NewsMuseums & Heritage
Cultural love-in between Italy and Russia sets ‘soft power’ alarm bells ringing
Growing unease as the special relationship between the two countries gains momentum during the Covid-19 crisis
NewsAustralia
Sydney's Powerhouse Museum saved from sell-off, but debate rages on
NSW government scraps controversial billion-dollar relocation plan but faces questions from community groups and parliament
NewsBrazil
Bolsonaro appoints son’s former aide the president of the National Arts Foundation as public ministry files lawsuit to remove him
Luciano Querido, trained as an IT technician, has been in the role provisionally since May despite lacking the federal qualifications for the role
NewsPolitics
As Andrzej Duda narrowly wins Poland’s presidential election, protest posters installed in Warsaw become stark reminder of authoritarian rule
Spanish art group Democracia have taken over LED screens in the city’s metro
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Germany's Holocaust memorial sites fight against surge in far-right threats
Former concentration camps are being increasingly drawn into culture wars by “normal-looking” people challenging guides and disrupting tours
NewsRacism in the art world
How the art industry is grappling with its systemic race inequality
Galleries, fairs and auction houses are issuing solidarity statements and re-evaluating the diversity of their staffs. But "performative wokeness” will not fix the market’s whiteness
AnalysisHong Kong
Some artists planning to leave Hong Kong in response to new national security law
Concerns over freedom of expression and self-censorship on the rise after introduction of new rules
NewsCuba
Tania Bruguera reportedly detained by Cuban authorities hours before anti-racism protest in Havana
The artist’s final message posted on social media this morning was “they are taking me”
NewsBrazil
Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro appoints actor Mário Frias the new secretary of culture, sparking controversy
Frias is the fifth person to hold the role since Bolsonaro dissolved the ministry of culture after his election in 2019
NewsRussia
Culture crackdown ahead of Putin's referendum
Artist Pyotr Verzilov was sentenced to 15 days in prison for "petty hooliganism" in latest clampdown on the arts in Russia
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Istanbul Museum of Painting and Sculpture plagued by delays after top curators quit
Turkey’s national modern art collection, closed off for much of its 80-year existence, will be hard-pressed to open $25m new building this year
NewsHong Kong
Hong Kong artists abroad launch pro-democracy platform as China's security law looms
Online project documents one year of anti-government protests in the territory and aims to rally support from international art community
NewsChina
Will the loss of Hong Kong’s special trade status and stricter oversight from Beijing end its appeal as Asia’s biggest arts hub?
A new draconian law against protests imposed by Beijing and the end of a more open trade agreement with the US has the city’s arts community worried
NewsPolitics
'Blatant censorship': Polish government issues artists with fines—then withdraws them
Ahead of Poland's ghost election earlier this month, a group of artists carried a 14-metre letter to parliament
Newscoronavirus
Austrian culture minister steps down after coming under fire over pandemic response
Ulrike Lunacek was in office for less than four months
NewsPhotography
Online exhibition calls for release of ‘disappeared’ Bangladeshi photographer Shafiqul Islam Kajol
The photojournalist went missing after publishing an investigation into a Dhaka sex-ring. Discovered in a remote prison, he now faces a possible seven years behind bars
Newscoronavirus
Russia’s culture minister has coronavirus
Appointed in January, Olga Lyubimova is the third Russian government minister to announce a Covid-19 diagnosis in the past week
Newscoronavirus
UK government 'failing' to support its freelancers, leading arts body says
Finance minister Rishi Sunak has attracted criticism for his emergency bailout plan over claims that it discriminates against gig workers
Newscoronavirus
Germany promises financial support to help arts institutions hit by coronavirus
Grütters sees "massive burden" for arts sector as theatres and concert halls close, ticket sales dwindle
NewsBrexit
Hundreds of art organisations outraged as UK withdraws from €1.46bn Creative Europe fund
More than 680 cultural figures and institutions sign open letter over decision they believe "threatens an impoverished future for British creativity"
NewsCensorship
Cuban artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara arrested on way to a LGBTQ+ censorship protest
The artist will face a summary trial in ten days while activists say the arrest amounts to "state terrorism"
NewsPoland
