The 81st May Show fills Mansfield Art Center with Ohio creativity

The 81st May Show has opened at the Mansfield Art Center in Ohio, featuring over 100 works selected from nearly 600 submissions by guest juror Wendy Earle, curator of the Akron Art Museum. The exhibition, which runs through the end of May, showcases a diverse range of mediums from Ohio artists aged 16 to their late 80s. Awards include the Fred "Fritz" Culler Award for Best of Show to Bradley Wallace for "Venus 1K Views," the Mechanics Bank Award of Excellence to Barbara Morejon and Luanne Bole-Becker, and the Jeff McBride & Maura Teynor Emerging Artist Award to high school senior Katerina Prykodko.

You told us want you want to see in our arts coverage. We heard you

During the Milwaukee Art Museum’s annual Art in Bloom event, the Journal Sentinel gathered feedback from hundreds of attendees and digital survey respondents about what they want from arts coverage. The new arts and culture reporter, who wrote the article, outlines the key requests: more advance event coverage (especially free, family-friendly, and hands-on activities), support for smaller and underground art scenes, profiles of local artists including youth, coverage of overlooked art forms like graffiti and fabric arts, and diverse representation of Latino, women, LGBTQ+, and immigrant artists.

Corner Gallery on brink of new show

Corner Gallery in Ontario, Canada, is preparing for a new exhibition titled 'Brink,' opening May 23. Curator David Partridge chose the theme to reflect the current global uncertainty, interpreting 'brink' as either the edge of collapse or the dawn of something new. The show features artists who responded to the theme in varied ways, including one landscape painter who shifted to portraits. Partridge notes that private art galleries are struggling due to the cost-of-living crisis, with attendance declining post-COVID, and acknowledges that this year is critical for the gallery's future.

New gallery opens with nod to North Bay’s artistic past

Bloch Bauers Gallery of Fine Art has officially opened in downtown North Bay, Ontario, at 222 McIntyre St. W. The new space features regional, Indigenous, and Inuit art, along with works from private estates and consignments. The opening event included speeches, a ribbon cutting, and the unveiling of the "Lawrence Nickle Collection." A self-portrait by longtime local art teacher Ernest "Ernie" Taylor drew particular attention from attendees, including Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli and Mayor Peter Chirico, who praised the gallery's connection to the city's artistic heritage. Co-owner and curator Joey Nadeau noted the months of preparation behind the opening and emphasized the importance of showcasing Indigenous art, including works by painter Stephen Snake.

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.

Wexford artist selected to feature artwork at prestigious exhibition – ‘I wasn’t expecting it to get through’

Wexford artist Kate Kos has been selected to exhibit her painting 'Gunnera & Hemlock' at the 196th Royal Hibernian Academy (RHA) exhibition in Dublin, which runs from May 25 to August 9, 2025. The mixed media piece, created during the Doneraile ArtFest in North Cork, won first prize and the People's Choice award at that festival. Kos also recently relocated her studio and gallery from St. Michael's Road to McDermott Street in Gorey, celebrating both milestones with an opening event attended by locals.

Local Artists Bring Interactive Art And Creativity To Southern Maryland

The Color & Light Society of Southern Maryland, a nonprofit organization of over 30 professional visual artists, is bringing interactive art and creative programming to communities across Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary's counties. Operating as a "Gallery Without Walls," the society participates in exhibitions, public events, and workshops rather than a traditional gallery space. Upcoming events include Uncorked & Unveiled: Island Edition on May 21, 2026, hosted by the St. Mary's County Arts Council at Port of Leonardtown Winery, where member Cindy Martin-Brennan's artwork will be featured on a wine label, and Raining Cats & Dogs — A Community Art Show on June 5, 2026, where pottery artist Barbara Hak and others created animal figures for attendees to paint.

