Skin deep: Museum exhibit showcases body art

The Chippewa Valley Museum in Eau Claire is concluding its run of “Tattoo: Identity Through Ink,” a traveling exhibition exploring the historical and cultural evolution of body art. To bring the history to life, the museum hosted live tattooing sessions where local artists, including Ed Erdmann of Wintership Tattoo, demonstrated their craft. In a notable moment of institutional engagement, the museum’s executive director, Carrie Ronnander, received her first-ever tattoo during the event to highlight the personal significance of the medium.

Barrick Museum of Art Launches Three Major Exhibitions

The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art has launched its 2026 spring season with three major exhibitions and a new program of free field trips for students. The exhibitions, which run from February 20 to June 13, include the traveling group show 'Actions for the Earth: Art, Care & Ecology,' a solo exhibition by Guatemalan American artist Jackie Amézquita titled 'El camino se traza al andar,' and a solo exhibition by Amy Elkins called 'Mourning Songs of Salt and Silt.' An installation by Ash Ferlito and Patrick Costello, 'Moth Ball,' is also on view. The museum is hosting a free opening reception and a series of public lectures and events for Black History Month.

Nordic Echoes: Tradition in Contemporary Art

“Nordic Echoes: Tradition in Contemporary Art” is a traveling exhibition opening October 4, 2025, at the South Dakota Art Museum and running through January 3, 2026. Curated by Sally Yerkovich, it features 55 works by 24 artists from the Upper Midwest, including Bill Amundson, Sonja Peterson, and Tara Austin. The show examines how Nordic folk arts—such as weaving, carving, and blacksmithing—inspire contemporary painting, textiles, and metalwork, presenting tradition as a living, evolving practice.

‘People power will overcome’: photographer in Gaza aid flotilla calls on arts workers to show solidarity

Dozens of arts and media professionals have set sail for Gaza aboard a flotilla called the Thousand Madleens, led by Bangladeshi photographer and curator Shahidul Alam. The group departed Otranto, Italy on 1 October and is currently in international waters, expecting to be apprehended by Israeli forces. Alam is traveling on the Conscience, the largest private vessel attempting to break the siege since October 2023, carrying 92 civilians from 26 countries, mostly medics and arts workers. The mission aims to challenge the legality of the siege and demonstrate solidarity with Palestinian journalists and medics, who Alam says have been specifically targeted by Israel.

The Woodlands Art Gallery & Studios hosts Retirement Exhibition with owner and artist Emily P. Chiles

The Woodlands Art Gallery & Studios in Texas hosted the opening reception for “Dreaming through the Woods,” a retirement exhibition featuring artist and gallery owner Emily P. Chiles. The show, held on May 15, 2025, marks one of Chiles's final exhibitions as she steps away from running the gallery to focus on her own artwork. The gallery will remain open by appointment until August 15, with a final group show scheduled for June 21 featuring artist Adam Hesse, alongside a pop-up exhibition by Julia Kravets.

Merchant at the Fair, but with Art: The Art Edition of the Popular Board Game is Born in Milan

Mercante in Fiera però con l’arte. A Milano nasce l’Art Edition del popolare gioco di società

The creative agency Plus Srl and the curatorial collective The Art Society have launched "Mercante in Fiera – Art Edition," a contemporary art reimagining of the classic Italian card game. Debuting at the forthcoming Luceferma space in Milan, the project replaces traditional game cards with artistic imagery and visual references to spark informal dialogue among participants. The initiative functions as a social device, stripping away academic barriers to engage players in spontaneous interpretation and community building.

In China, the Margiela Show is Staged Inside a Series of Containers

In Cina la sfilata di Margiela è allestita dentro una serie di container

Maison Margiela has launched a major traveling exhibition in China titled "Artisanal: Our Creative Laboratory," debuting in Shanghai before moving to Chengdu. Designed by OMA/AMO, the open-air showcase features over forty couture creations from the Artisanal line dating back to 1989, uniquely displayed within weathered shipping containers. The project aims to demystify the fashion house's secretive creative process, highlighting the techniques of deconstruction and manipulation that define the brand's aesthetic.

