fundraising gala, a theatre performance, and a Mother's Day plant sale, celebrating community support that helped rebuild the space.

Check Out JP First Fridays at Galleries, Studios, Art Spaces (and a Famous Bench) on May 1

Jamaica Plain First Fridays returns on May 1, 2025, from 5:30-8:30 pm, featuring six locations that showcase painting, photography, multi-media works, and a famous bench. Highlights include artist Matthew Hincman celebrating the 20th anniversary of his guerrilla-style bench on Jamaica Pond, plus exhibitions at Eliot School Annex, JP Clay, Green Street Photo Collective, Jameson & Thompson Picture Framers, and Boston Cyberarts Gallery. The event is free and walkable.

Art Life gallery and shop to open on Forest Road

Artist Michael Twery is set to open Art Life, a new hybrid gallery and retail space located at 2912 Old Forest Road in Lynchburg. The grand opening is scheduled for April 19, 2026, featuring a diverse collection that spans fine art, handmade crafts, and unique collectibles.

Notta Gallery Celebrates Hispanic Art and Culture with Fuego Festival and ‘Caballo de Fuego’

Notta Gallery in Lakeland, Florida, is launching a major retrospective titled 'Caballo de Fuego: Firehorse' dedicated to the 90-year-old Cuban master Gonzalo Borges. The exhibition features over 40 works spanning three decades, ranging from 1994 to a new piece completed in 2025. To mark the opening, the gallery is hosting the inaugural Fuego Festival, a street event celebrating Hispanic heritage through art, Latin cuisine, and live music.

Art exhibitions in Chiang Mai this April

Chiang Mai’s art scene is hosting a diverse range of exhibitions this April, anchored by a major retrospective of Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook at the MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum. The survey, curated by Kittima Chareeprasit and Roger Nelson, spans four decades of the artist's provocative video and installation works. Other highlights include Myrtille Tibayrenc’s installation of 108 Buddha paintings at the Museum of Something (MOS), Chatchai Notananda’s process-oriented solo show at Haan Studio, and Houda Bakkali’s digital compositions at Alliance Française.

In its 20th year, sculpture exhibition expands public art offerings in the county

The DownEast National Juried Sculpture Exhibition is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a significant expansion of its public art footprint across Pitt County, North Carolina. Artist Jessica Bradsher took first place for her steel sculpture "Capriole," which will be displayed outside Wahl-Coates Elementary School of the Arts. The exhibition features both an indoor showcase at the Emerge Gallery and Arts Center and an outdoor component that has grown to 20 locations, including new sites in Ayden, Farmville, Winterville, and north of the Tar River.

Nashwood Gallery to open in Bend during First Friday

Fine wood artist and luthier Will Nash is launching Nashwood Gallery in the Makers District of Bend, Oregon. The new space, located adjacent to Nash’s existing workshop, debuts during the city's First Friday event with a group exhibition featuring painters, jewelers, and potters. Many of the participating artists were previously associated with the Red Chair Gallery, which recently closed its doors.

Sheboygan Visual Artists will welcome community to new gallery March 7

Sheboygan Visual Artists (SVA) is set to open its new 1,200-square-foot Ebenreiter Gallery on March 7 at 534 S. Pier Drive. The new riverfront location features four studio spaces and will serve as a permanent hub for exhibitions, workshops, and artist groups after the organization was displaced from its long-term home at the EBCO Venture Center in 2024. The opening will be marked by a communal painting event featuring local dignitaries rather than a traditional ribbon-cutting.

Artists secure solo shows after Bootcamp success

Three emerging artists—Anisa Mosaiebiniya, Maya Davis-Stokes, and Crow Dillon-Parkin—have secured solo exhibitions at the artist-led space Stryx JQ following their completion of the 'Get Gallery Ready' Bootcamp. The program, delivered by Solihull College & University Centre and funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), was designed by art historian Ruth Millington to provide creatives with professional portfolio-building skills and storytelling techniques necessary for career advancement.

New Pop Art Gallery Opens in Downtown LA Fine Arts Building

Artist and designer Kii Arens has opened a new gallery called Fab L.A. in the historic Fine Arts Building in Downtown Los Angeles. The space, located on West 7th Street, features Arens' vibrant concert posters and artifacts from collaborations with musicians like Elton John and Van Halen, as well as works for Disney, Coachella, and the Hollywood Bowl. The opening doubled as a fundraiser for Oxfam, with donated items from Grammy winners including Billie Eilish and Lorde sold to benefit the anti-poverty charity. Comedian Jeff Ross attended and took over DJ duties at the event.

Students Worked on Exhibit of Gowns Worn at La Scala by Maria Callas

Six opera gowns worn by Maria Callas onstage at La Scala in Milan are on display at the Luther W. Brady Art Gallery in Washington, D.C., as part of the exhibition “Callas at La Scala.” The exhibition, located within the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, features costumes from roles including Anna Bolena and Ifigenia, alongside costume sketches by designers Nicola Benois and Piero Tosi and photographs of Callas. Students from the Corcoran School, guided by assistant professor Tanya Wetenhall, contributed by researching, writing labels, and installing the show, while ambassadors from Greece and Italy spoke at the opening.

A Firenze nasce la “nuova” istituzione GAMB che riunisce la Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze e i Musei del Bargello (con nuovo logo d’autore)

A new museum institution called GAMB (Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze e Musei del Bargello) has been established in Florence, unifying seven cultural sites under a single autonomous museum system. The sites include the Galleria dell’Accademia, Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Orsanmichele, Casa Martelli, Palazzo Davanzati, Cappelle Medicee, and the former Church of San Procolo. A new visual identity designed by Milanese studio Migliore+Servetto features a pictogram that maps the geographic distribution of the venues, along with a custom typeface and color palette unique to each location. The launch also coincides with the start of a public restoration project for the base of Benvenuto Cellini’s *Perseo* at the Bargello, open to visitors from May 12 to September 5, 2026.

State Secretary Dismissed in Dispute Over Funding

Staatssekretär im Streit um Fördermittel entlassen

Berlin's culture administration has dismissed State Secretary Oliver Friederici, who was responsible for distributing funds for projects combating antisemitism. The move follows a prolonged controversy over the allocation of millions of euros in grants, with allegations of unclear criteria and potential political influence from the CDU party.

10 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Next Museum Visit

This article offers ten practical tips for enhancing museum visits, emphasizing preparation, physical comfort, and mindful engagement. It advises planning around specific artworks using online databases, addressing bodily needs like food and hydration, and timing visits to avoid crowds. The piece also recommends slowing down to spend ten minutes per work, using techniques like slow looking to deepen appreciation.

Mythical Creatures at the Met Cloisters

The Metropolitan Museum of Art will present "Creatures of Myth and Imagination: Europe and the Americas" at the Met Cloisters from May 18 to October 18, 2026. The exhibition explores hybrid mythical beings in visual arts from 500 to 1500 CE, featuring over 50 objects including paintings, sculpture, ceramics, ivories, textiles, and metalwork drawn mainly from the Met collection. It marks the first time ancient American art will be shown at the Met Cloisters, with key loans from the Museo del Templo Mayor in Mexico City, including a never-before-seen-in-New-York sculpture of the Zapotec "bat lord."

2026 Annual Group Exhibition

Craighead Green Gallery in Dallas is presenting its 2026 Annual Group Exhibition, a summer survey featuring 60 artists from its program. The show includes a diverse range of works in painting, sculpture, photography, encaustic, ceramics, and fiber, highlighting both established and emerging artists. The exhibition opens with a reception on May 2nd and runs through June 20th at the gallery's Parkhouse Street location.