Italy's Soft Power in China Thanks to Two Major Exhibitions on Pompeii and Palladio

Il soft power dell’Italia in Cina grazie a due grandi mostre su Pompei e Palladio

The National Museum of China in Beijing is currently hosting two major exhibitions celebrating Italian cultural heritage: "Pompeii: An Eternal Discovery" and "Geometry, Harmony and Life: The Architecture of Andrea Palladio from Antiquity to Classicism." These exhibitions, marking the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and China, were inaugurated by Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli. The Pompeii showcase traces 250 years of archaeological history using artifacts and multimedia, while the Palladio exhibition explores the Renaissance master’s influence on Western architecture and creates a cross-cultural dialogue with traditional Chinese building techniques.

Detroit’s Cass Café reopens for art exhibit honoring Detroit artists Jim and Lucille Nawara

Detroit's Cass Café, a beloved cultural hub that closed in 2022 after nearly 30 years, is temporarily reopening for a summer art exhibition honoring artists Jim and Lucille Nawara. The show, titled "Retrospective: A Life in Art," opens June 21 at the original location on Cass Avenue, presented by the gallery detroit contemporary. The Nawaras, central figures in Detroit's creative community for over 50 years, will attend the opening; their work spans paintings, prints, and drawings rooted in nature and memory, and has been exhibited at major institutions like the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Art-in the-Park in Uvongo draws crowd

The South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal is experiencing a surge in artistic activity this holiday season, anchored by the popular monthly Art-in-the-Park event in Uvongo. Local art club Art by the Sea, which has fostered South African talent for over 50 years, is holding a season-long exhibition at the Southcoast Mall, while the Margate Art Museum and Sands Gallery are hosting concurrent showcases of regional painting and sculpture.

Artspace Gallery Announces a Juried Art Exhibition: 250 Years of Expression: Freedom, Dissent and the American Voice

Artspace Gallery in Richmond, Virginia, has announced a juried art exhibition titled "250 Years of Expression: Freedom, Dissent and the American Voice," running from May 22 to July 18, 2026. The show features over 30 artworks in video, photography, sculpture, and mixed media, selected by juror Diego Sanchez, an artist and educator. An opening reception and juror talk will take place on May 22, with a Fourth Friday reception on June 26. Concurrently, the gallery will present "Of, By, For," an exhibition of works from Artspace artists' studios in the Elisabeth Flynn Chapman Gallery.

Regional art goes on show

The Nelson Suter Art Society's summer exhibition has opened at the McKee Gallery within the Suter Art Gallery in Nelson, New Zealand. The show, titled "Love it, Buy it, Take it," features small works by the society's 150 members, including paintings, pottery, woodwork, gourds, and glass. Newest member Vanessa Griffin exhibited alongside artists with up to 50 years of membership. The exhibition runs until February 1.

A look at '50 Years of PUNK,' opening tonight at the Ki Smith Gallery

A new exhibition titled '50 Years of PUNK' opens tonight at the Ki Smith Gallery on the Lower East Side, celebrating the legacy of PUNK Magazine. The show features original work from artists, photographers, and contributors associated with the magazine, which helped launch bands like the Ramones and Blondie. Co-founder John Holmstrom and gallery owner Ki Smith organized the exhibit, which includes upcoming events such as a clothing sale, a script reading about the Sex Pistols' 1978 U.S. tour, and a discussion on the making of the first issue.