A major traveling event arrives in Verona where books are bought by the kilo: an interview

A Verona arriva un grande evento itinerante dove i libri si acquistano un tot al chilo: intervista

The traveling literary event Librokilo is set to arrive in Verona on April 11–12, 2026, hosted at the independent cultural space Habitat 83. This initiative allows attendees to purchase second-hand and rare books at a fixed price of 10€ per kilogram, aiming to rescue titles that would otherwise be sent to landfills. Since its inception in 2022, the project has recirculated over 120,000 books across Italy, addressing the systemic issue of overproduction in the publishing industry.

‘A masterclass in authentic, emotionally resonant storytelling’: The best museum exhibition in Britain to visit in 2026

Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings in Worcestershire, UK, won the Permanent Exhibition of the Year category at the 2026 Museums + Heritage Awards for its exhibition 'Revealing the Hidden Stories of the Showmen Community'. The show centers on a 1910 showman's grand living wagon owned by Tom Clarke, and includes 38 historic fairground signs, swing boats, an oral history section with 25 showmen, and hand-painted signage by commercial fairground artist Amy Goodwin. The exhibition was developed by collections manager Steven Hearn, who discovered the wagon in 2022 and collaborated with the National Fairground and Circus Archive and the Fairground Heritage Trust.

Nelson-Aktins 1975 Chinese art exhibit still resonates in Kansas City today | Opinion

In spring 1975, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City hosted the second American stop of "The Exhibition of Archaeological Finds of the People's Republic of China," a landmark traveling show of ancient Chinese artifacts including jade, silk, and bronze sculptures. The author, then a University of Missouri-Kansas City economics student, worked behind the scenes at the museum, describing an unusual interview conducted while gardening and his task of touch-painting gallery walls with a dry brush to cover visitor smudges before opening.

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.

Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum Hosts Exhibition Marking Anniversary of Florida-Wakayama Sister State Agreement

The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum at Florida International University is hosting the exhibition “Harmony of Nature and Art” to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the sister-state agreement between Florida and Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. The traveling exhibition, which previously appeared at the Florida Capitol’s 22nd Floor Art Gallery and the Atlantic Center for the Arts, features traditional Noh masks by master carver Hakuzan Kubo, netsuke miniature sculptures from the Frost Art Museum collection, and paintings by the Florida Highwaymen. It is organized by the Florida Department of State Division of Arts and Culture with loans from multiple institutions and private collectors.

Arts on the Move exhibit celebrates student artists with disabilities at Bowers Museum

The Bowers Museum in Santa Ana is hosting the 'Arts on the Move' traveling exhibit through July 18, showcasing artwork by student artists with disabilities from across Orange County. The free display, open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the museum’s Lee Court, features pieces originally shown at the 49th annual Orange County Arts and Disability Festival, including works from local school districts and the Orange County Department of Education’s Connections program. A special reception was held on July 13 to celebrate the artists, their families, and teachers.

New videos of African cultural sites add contemporary context to Rockefeller Wing’s historical artefacts at the Met

The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s newly reopened Michael C. Rockefeller Wing features a series of short documentaries by Ethiopian American filmmaker Sosena Solomon, commissioned to add contemporary context to the wing’s historical artifacts from Africa, Oceania, and the ancient Americas. Solomon spent two years traveling to 12 sites across sub-Saharan Africa, creating videos that highlight royal burial grounds in Uganda, ancient rock paintings in Botswana, bronze casters in Benin City, and the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela and Tigray in Ethiopia. Three of the videos are displayed on screens in the wing, while others are accessible via QR codes and online.

Speed Art Museum exhibit 'Brilliant Exiles' empowers a new generation

The Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, is hosting the traveling exhibition 'Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900-1939,' on loan from the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. The show highlights the trailblazing work of American women artists, writers, and designers who moved to Paris at the turn of the 20th century, exploring their contributions across disciplines like art, fashion, and literature. The museum has added interactive QR codes with curated playlists, and the exhibition runs through June 22, 2025.

