The Star Democrat reports that a new exhibition titled 'Driftwood' will open on Friday at Zebra Gallery. The show features works created from driftwood, highlighting the natural material's transformation into art.
In February 2025, the University of North Texas (UNT) in Denton abruptly canceled a solo exhibition by Brooklyn-based artist Victor “MARKA27” Quiñonez just nine days after its opening. The show, titled “Ni de Aqui, Ni de Allá,” was displayed at the College of Visual Art & Design (CVAD) Gallery and featured works from Quiñonez’s I.C.E. Scream series, including large-scale paleta sculptures embedded with handcuffs and firearms, and a cart bearing the phrase “U.S. Department of Stolen Land Security.” The exhibition was closed without notice, its street-facing windows covered with brown paper, and UNT terminated its loan agreement with Boston University Art Galleries, which had originally hosted the show in September 2025. Faculty and students responded with an open letter to UNT President Harrison Keller, condemning the censorship and demanding transparency.
Jackson Art Studio & Gallery in Jackson, New Hampshire, is hosting its 3rd annual Open Studio Art Sale from Friday, May 1, through Sunday, May 3. The sale features over 500 original works from award-winning New England artists, including oil paintings, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, woodblock prints, and mixed media. Items such as plein air studies, demonstration pieces, older artwork, and orphaned paintings are offered at significant discounts. Featured works include "Jackson Falls" by gallery owner Melanie Levitt and "Spring Haze" by nationally recognized artist George Van Hook.
The inaugural Salt Lake Art Show will debut May 14–17, 2026 at the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy, Utah. Founded by father-daughter team Kevin O’Keefe and Briana Dolan of Peaks Art Fairs and the Reno Tahoe International Art Show, the fair features nearly 200 exhibitors from 20 U.S. states and five countries, organized into six segments including Galleries, Studios & Collectives, Utah Treasures, Bespoke Furniture, Sculpture Walk, and First Nations, Indigenous Peoples. The show emphasizes accessibility, interdisciplinary programming, and community engagement, building on the Reno Tahoe model that has doubled in size twice and generated millions in art sales.
Melanie Mullan interviews three women redefining the art world: contemporary artist Petria Lenehan, who transitioned from fashion design to painting and now works from her studio in Wicklow, Ireland, promoting her work via Instagram; and Trish Lambe, CEO and Artistic Director of Photo Museum Ireland, who began her career at the museum in the 1990s and now leads its curatorial team. The article highlights Lenehan's intuitive painting process and Lambe's hands-on approach to exhibition production.
Gallery Silver Scapes will present 'Silent Stories', a solo exhibition by Sri Lankan artist Shanaka Kulathunga, at the CCA Building, Bikaner House in New Delhi from May 21 to 28, 2026. This marks the artist's first solo presentation in India, featuring acrylic and oil paintings that explore memory, everyday life, and rural Sri Lankan landscapes through figuration and narrative depth. Curated by Archana Khare-Ghose, the exhibition includes a publication launch and aims to foster cross-cultural dialogue between India and Sri Lanka.
The 73rd annual Greeley Park Art Show, hosted by the Nashua Area Artists Association, will take place August 29-30, 2026, at Greeley Park in Nashua, New Hampshire. The two-day outdoor juried show is open to artists 18 and older working in 2D and 3D media, with an early registration deadline of May 30. New features this year include options for one- or two-day participation, tent sharing, tent rentals, senior discounts, and expanded entertainment. Awards will be given in categories including 3D, acrylic, drawing, mixed media, oil, pastel, photography, watercolor, digital art, Best in Show, and Viewer’s Choice. The show is free and open to the public, drawing thousands of visitors from New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
WKP Kennedy Gallery in North Bay, Ontario, has launched an open call for its 2026 Curatorial Mentorship Program, which provides emerging artists with a solo exhibition, mentorship, and professional development support. The program previously supported interdisciplinary artist Gabriel George, who went on to win 'First in Show' at Toronto's Artist Project art fair after his first solo show at the gallery. Applications are open until June 29, with the recipient notified on July 7.
The 'Evanston Woods II' exhibition at Space 900 Gallery in Evanston, Illinois, showcased wood in various forms through works by six local designers and makers over three days. Organized by Chicago woodworker Paul Segedin, the show featured visual wood sculptures, practical furniture, and mixed-media pieces, including Madeline Usher's sculpture 'I Wish You Could Join Me Up Here' and a coffee table by architect Len Koroski made from a downed tree. The event aimed to connect the public with handmade furniture and woodcraft, highlighting the challenges of finding such work in Chicago.