‘Portraits of Nations’ in Glendale

Armenian Arts Gallery in Glendale presented Seta Injeyan's exhibition 'Portraits of Nations: Songs in Color and Struggle' from May 7 to 10, with an opening reception on May 8. The show featured abstract paintings inspired by countries around the world, using flag colors and emotional resonance rather than literal political imagery. Gallery owner Stepan Partamian welcomed attendees, and Injeyan described her process as reaching for each nation's beauty, wounds, history, and spirit.

Photo gallery: LCCC 2026 Communication Arts Student exhibition opens

The Luzerne County Community College (LCCC) 2026 Communication Arts Student Art Exhibition opened May 8 at the Schulman Gallery. The annual show features original artwork by students enrolled in LCCC's Communication Arts Program, spanning a variety of media and creative approaches. The exhibition runs through June 5, with gallery hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. A photo shows attendee Jennifer Cerene browsing the display.

PFW breaks ground on new fine arts gallery

Purdue University Fort Wayne’s College of Visual and Performing Arts broke ground on the Dorothy and Paul Shaffer Fine Arts Gallery, a $1.3 million project. The ceremony took place at the university’s Visual and Performing Arts Building, with donor Dorothy Shaffer in attendance and remarks from campus leaders and faculty. The gallery is expected to open in November 2027.

Wild Skies Gallery exhibit opening party goes Saturday

Wild Skies Art Gallery, located in the Renaissance Edmonton Airport Hotel, is hosting an opening party for Brandi Hofer's new exhibition "Bloom, Everything is Temporary" on Saturday, May 9, from 2 to 4 p.m. The show runs until July 9 and features Hofer's mixed-media portraiture that combines recycled materials with organic forms, exploring themes of impermanence, transformation, and emotional memory. Hofer will attend the event, which includes an interactive art-making component and refreshments.

Sadequain Art Exhibition opens in Mississauga, celebrates Pakistan's cultural heritage

The Sadequain Art Exhibition opened on Monday in Mississauga, Canada, for a three-day event celebrating Pakistan’s cultural heritage. Organized by the Sadequain Foundation USA in collaboration with media partners, the exhibition was inaugurated by Muhammad Saleem Khan and features Islamic calligraphy, drawings, paintings, Urdu poetry, and wall carvings by the renowned artist Syed Sadequain Ahmed Naqvi. Attendees included Ontario MPP Sheref Sabawy and participants from the Aga Khan Academy Toronto.

Robbie Williams' songwriter to play at flower fair

Songwriter Guy Chambers, best known for his long creative partnership with Robbie Williams, will perform a piano recital at the Review of Sussex Arts (ROSA) Botanical Art Fair in Chichester, UK, from 1-4 May. The fair, held at West Dean Gardens, brings together over 100 artists and performers from across Europe, featuring a sculpture garden, contemporary floristry, and a botanical art exhibition curated by 18 members of The Society of Botanical Artists. Environmental organization Forests Without Frontiers will host an immersive "Listening to Nature" performance using headphones to amplify natural sounds.

President Neufeldt Hosts Fourth Student Art Exhibition

California State University, Northridge (CSUN) President Ellen Neufeldt hosted the fourth student art exhibition, titled "Forms of Growth," at her home last weekend. The exhibition featured works by four student artists—Amber Miller, Charlotte Dumbeck, Destiny Kirchner, and Rodas Alonzo—and was curated by alumna Sarah Bricke. A reception was held where the artists and curator spoke with attendees.

Young artists make a strong impression at juried art show

The 15th Annual High School Juried Art Show at the Mann Art Gallery in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, held its awards ceremony at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre, drawing students, families, teachers, and community leaders. Peter Smallboy, a Grade 12 student from Big River Public High School, won Best in Show for his charcoal work "Inner Sight," inspired by the beauty of the human eye. Other award winners included Alice Rosetti, Tatianna Trautmann, Cristyn Mitchell, Jorja Hanson-Lemaigre, Arrow Anderson, Kiara Levesque, and Abeedah Saka-Bello, with 67 artists exhibiting works in media ranging from painting and sculpture to photography and textiles.