The Fox Clark Gallery celebrates Bill Double and his 50-year artistic career in new exhibition

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 Tender Work of Preserving Renee Good’s Memorial

A traveling photojournalist, Ryan Vizzions, has halted his cross-country project to become the archivist and caretaker of a sprawling memorial for Renee Good, a poet and mother killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. Vizzions is photographing, digitizing, and preserving hundreds of objects left at the site, storing fragile items in a secret location, and protecting the memorial from vandalism and the elements.

Cannabis Art Exhibition Comes to Fort Collins

A traveling art exhibition called Hear/Say, part of the Tea on THC campaign, will open May 27 at the Center for Creativity in Fort Collins, Colorado, and run through May 31. The exhibition combines scientific research with visual art—including painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, and installation—to spark public conversations about the health impacts of high-potency cannabis. It is organized by the Colorado School of Public Health and Initium Health following Colorado House Bill 1317, which mandated research and public outreach on high-potency THC products. A free opening reception is scheduled for May 29, with additional events planned in Colorado Springs in June.

Charlotte professor brings voice to African artists, reshaping the mold of contemporary art

Lisa Homann, an Associate Art & Art History Professor at UNC Charlotte, will participate in the 2024 Venice Biennale (May 9–Nov. 22) alongside West African Masquerade artist David Sanou. Homann co-curated the traveling exhibition "New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations," which opened in New Orleans and will conclude at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art. She was invited by Kevin Dumouchelle, the museum's main curator, to join the African Art in Venice Forum, a critical dialogue aimed at giving voice to contemporary African artists often excluded from mainstream contemporary art narratives. Homann's work with the Sanou family spans nearly two decades, beginning with David's father, Andre Sanou, in 2008.

‘Prolific V: The Lost Gallery’ Brings Immersive Art, Music, and Tech to St. Thomas

On Saturday, the Virgin Islands Council on the Arts on St. Thomas will host “Prolific V: The Lost Gallery,” an immersive exhibition blending visual art, music, and interactive technology presented by Eliana B. Artistry. Curated by St. Croix native and Air Force veteran Eliana L. Schuster-Brown, the event features augmented reality elements, an original animation co-produced with Kirk Rojas, and soundscapes by AJ Ventura. Artists include Lucien Downes, Elwin Joseph, Indira Lovely, Chunikwa George, Amy Gibbs, and Kanda Burges. The exhibition runs for two weeks afterward, with all artwork for sale and tickets available on Eventbrite.

Springfield couple sharing Route 66 artwork for centennial kickoff

Photographers Randy Bacon and Heidi Herrman-Bacon have launched their first collaborative exhibition, "Two Voices, One Road," at the C-Art Gallery in Springfield. The show features 37 black-and-white photographs and 18 mixed-media works that document the architecture and human history of Route 66. While Randy Bacon focuses on the soulful portraiture of desolate structures and signs, Heidi Herrman-Bacon utilizes vintage handkerchiefs and photography to highlight the often-overlooked contributions of women who maintained the diners and motels along the historic highway.

Slater Museum announces spring programs and exhibitions

The Slater Memorial Museum at Norwich Free Academy has unveiled its spring lineup, featuring a diverse range of historical and contemporary programming. Highlights include a lecture by historian Tricia Staley on Norwich’s revolutionary history to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary, a youth-oriented storytime event in partnership with Otis Library, and the final days of a traveling exhibition by French artist Laurence Saunois.

Art, Beats + Lyrics Makes Anticipated Return to Charlotte

The traveling exhibition Art, Beats + Lyrics (AB+L) is returning to Charlotte for the first time in seven years, scheduled for March 28 at Blume Studios. Founded in Atlanta over two decades ago, the event merges visual art with hip-hop culture, featuring a curated selection of contemporary works alongside live musical performances and immersive installations. This year’s stop features headliner Premo Rice and is curated by Dwayne “Dubelyoo” Wright, marking a significant homecoming for a tour that considers Charlotte one of its foundational markets.

