The article reports on a growing trend of art galleries in Western countries hosting exhibitions that focus on the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. These shows feature works by Palestinian artists, as well as international artists responding to the situation, aiming to bring visual representation of the war to audiences far from the region.
The Pajaro Valley Unified School District held an opening ceremony for its Annual Art Exhibition at the Watsonville Civic Plaza, showcasing hundreds of works by students from transitional kindergarten through high school seniors. The exhibition, which will remain on display for up to a year, features a variety of media including watercolors, charcoal drawings, photographs, collages, and mixed media, with subjects ranging from local landmarks to portraits of Frida Kahlo and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Art teachers like Itzel Vega of Landmark Elementary School collaborated to curate projects that represent each school, highlighting student creativity and problem-solving, such as first grader Aleyda Carrillo's collage of a crowned brontosaurus.
Renowned York-based artist Mark Hearld is hosting an independent five-day exhibition at his private residence in The Mount. The showcase features twenty new collages and a series of prints, including works inspired by a recent trip to Jaipur and a collaborative screenprint with Penfold Press. The event is notable for being held outside the official York Open Studios program, a circuit Hearld has participated in for two decades but was not selected for this year.
An annual art exhibition featuring works by incarcerated individuals in Arizona sold 200 pieces on May 16, raising over $18,000 for a scholarship at Arizona State University. The show, titled "{Ink}arcerated: Creativity within Confinement," displayed more than 400 artworks and drew approximately 600 visitors to a vacant retail space at the Arizona Center in downtown Phoenix. Organized by ASU criminology professor Kevin Wright, the event has raised a cumulative total of more than $70,000 since its launch in 2017, with this year's proceeds marking the largest single-show amount to date. A second public sale is scheduled for June 6 during Phoenix's First Fridays art walk.
Miami Beach's city government runs 'No Vacancy,' an annual art exhibition that transforms around a dozen hotels and resorts across the city. Now in its fourth year, the program selects local and Miami-rooted artists—including Amanda Linares, Lee Pivnik, Pepe Mar, and Edison Peñafel—through a competitive open call to create site-specific works in public areas of participating properties such as Casa Faena, Miami Beach EDITION, and The Betsy Hotel. The exhibition has been extended from two weeks to four weeks this year, and visitors can explore the works via a self-guided tour, with over 200 artists submitting for the current edition.
The Webster family, spanning four generations from great-grandmother Beverly Neylon to five-year-old Jasper Webster, is exhibiting their artwork together at the 'Belong: 2026 Art Exhibition' hosted by the City of Whittlesea in South Morang, Australia. The show features paintings, mosaics, and porcelain works, including Beverly Neylon's award-winning piece 'Beauty of the Wind,' which earned the Award of Excellence – Use of Materials. The exhibition runs from 2 May to 27 May 2026 at the Plenty Ranges Art and Convention Centre.
Cuesta College is set to host its 2026 Student Annual Art Exhibition at the Harold J. Miossi Art Gallery from April 16 through May 22. The showcase features a diverse array of student-produced works spanning traditional and contemporary disciplines, including painting, ceramics, printmaking, and digital art. An opening reception on April 16 will kick off the event, which is free and open to the public on the San Luis Obispo campus.
SUNY New Paltz’s Disability Resource Center (DRC) recently launched its fourth annual art exhibition, titled "Strengths in Every Form," at the McKenna Theatre lobby. The showcase features a diverse range of student-led works including paintings, sculptures, photography, and fiber arts, such as a quilt and zine collection by student Caden Tyler. Coordinated by Emi DiSciullo and supported by the Kressner Autism Support Program, the event highlights the creative output of neurodivergent students and those with disabilities within the campus community.
The second annual "Artists in the Garden" showcase recently launched as part of the month-long Arts in April festivities on Longboat Key. Held outside the Longboat Island Chapel, the two-day exhibition featured thirteen local artists, including Marie Therese Lacroix, Collin Rowland, and Reid Ryan Gerletti, who presented works ranging from oil paintings to furniture crafted from reclaimed wood. The event reported strong sales, with 30% of proceeds donated to the Longboat Key Foundation to support community improvement projects.
Cuesta College’s Harold J. Miossi Gallery has opened submissions for its Spring 2026 Student Annual Art Exhibition, inviting students to submit work across seven categories including painting, sculpture, and digital art. A jury of professional artists, including Christina McPhee and Katie Herzog, will conduct an anonymous review of the physical works to select pieces for the show, which is scheduled to open on April 16.