The Rachel Hardouin Gallery in Paris is hosting three concurrent exhibitions from April 27 to May 2, 2026, featuring artists Éléonore Guiraud, Chloé Bertschy, and Alessandro Ferraro Manzotti. The shows explore themes of absence, nostalgia, and melancholy through mixed-media drawing, photography, and installation. Guiraud and Bertschy collaborate on "US 13-26," which uses art as a possible therapy for trauma tied to absence, while Manzotti presents "casa mia ha un sapore di mandorle," incorporating photography, installation, and a book signing. A lecture on solastalgia—climate-related trauma—will be held on April 29 with psychiatrist Joana Matos and filmmaker Camille Guichard.
The article highlights several arts events in Bellingham, Washington, including a community mural celebration led by Coast Salish artist Jason LaClair, an opening reception for Charles Villiers' solo exhibition "Untethered" at Cordata Gallery, an improvised musical called "You: The Musical" at The Upfront Theatre, and a Youth Chamber Music Competition hosted by the Harmony Chamber Music Festival. These events span visual art, theater, and classical music, with the mural project involving over 500 children and families in selecting the design.
Artist and educator Brad Chapman Bleau, a graduate of Massachusetts College of Art and Design and Goddard College, discusses his multifaceted career in a recent interview. Bleau works as an adjunct professor at Worcester State University and assistant director of the Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Art Gallery, while also curating the Worcester Center for Crafts Hot Night in the City exhibition. He creates mixed-media "junk paintings" using vintage objects and ephemera, sells art at Almanac Market in Paxton, and teaches a nature-based art class at Turn Back Time farm and forest education center.
The Polish Institute in Paris is participating in the 25th edition of Nuit Blanche on June 6-7, 2026, with a program featuring photographer and war correspondent Agata Grzybowska, who will give an artist talk titled "Everyone deserves their own story," followed by a guided tour of an exhibition by Anglo-Polish photojournalist Chris Niedenthal. The event runs from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., offering free access to the public as part of the citywide contemporary art festival.
The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod is now accepting applications for its annual grant program, which funds arts-related projects across Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket. Applications must be submitted by May 29, and the program is open to both individual artists and organizations, with a focus on innovative projects that increase access to the arts and enhance community engagement.
The Iron Horse Arts District in Holdrege, Nebraska, is launching a new gallery space called the Iron Horse Art Gallery inside the First State Bank of Holdrege, with a ribbon cutting and reception on June 11 featuring artist Christy Kosmicki. The district is also hosting the 2026 Artisan Expo on May 30, installing community-painted crosswalk murals in June, launching a new Iron Horse Pop-Up Concert Series on August 29, and conducting a search for its next Executive Director.
Carmichael artist Amanda Cadelago will exhibit her paintings in the Davis Art Studio Tour on May 16-17, 2026. The free, self-guided tour features 48 artists from the region opening their studios to the public, offering opportunities to view and purchase a range of artwork including sculpture, painting, printmaking, and photography. Cadelago, who rediscovered painting during the pandemic after a career in marketing and graphic design, will show her work alongside her mother, Cathie James-Robinson of Davis.
The Korea Craft and Design Foundation (KCDF) announced the launch of its "2026 KCDF Craft and Design Open Call Exhibition" on April 27, selecting 10 emerging artists, 6 mid-career artists, and 3 groups through a professional review. The program opens with a solo exhibition by mid-career artist Seo Junghwa, titled "Ambiguity," featuring metal furniture that blurs boundaries between natural and artificial objects, running from April 29 to May 10 at KCDF Gallery. Additional window gallery shows include Jeon Young Eun's "Showcase of Extinction" (April 15–May 10) and Lee Hyungchan's "Supporting [ ]s" (May 13–June 7). Since 2018, the Foundation has supported 154 exhibitions through this initiative.
Diriyah Art Futures (DAF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has opened applications for its third Emerging New Media Artists Programme, a one-year fully supported residency running from October 2026 to October 2027. Developed in collaboration with Le Fresnoy – Studio National des Arts Contemporains in France, the programme offers emerging artists aged 35 or under access to professional equipment, a production budget, mentorship by international digital artists, and multidisciplinary training in art, science, and technology. The deadline for applications is May 31, 2026, with a focus on applicants from the Middle East and North Africa.
Chilean artist Catalina Bauer presents her exhibition "El volcán, la ballena y otros mundos" at the Sala Capilla of Centro Cultural Montecarmelo in Santiago de Chile, 2026. The show features an immersive installation centered on a whale-like sculptural form that has beached inside the chapel, surrounded by cosmic and natural elements such as stars, ferns, and maranta plants, creating a dreamlike ecosystem that invites tactile and contemplative engagement.
The Fox Clark Gallery is hosting a new exhibition celebrating Bill Double and his 50-year artistic career. The show highlights Double's evolution as an artist over five decades, featuring a range of works that trace his creative journey and contributions to the visual arts.
