A nationwide general strike, called for Friday, January 30, 2026, in protest of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minneapolis, has prompted numerous art galleries and organizations to close their doors. Major commercial galleries like Gagosian, David Zwirner, Hauser & Wirth, and Pace Gallery, alongside institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles and the Drawing Center, are participating in the shutdown.
The closures represent a significant political mobilization within the art world, aligning cultural institutions with a broader social protest against immigration enforcement tactics. The action highlights the sector's willingness to pause normal operations and use its economic and cultural weight to advocate for social justice, moving beyond symbolic statements to tangible disruption of 'business as usual.'