Right-wing director begins overhaul of Warsaw contemporary art centre
Controversial curator Piotr Bernatowicz has cancelled several 2020 exhibitions and cut funding from progressive art journal at Ujazdowski Castle CCA
CommentChina
Where is the West? Art world should be supporting China during coronavirus crisis
Our beleaguered art colleagues need our help and we must not turn our backs on Chinese art institutions, says Philip Dodd, head of Made in China
NewsParthenon marbles
Leaked draft of EU paper stirs Parthenon Marbles dispute
But the clause is unlikely to refer to the ancient Greek sculptures in the British Museum, expert says
NewsAppointments
Cabinet reshuffle: Oliver Dowden appointed new UK culture secretary
The Conservative MP for Hertsmere in Hertfordshire replaces Nicky Morgan
NewsPolitics
US artists and museums join forces to fire up voters
Artists and activists gather in Los Angeles later this month for the first For Freedoms Congress, a three-day event to spur voter engagement
NewsColdWar Steve
From Bristol to Bermuda: satirical artist Cold War Steve asks public to download and exhibit his work
Exhibition project You, Me & Cold War Steve: the International Exhibition of the People has already been downloaded 3,000 times with scheduled venues across the globe
News US politics
'An impeachment tomb stone': Jenny Holzer creates work to mark President Donald Trump's trial
The skateboards are produced in a limited marble edition of 25 and a wood edition of 500
BlogDiary
Artist creates black-faced portrait of Italian far-right politician Matteo Salvini
Current bid for re-imagined image of the controversial party leader stands at €45,000 in online auction
NewsExhibitions
Two Iran exhibitions in Germany put on ice amid political tensions
Insurers refused to cover the transport of loans, including salt-mine mummies and Greek and Roman antiquities
NewsAppointments
Russia's controversial culture minister ousted in Putin's government reshuffle
But Vladimir Medinsky, who has been replaced by Olga Lyubimova, will 'not be left without work' in culture, the Russian President says
NewsPolitics
Taiwan's re-election of president Tsai Ing-wen is good news for its art world
Politician has been working on professionalising the island nation's cultural sphere
NewsControversies
Luanda Leaks: Isabel dos Santos—who owns vast African art collection—accused of making her $2.2bn fortune by exploiting Angola
Dos Santos and her husband Sindika Dokolo own around 3,000 works by artists including William Kentridge and Zanele Muholi
NewsPolitics
Russian government quits as Putin rewrites constitution—with the help of key cultural leaders
Directors of the State Hermitage Museum and State Tretyakov Gallery are part of a team enlisted to create laws that will allow the president to remain in power
NewsCollectors
Angola freezes assets of billionaire and her art collector husband
Isabel dos Santos, Africa’s richest woman, is married to Sindika Dokolo who has been working for years on repatriating works to the African continent
NewsUK politics
Artists react angrily to Tory landslide result in UK general election
Issues raised include environmental crisis and future of the Labour party
NewsThe Year in Review 2019
From the MoMA expansion to ‘artwashing’ ill-gotten wealth: the major museum moments of 2019
We look back at the biggest stories of the year
AnalysisThe Year in Review 2019
From cancelled fairs to street art's auction room takeover: the art market's fruitiest stories of 2019
We look back at the stories that have overturned the art world order this year
NewsCensorship
Artists call for Kyrgyz minister of culture’s resignation in wake of censorship scandal
Open letter argues that censorship of the exhibition Feminnale violated a number of constitutional protections
NewsBanksy
Banksy transforms bench into Santa's sleigh in new mural highlighting UK homelessness
Street artist posts video of the work praising passersby in Birmingham for stopping and offering food and drink to a man sleeping rough
NewsPoland
Lublin governor files defamation suit against art historian sparking free speech fears in Poland
Case against Tomasz Kitliński follows row over installation that marked pogrom sites in the city
CommentPolitics
Chile’s neoliberal ideology has co-opted artist’s creativity
The failed economic experiments of the 1970s laid the groundwork for today’s socio-economic crisis
NewsMuseums
Strikes hit France: here are the museums that are affected
Several institutions have closed, others have cut back their opening times as protests against Macron's retirement reforms sweep the country
NewsControversies
German art activists apologise for upsetting Holocaust survivors with monument containing human remains
Centre for Political Beauty concedes “mistakes,” says it will veil monument
NewsUK politics
The UK's culture secretary conveyor belt: who will be next?