Celebrating NAIDOC Week 2025: honouring strength, vision and legacy

The City of Perth (Boorloo) is celebrating NAIDOC Week 2025 from 6 to 13 July, marking 50 years of honoring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices, culture, and resilience. The 2025 theme, 'The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy,' is highlighted through a NAIDOC Week Exhibition at Council House Foyer (7 July–15 August), featuring works from emerging and established artists, supported by Mossenson Galleries and the Janet Holmes à Court Collection. Events include an Artist in Conversation with Tyrown Waigana on 9 July, the National NAIDOC Awards Ceremony on 5 July, and cultural performances by Wadumbah. Other city-wide events include the Goologoolup NAIDOC Screenings and the Wangening Bardip – Healing Stories Through First Nations Art exhibition.

grolier club

The Grolier Club, a private members-only society for bibliophiles on New York's Upper East Side, has opened a free public exhibition titled "Paper Jane: 250 Years of Austen," tracing Jane Austen's legacy through rare books, letters, and archival material. Organized over three years by three club members—Mary Crawford, Janine Barchas, and Sandra Clark—the show draws entirely from their personal collections, charting Austen's rise from relative anonymity to literary canonization.

viking gold metal detectorist declared treasure

Ronald Clucas, a metal detectorist with 50 years of experience on the Isle of Man, discovered an intricately plaited gold fragment identified as a Viking arm-ring from roughly 1,000 years ago. The artifact, found folded and measuring 1.5 inches, was declared treasure by the Isle of Man Deputy Coroner of Inquests on May 29 and is now displayed at the Manx Museum's Viking gallery. Archaeologist Allison Fox noted cut points indicating the arm-ring was portioned for use as currency, reflecting the Viking dual economy of coins and bullion.

Sandro Miller’s Golden Tribute

Photographer Sandro Miller's exhibition "Steppenwolf 50: Through the Eye of Sandro Miller" is on view at the Art Center Highland Park through June 13. The show features a series of portraits and composites created in 2012 that celebrate 50 years of Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Works include large-scale composites like "Orgasmic Theatre" with 25 actors, a tribute to the late John Mahoney, and a collaboration with the late artist Tony Fitzpatrick. The exhibition also presents a grid of 45 black-and-white photographs capturing raw emotional moments from rehearsals and performances, along with diptychs and individual framed portraits of Steppenwolf actors.

Calling all ‘deadly’ creatives: Share your art this NAIDOC

Gunnedah Shire Council is calling for submissions for its annual NAIDOC Week Art Exhibition, which will celebrate 50 years of the 'Deadly' theme. Artists, hobbyists, schools, and community members are invited to submit works in any medium, including weaving, wood etching, metal work, dot painting, and decorated didgeridoos. A free workshop for First Nations women, led by emerging artist Hollie Crawford, will be held on 9 May to help participants create pieces for the exhibition. Entries are due from 22 to 28 June at the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery, with the exhibition running from 3 July to 7 August.

Blue Sky Gallery Celebrates 50 Years of Photography in Portland

Blue Sky Gallery, a cornerstone of Portland’s photography scene, is celebrating its 50th anniversary throughout 2025. Founded in 1975 by five artists who pooled their unemployment checks to open a tiny storefront, the non-profit collective has since showcased over 1,000 photographers and expanded into a major space in the city's Pearl District. The milestone year includes a series of decade-focused exhibitions and a rooftop gala to honor its history as one of the oldest artist-run photography galleries in the United States.

Gig’s Up: Punk Artists Meet the Public

Milwaukee's Real Tinsel Gallery is hosting "Gig's Up: 50 Years of Punk Poster Art," a show collecting five decades of punk poster art from the local music scene. Curated by Dave Luhrssen, Clancy Carroll, Paul Host, and Tim Noble, the exhibition draws from Carroll's personal collection and contributions from other collectors and artists, featuring works by Eric Von Munz and others. The show includes a hardcover catalog and runs through December, with panel discussions and performances tied to it.

From France to the U.S., an Exhibition on the Luxury Ties That Bind

Dozens of French luxury houses and institutions will converge on Manhattan for the cross-cultural exhibition “Hidden Treasures: 250 Years of Franco-American Luxury Stories.” The show explores the historical and ongoing ties between French luxury craftsmanship and American culture, spanning 250 years of exchange.

Archway Gallery Marks 50 Years of Artist-Led Vision

Archway Gallery, the longest-running artist-owned cooperative in Texas, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a series of commemorative exhibitions. The festivities began with 'Homecoming' at the Jung Center—the site of the gallery's first show in 1976—and continue with 'Fifty Forward' at their main Houston space, featuring works and self-portraits by all 34 current members alongside contributions from founding artists.