The third annual Affordable Art Fair Austin will take place from May 14 to 17 at the Palmer Events Center, featuring 28 Texas galleries and a total of 55 galleries from locations as far as Sydney, Australia. Artworks are priced between $100 and $12,000, and the fair includes live painting, an interactive mural, family programming, and a raffle benefiting Dell Children’s Medical Center. Over 30% of participating galleries are Austin-based, with local names such as Art From the Streets, Davis Gallery & Framing, and Wally Workman among them.
Artist Janani Balasubramanian and astrophysicist Natalie Gosnell have co-authored a book titled "Art-Science Undisciplined: A Playbook for Transformative Collaboration," published by the University of California Press. The book reimagines collaboration between art and science as a shared, values-based practice rooted in curiosity, experimentation, and joy, rather than treating them as separate disciplines. It draws from the authors' own partnership and the experiences of other interdisciplinary creators, offering practical strategies for building relationships based on mutual respect, trust, and imagination, while addressing real-world constraints like institutional demands and limited resources.
The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) will hold its annual graduate thesis exhibition, RISD Grad Show 2026, from May 21 to 30 at the Rhode Island Convention Center. The show features work from students across 19 advanced degree programs, including Architecture, Ceramics, Graphic Design, Painting, and Sculpture. A digital version will be available online at risdgrad.show starting May 21, with a public opening reception on May 20.
A new art gallery called Dirkse/Prim has opened in Seattle's Madrona neighborhood, founded by married couple Michelle and Jeremy. Michelle works as an interior designer, while Jeremy is a painter of seascapes. Their debut exhibition features the work of another husband-and-wife duo, Mya Kerner and Zach Helenske, whose art is inspired by their 40-acre farm in Pennsylvania. The gallery aims to offer a warm, welcoming alternative to traditional white-box spaces, emphasizing community and approachability.
Paul Noth has been named the inaugural Cartoonist Laureate by the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA) in West Bend, making him Wisconsin's first holder of the title. The appointment, announced ahead of the October 13 publication of his debut cartoon collection *I Am Going to Eat You … and Other Awkward Truths*, comes with a three-year term, a cash award, a solo exhibition at MOWA, and recognition at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Noth, a *New Yorker* cartoonist with over 400 published cartoons, will serve as an ambassador for cartoon art, teaching workshops and promoting comics literacy.
A new art exhibition called "TWOgether" has opened at Spare Room Gallery in Barrie, Ontario, running for a month during Mental Health Awareness Month. Curated by Sean William Dawson and Katie Green, the show pairs 12 emerging artists with 10 established artists from Simcoe County to create collaborative works exploring mental health. The project includes a limited-edition art catalogue of 200 signed copies, with 100% of sales proceeds going to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). A public reception and catalogue launch is scheduled for May 22, and the exhibition also features a panel discussion series titled Start Making Sense.
Thomasville Center for the Arts has announced two signature early summer events. On June 1, the Center will host "A Seat at the Table," a quarterly community dinner featuring welcome drinks, a shared meal in the Main Gallery, and dessert in the Founder's Gallery, with catering by local favorite Woodstack BBQ. On June 4, the opening reception of "200 for 200: The Collective Exhibition" will take place, a juried show featuring 200 works by members of The Collective, honoring Thomas County's bicentennial and the Center's 40th anniversary. The exhibition runs through August 8, 2026, and is guest juried by Amber Moore, Curator at The Arts Center of Moultrie.
Maintenance Work: Practices of Care, an exhibition opening at The Good Rice Gallery, brings together artists working across installation, performance, video, and sculpture. Curated by Berenice Berlan and Sowon Kim, the show features works from 18 artists including Abeer Al-Tamimi, Flavia Carolina D’Alessandro, and Jieyi Chen, exploring maintenance not as a finished act but as an ongoing process shaped by care, repetition, and attention. The exhibition runs from 21st to 24th May 2026, with a private view on 21st May.
An art show in San Miguel de Allende has sparked public debate after featuring works that use color as a vehicle for social commentary. The exhibition, which includes pieces by local and national artists, explores themes of identity, inequality, and cultural heritage through bold chromatic choices, drawing both praise and criticism from viewers and cultural commentators.
Stephanie Pierre, a Haitian American community developer and placemaker, has opened Kafou, a Haitian art-inspired gallery in East Flatbush, Brooklyn. The gallery launched with an inaugural exhibition titled “Space as Place,” featuring seven artists—including Bianca Allen, Marie Medijne Antoine, Jordan Dubreuil, Wilfrid Ignace, Richard Louissant, Claire Saintil, and Zarita Zevallos—whose works explore themes of space, place, migration, and identity. The opening reception on April 16, 2026 drew strong public interest, prompting the gallery to extend the show through May 17. Kafou operates on a community-centered model, charging artists a reduced commission in exchange for their active involvement in managing and promoting their own work.