Cosgrove Care spring art exhibition ends with special closing celebration

Cosgrove Care's Spring Art Exhibition concluded with a closing celebration on April 23 at Eastwood Park Theatre and Gallery in East Renfrewshire. The exhibition, which ran from April 2-23, featured works from 22 Cosgrove artists on the theme 'Awakening of the Landscape After a Cold, Harsh Winter'. Blair McDougall, MP for East Renfrewshire, attended and purchased an artwork for his parliamentary office. The event brought together artists, families, supporters, and board members, including Dr David and Mrs Carole Walton, and Kayleigh Quinn. New chief executive Carolann Lanigan praised the artists' passion and creativity, supported by Arts Tutor Susan Kennedy.

Schreyer Honors College installs art gallery featuring student art

Schreyer Honors College at Penn State has opened a new art gallery called “Illuminate” on the ground floor of Atherton Hall, featuring artwork from four Schreyer Scholars. The inaugural exhibition includes pieces by Olivia Knoechel, Jessica Matinchek, Paige Rishel, and Lisa Wang, selected by a panel of staff, students, and alumni artist Kaleigh Quinnan. The gallery opened on April 10 with a celebration attended by family, friends, and college staff.

You Can Help Create Art at This Free Providence Event

The Providence Chalk Art Festival will take place on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at the Providence Rink in Rhode Island. For one day, the rink's concrete surface becomes an open-air gallery where artists of all ages and skill levels create chalk artworks in designated squares. Visitors can watch professional chalk artists at work, walk among the colorful street art, and even participate by creating their own chalk designs in special areas set aside for kids and amateurs. The event also features live music, food vendors, and family-friendly activities, all free to attend.

Turin experiments with a robot guide in one of its historic palaces

Turin expérimente un robot-guide dans l’un de ses palais historiques

The Palazzo Madama in Turin, Italy, has introduced R1, a humanoid robot guide developed by the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Genoa, to accompany visitors through the historic palace. Since late March, R1 has been testing its ability to navigate the building's constrained interiors, interact with diverse audiences, and provide explanations about artworks, artists, and the palace's history. The robot uses infrared cameras, lasers, pressure sensors, and a LED matrix to move, avoid obstacles, and communicate, with over 80% of users reporting positive interactions during the six-week trial. Previous tests occurred in 2022 and May 2024.

'Mayday' call from gallery looking for new home

Trapezium Arts, a community arts group in Bradford, UK, has issued a 'mayday' call for help to find a new home after being told it must vacate its current space in the Kirkgate Shopping Centre by June 18. The centre is slated for demolition to make way for a 1,000-home City Village development. The group, founded eight years ago by a collective of local artists, has been operating out of empty retail units and will open its final exhibition at 54 Kirkgate on Saturday, titled 'May Day!', running from May 2 to 30.

Artist talk with photographer Ralph Maratta

Award-winning photographer Ralph Maratta will present a freewheeling artist talk at Northwind Art's Jeanette Best Gallery in Port Townsend, Washington, on December 13, 2025. The event coincides with his exhibition "Showcase 2025," where his photograph "Stay the Night, You Can Make Your Way Home Tomorrow" is on view. Maratta will discuss art and the creative process, and attendees can ask him about his unusual titles.

Tripura artist's solo exhibition in Mumbai inaugurated by Guv Jishnu Dev Varma

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.

Nuit Blanche 2026: discover the exhibitions and installations from art galleries and cultural centers!

Nuit Blanche 2026 returns to Paris on Saturday, June 6, transforming the city into an open-air museum for a night of contemporary art. The event invites visitors to explore exhibitions and installations hosted by Parisian art galleries and cultural centers, including venues like Fluctuart and Galerie Saint-Séverin. Attendees can meet artists, participate in creative workshops, and experience art in public spaces throughout the night.