New rules on importing cultural artefacts create headaches at Tefaf Maastricht

The implementation of new EU regulations on the import of cultural goods over 250 years old is causing significant disruption at TEFAF Maastricht. Dealers and collectors are facing administrative hurdles, including difficulties obtaining mandatory EORI numbers and inconsistent enforcement by customs officials. These rules, which require extensive documentation for items originating outside the EU, have led to seized shipments and a general crisis of confidence among international exhibitors.

Provincetown art exhibit celebrates 50 years of coastal studies

A new art exhibition titled "Persistent Curiosity: Charting the Rippled Fabric of the Sea" has opened at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Center for Coastal Studies. The show runs from May 15 through July 19, with an opening reception on May 22.

Keith Jacobshagen retrospective opens May 16 at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art

The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art in St. Joseph, Missouri, will host a retrospective exhibition titled "The Shape of the Prairie" for American landscape painter Keith Jacobshagen, opening May 16 and running through August 16. The show spans 50 years of Jacobshagen's career, featuring rarely exhibited sketchbook pages alongside finished oil and watercolor paintings that capture the skies and plains of his Nebraska home.

Otterbein Granville honors artist Jane Heller with new exhibit

The Jane Heller Gallery at Otterbein SeniorLife Granville in Ohio will open a new exhibit titled "Connecting with Jane" on May 1, 2026. The exhibition honors the late founding resident Jane Heller, showcasing her abstract art that has been displayed at the Columbus Museum of Art and featured in regional competitions over the past 50 years. The opening reception runs from 5 to 6 p.m., and the exhibit will be on view for two months.

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Grundy Art Gallery in Blackpool is celebrating its 115th birthday in 2026 with a winter exhibitions programme that includes a giant birthday cake drawing installation in the foyer, the largest-ever Grundy Open Exhibition for local artists, newly commissioned paintings by locally based artist Jayne Simpson, and a collection spotlight exhibition themed around 1926 featuring loans from Showtown History Centre. The gallery invites the public to a special launch on January 24, 2026, and the exhibitions run through March 7.

Window to the past: Worcester history on show in Denholm installation

A new public art installation titled “Uniquely Worcester: Celebrating Worcester’s Past & Present” has opened in the windows of the Denholm Building in Worcester, Massachusetts. The exhibition features work from 10 local artists across eight front windows, highlighting the city’s history through themes such as sports, the arts, and notable figures like rocket pioneer Robert Goddard, Valentine card popularizer Esther Howland, and smiley face creator Harvey Ball. One window showcases Abu Mwenye’s vibrant paintings inspired by his Kenyan and Tanzanian heritage, while another displays musical instruments spanning 250 years, including a rope drum from the American Revolution and a guitar made at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The installation runs throughout 2026 and was organized by project manager Melissa Mattson.

Regional photographers celebrate 250 years of America with local touch

The Cumberland Valley Photographers Exhibition, now in its 93rd year at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, has adopted a theme centered on the United States' 250th anniversary. The show features submissions from artists across Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C., exploring the nation's history through photography. Works range from historic landmarks and portraiture to mixed-media and digitally manipulated images, blending past and present.

Arts Council weaves 50 years of connection through new exhibit

The Worcester County Arts Council in Berlin, Maryland, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a juried art competition and exhibition titled “Threads of Connections.” The show invites artists to submit original works exploring relationships across communities, cultures, and shared experiences, with submissions accepted in all media. Local artist and muralist Olga Deshields will serve as juror, selecting pieces for the exhibition running May 1 through June 28 at the Arts Council’s Berlin gallery. Artwork drop-off is scheduled for April 28-30, with an opening reception on May 8.