The Shops at Wailea in Maui has announced a full schedule of art and cultural events for February. The lineup includes 'The Art of Aloha,' Maui's largest annual art exhibition hosted by Lahaina Galleries, and an 'Art Night' featuring five local galleries and a debut by artist Jeanne Bitz.
Over 35 pieces of art from six Indigenous artists, primarily from the Arawak tribe, went on display at Castellani House in Georgetown, Guyana, on Monday evening at the annual Art Exhibition and Pop-up Fashion Show. The exhibition, a collaboration between Castellani House and the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, runs until the end of the month and marks Indigenous Heritage Month. Curator Ohene Koama noted the works are wood-based, inspired by the artists' environment and heritage, featuring abstract and symbolic forms. Featured artist Roaland Taylor, from St Cuthbert's Mission, has participated since the exhibition began in the late 1980s, originally at Umana Yana.
The Mastick Senior Center in Alameda, California, is hosting its 24th annual art exhibition, featuring 159 artworks from 88 artists, all members of the center. The show opened in June and runs through August 15, marking the largest edition yet, with expanded participation from members who create art independently. Curated by Alison Limoges and Diane Alabaster, the exhibition includes diverse mediums such as ceramics, mosaics, stained glass, knitting, jewelry, quilts, and for the first time, Chinese ink paintings. The center, which serves adults aged 50 and older, has transformed multiple rooms—including the dining room, game room, media room, and lobby—to accommodate the record number of pieces.
The Killeen Independent School District (KISD) has launched its 23rd annual art exhibition at the Killeen Civic and Conference Center, featuring hundreds of works from middle and high school students. The event, which includes drawings, paintings, sculptures, and textiles, opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by district leaders, faculty, and families. The exhibition showcases the creative output of a program that serves over 6,200 students and includes original works from the district's art faculty.
Westman Youth for Christ (YFC) is calling for more artists to participate in its 4th Annual Art Show & Sale, scheduled for June 18th and 19th at the Ukrainian National Hall in Brandon, Manitoba. The event, which also serves as a fundraiser, features a theme of 'What is Beauty? Finding Joy in the world around us' and accepts both flat-art and 3D works. Artists may sell their pieces with a 30% commission going to Westman YFC, and donors can receive a tax receipt for the remaining 70% if donated to the art program. Dawn Redlin, Creative Journeys Program Director, oversees three therapeutic art programs—Create (Tuesday nights), a Monday afternoon directed art group, and one-on-one therapeutic art coaching—that serve up to 50 young people annually, many facing addiction, mental health, or homelessness issues.
The Tumut Art Society recently concluded its 68th annual art exhibition in regional New South Wales, marking a successful two-week event that drew approximately 500 visitors. The show featured 39 sales across both physical and virtual platforms and distributed $15,000 in prize money across nine categories. Melbourne artist Nina Volk emerged as the primary winner, securing both the prestigious Bendigo Bank Acquisitive Award for her work "The Storm is Coming" and the People’s Choice Award for "Grazing in the Autumn Mist."
The Des Moines Women's Club is presenting its 118th annual art exhibition, a long-standing tradition showcasing local and regional artistic talent. The event highlights the organization's enduring commitment to fostering arts and culture within the community, serving as a key platform for artists and a cultural touchstone for the city of Des Moines.
Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport (GRB) has issued a call for artists and collectors for its third annual art exhibition, themed "Patriotic | Historic | Americana." The exhibition is timed to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States and will feature framed photography, 3-D objects, ephemera, and traditional artwork. Submissions are open until March 31, 2026, with the final installation scheduled for May 2026 to coincide with the airport’s Honor Flight for Veterans.
The Shift, a Maltese investigative journalism platform, has launched its eighth annual art exhibition featuring works donated by over 20 Maltese artists, both established and emerging. The artworks are displayed at Mixa’s Gallery in St Paul’s Bay and online, with prices set by the artists themselves. Proceeds are split 30% to the artists and 70% to fund The Shift’s investigative journalism and press freedom advocacy.
The Maryborough Regional Art Society has launched its 78th Annual Competitive Art Exhibition at Gatakers Artspace in Maryborough, Australia. The exhibition features 221 artworks across seven categories, including landscapes, portraits, abstracts, and fauna, with prize money ranging from $250 to $2,500 and a total prize pool of over $7,000. The show runs from June 7 to July 27, 2025, with a People's Choice Award open for public voting until July 27. The event is supported by the Fraser Coast Regional Council through a $2,000 cash sponsorship and in-kind assistance.