Mulberry Art Studios founder to celebrate milestone birthday with wide-ranging exhibit

Mulberry Art Studios founder is marking a milestone birthday with a wide-ranging exhibition that showcases a diverse collection of works. The exhibit highlights the founder's artistic journey and contributions to the local art community over the years.

Traveling Through SFO Airport? Check Out the Art Museum

The SFO Museum at San Francisco International Airport offers travelers a unique cultural experience with multiple art exhibits throughout its terminals, including a permanent installation dedicated to Harvey Milk in Terminal 1, the AIDS Memorial Quilt in the International Terminal, and rotating displays on topics from vintage telephones to Afrofuturism. Curators Daniel Calderon and Nicole Mullen describe the museum’s 25 exhibition sites, its status as the only airport museum accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and their goal of engaging passengers to look up from their phones and explore the art.

53 oil paintings in a Palestinian exhibit were lost in the 1940s. A new exhibit on display in Brookline reimagines what could have been.

A traveling exhibition titled "The Lost Paintings, A Prelude to Return" is on view at the Brookline Arts Center and Unbound Visual Arts in Brighton through December 17. The show reimagines 53 oil paintings by Palestinian-Lebanese artist Maroun Tomb, which were lost in the chaos of the Nakba and the 1948 Arab-Israeli war after his 1947 exhibition opened in Haifa on the same day the UN adopted the Partition Plan. Curators Rula Khoury, Haidi Motola, and Joëlle Tomb—Maroun's granddaughter—commissioned 53 contemporary artists from Palestine and the diaspora to create new works inspired by the original titles, using mediums including textiles, prints, paintings, sculptures, and video.

‘I'm sending a piece of Gaza to the world’: Palestinian artist Ahmed Muhanna discusses his exhibition of works painted on aid boxes

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has launched a traveling exhibition titled "Gaza: Stories of Hope and Resilience," featuring over 40 paintings by Gazan artist Ahmed Muhanna. Muhanna created the works on WFP aid boxes and paper over three intense months under constant threat of bombings, using the boxes as canvas due to a lack of art materials. The exhibition opened on 15 September in Brussels and will tour nine European cities before closing on 23 October, with funding from the EU.

State Art Museum upcoming exhibits include collaborations with Hawaiʻi Walls and the Maui Arts and Cultural Center

The Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts has announced a calendar of upcoming exhibits at Capitol Modern: the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum, spanning 2025 and 2026. Highlights include collaborations with World Wide Walls featuring a solo show by Shar Tuiʻaso (also known as Punky Aloha) titled “Local” and a group show “The Earth Laughs in Flowers,” as well as a mini-exhibit on traditional printmaking called “Technique and Texture.” In 2026, the museum will host the traveling Schaefer Portrait Challenge from the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, a triennial exhibition showcasing portraiture from across the islands, along with the “Trifecta” exhibit of works from the SFCA Art in Public Places Collection and the annual Hawaiʻi Regional Scholastic Student Art Awards.

‘Chutzpah Girls’ Portraits to be Showcased in Art Exhibits Across the U.S.

The Times of Israel reports that a series of portraits titled 'Chutzpah Girls' will be showcased in art exhibits across the United States. The series features portraits of Jewish women who exemplify boldness and resilience, created by an unnamed artist or collective. The exhibits are set to tour multiple venues, bringing these empowering images to a wide American audience.

San Francisco’s Trash Company Marks 35 Years of Stunning Art Made of Recycled Garbage With Free Gallery Opening

San Francisco's waste management company Recology is celebrating 35 years of its Artist-in-Residence program with a free retrospective exhibition featuring artworks made from recycled garbage. The show, held at the Minnesota Street Project in collaboration with Recology, includes pieces by 63 artists who have scavenged materials from the company's 47-acre recycling center since 1990. Notable works include Nemo Gould's 'Impala' sculpture, made from scavenged antlers, power tools, and household items. The exhibition runs through August 30, 2025, and a traveling version called 'Reclaimed: The Art of Recology' is touring the country.