Sullivan Area Arts Guild celebrates a big milestone

The Sullivan Area Art Guild is celebrating its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of supporting local creativity in Sullivan, Indiana. Founded in April 1976, the organization maintains a gallery on the town square where it hosts monthly meetings and year-round community projects. To commemorate the milestone, the guild is currently featuring a themed exhibition titled "Past, Present and Future."

Southampton Arts Center’s Museum of Democracy Exhibition Receives Grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation

The Southampton Arts Center (SAC) has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation to support its upcoming exhibition, "The Story of America: 1776-2026, A Celebration of Freedom and Independence." Organized in collaboration with the Museum of Democracy, the show will feature over 250 years of American presidential campaign history through artifacts from the Wright Family Collection. Notable items on display will include the original flag from George Washington’s inauguration and political memorabilia ranging from 19th-century torches to 1960s paper campaign dresses.

Peer Bode’s video art exhibition at VSW recalls the 1970s and ‘80s

Artist Peer Bode’s experimental video works from the 1970s and 1980s are currently on display at the Visual Studies Workshop (VSW) in the exhibition "Signal into Memory." The show features twelve screens and two digital prints, showcasing Bode’s "Process Tapes" created during his time at the Experimental Television Center (ETC). The works utilize analog technology, such as Portapak cameras and cathode ray tube televisions, to explore the nature of video signals, temporal dissonance, and the physical process of image-making.

Solo art exhibition, Rudy Ramirez: A retrospective, 1969-present

The San Bernardino County Museum (SBCM) presents "Rudy C. Ramirez: A Retrospective, 1969–The Present," the first comprehensive survey of local Latino artist Rudy C. Ramirez, a Vietnam veteran. Running from January 17 to April 12, 2026, the exhibition features over 70 works spanning more than 50 years, showcasing his diverse styles and media, including influences from his time as a sign painter for the U.S. Air Force and his leadership in the Inland Empire Latino Art Association. The show was curated with his daughter Annette Ramirez, granddaughter Carina Lizarde, and museum educator Erica Watkins.

Weisman Explores What Makes a City in New Exhibition

The Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis has opened a new exhibition titled "Imagining Future Cities: Global and Minnesota Visions, Past and Present," running through September 14. Curated by Dingliang Yang, an urban designer and McKnight Land-Grant Professor at the University of Minnesota, the show features architectural drawings, diagrams, and models that examine the history and meaning of cities over the past 150 years. Yang collaborated with faculty members Thomas Fisher and Jennifer Yoos, research fellow Michael Keller, and 17 student research assistants over three years to create the exhibition, which is organized into three galleries exploring theoretical, experimental, and perceptual approaches to urban design.

PHOTOS: 50 years of Surrey Art Gallery, and where it might move

Surrey Art Gallery (SAG) is celebrating its 50th anniversary this summer, having opened in 1975 at Bear Creek Park in Surrey, British Columbia. The gallery, which offers free admission and parking, is showcasing a 50th-anniversary group exhibition titled "10 and 10: Story of Stories" through August 9, pairing works from its first decade of collecting (1975–1985) with those from the last decade (2014–2024). Director Alison Rajah notes that the gallery holds nearly 2,000 works in trust, including 70 cultural properties recognized as national treasures. However, the gallery has run out of storage space, prompting plans to move to a new Interactive Art Museum (IAM) in Surrey City Centre, a project first proposed in 2017. Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke confirmed on June 11 that funding has been allocated and construction could begin within the next year.

'Go to war, do your art:' New Marine Corps museum gallery features combat artists' paintings

The National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia, will open a temporary exhibition titled “United States Marine Corps: 250 Years of Dedication, Determination and Courage” on June 27, 2025. Curated by Joan Thomas, the show features 91 original works—including oil and acrylic paintings, prints, pastels, mixed media works, and sculptures—drawn from a collection of over 3,000 pieces. The artworks span from the Revolutionary War to the present, with many created by active-duty or former Marine combat artists, such as Staff Sgt. Kristopher Battles and former Marine Joseph Winslow Jr., who depict scenes of combat, camaraderie, and service.