Geometry of the Inner World: Art as Therapy in Budapest

On 22 April, Art Corner by Clark and Leo opened its ninth exhibition, 'Art Is Therapy', featuring works by Hungarian artist Judit Horváth Lóczi at the Hotel Clark Budapest and Leo Bistro. The show includes paintings and small-scale sculptures that explore personal experience, emotional memory, and female identity through geometric structures and vivid colors. The exhibition builds on material first presented in Berlin in 2020, now expanded with new works, and was inaugurated with a private vernissage attended by prominent figures from the Hungarian art scene, accompanied by a performance from Zoltán Grecsó and cellist Endre Kertész, plus a specially curated gastronomic program.

NYA Collective: Bonnie Keren He Opens Solo Exhibition INNA BEAUTI at Flushing Town Hall Gallery

Bonnie Keren He, a 17-year-old artist born in New York and raised between Suzhou, China, and New York, opened her solo exhibition "INNA BEAUTI" at Flushing Town Hall Gallery in New York City on April 19, 2026. The exhibition, curated by Dr. Hao Qingsong, Cindy Jiang, and Grace Jiang, features works across media including colored pencil, acrylic, oil painting, embroidery, and performance art, exploring themes of cultural identity, memory, and inner reflection. Notable attendees included political figures Jimmy Meng and Ron Kim, and the opening was hosted by Ge Chen of Global Cloud Media.

Golden Lions of the Biennale voted by the public? 7 reasons why they cannot work

Leoni d’Oro della Biennale votati dal pubblico? 7 motivi per cui non possono funzionare

On April 30, 2026, the International Jury of the Venice Art Biennale resigned en masse. In response, the Biennale Foundation hastily announced a new initiative called the "Visitor Lions" (Leoni dei Visitatori), where paying visitors would vote to award the Golden Lions for best artist and best national participation. The voting system would rely on ticket tracking to verify attendance at the main venues, the Giardini and the Arsenale. However, just a week before the public opening, no further details had been released, raising numerous practical concerns about the mechanism's feasibility.

黑龙江省美协召开2026年度工作会议暨七届九次主席团（扩大）会议

The Heilongjiang Provincial Artists Association held its 2026 annual work meeting and the 7th 9th Presidium (Expanded) Meeting on April 29, 2026, via a hybrid online-offline format. Over 100 participants attended, including presidium members, council members, heads of municipal and industry artists associations, and committee members. The meeting conveyed directives from the China Artists Association's study and implementation of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, as well as the provincial文联's work arrangements. It summarized 2025 work and outlined key tasks for 2026, emphasizing ideological guidance through Xi Jinping's cultural thought, people-centered creative direction focusing on local themes like black soil culture and borderland heritage, and strengthening of traditional art forms such as Heilongjiang printmaking and watercolor. The meeting also approved new council member additions, first-batch 2026 membership applications, and committee adjustments.

Albany Center Gallery seeks artists, vendors for Summer Art Fest

Albany Center Gallery is seeking artists and vendors for its third annual Summer Art Fest, a free outdoor art festival taking place July 18 at Quackenbush Square and Clinton Market Collective in downtown Albany. The event features a curated pop-up gallery, a new vendor market, a kids' art corner, interactive activities, and live artmaking. Submissions are free, with a deadline of June 10, and guidelines are available on the gallery's website. Last year's festival drew over 1,000 attendees from the Capital Region.

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.

TINY ART show is back at ArtWorks Gallery

ArtWorks Gallery in Chocorua, New Hampshire, is presenting TINY ART again this May, featuring works created by students from K.A. Brett School. The opening reception will be held on Friday from 5-7 p.m. at the gallery, located at 132 White Mountain Highway (Route 16), with refreshments, games, and giveaways. Attendees can meet the young artists and view their interpretations alongside works by gallery artist members.