As the election looms this month and Nicky Morgan announces she is standing down, the department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport prepares for its latest secretary of state
NewsTurkey
Court ruling converting Turkish museum to mosque could set precedent for Hagia Sophia
Decision that Kariye Museum must become a Muslim house of worship again could imperil its Byzantine art and have repercussions for other early Christian monuments
NewsHong Kong
Police use tear gas on protestors outside newly re-opened Hong Kong Museum of Art prompting safety fears for visitors and works
Substance was used during a rally calling for the government to meet the protestors' “five demands”
NewsHungary
Budapest’s green mayor puts brakes on €250m New National Gallery
Local politicians block construction on cultural quarter backed by right-wing government, citing “enormous impact on environment”
NewsPolitics
Three artists among pro-democracy candidates who scored landslide win in Hong Kong elections
Susi Law Wai-shan, Clara Cheung and Wong Tin Yan ran in the elections which had an unprecedented 71.2% turnout
CommentPolitics
Art is fuelling the protest movements in Latin America
Demonstrators from Argentina to Puerto Rico are relying on traditional art forms, dances, and music to hold their leaders accountable
NewsPolitics
Culture ministry failed to vet right-wing religious group close to Steve Bannon
Decision to lease Italian medieval monastery to an organisation affiliated with President Trump’s former chief strategist is blamed on staff shortages
NewsUK politics
Arts commentators question Conservative Party's controversial £120m ‘festival of Brexit’
Will artists and institutions participate in “national celebration” planned for 2022?
NewsUK politics
Boris Johnson’s Conservative manifesto promises £250m funding for culture
Although Tory announcement calls it the “largest cultural capital programme in a century”, pledge is only quarter of Labour’s £1bn culture fund
NewsUK politics
Jeremy Corbyn promises £1bn culture fund in Labour Party election manifesto
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats commit to stopping Brexit and protecting arts funding through the National Lottery
NewsPolitics
What is art for? Why, to help sell arms, silly!
October saw full deployment of culture in Russian and French political and commercial diplomacy with Saudi Arabia
NewsMuseums
Rio Art Museum could close due to lack of federal funding
Two directors left the museum last week, and 126 employees have received a dismissal notice
NewsVenice Biennale 2019
Iraq’s national pavilion at Venice Biennale shut ‘in solidarity with popular youth uprisings’
Iraqi-Kurdish artist Serwan Baran supports the move by the Ruya Foundation, saying “the people will prevail as long as we are with them”
NewsPerformance art
Artist reimagines Louisiana slave uprising with a different outcome
Hundreds to take part in re-enactment of America’s largest slave rebellion, ending with a victorious celebration in New Orleans
NewsPolitics
London's Roundhouse turns down £1m Sackler grant
The arts and performance venue has refused to accept a £1m grant from the Sackler Trust because of risk it would "distract from its work with young people"
NewsPolitics
Beirut art spaces close en-masse as huge anti-government protests take over the city
Artists and institutions come out in support of protestors who are demanding political reforms in Lebanon
NewsInvestigation
Protesters call for removal of MoMA trustee linked to Puerto Rican debt crisis
As the museum opens an ambitious $450m expansion, activists are demanding that “vulture fund” investor Steven Tananbaum be taken off the board—but he is not the only trustee with financial interests in the island
NewsPolitics
'Fabricated news': chairman of Contemporary Istanbul defends Turkish military action
Art world condemns Ali Gureli's political comments and say it could affect art fair's future ability to sign up foreign exhibitors
NewsPolitics
Nearly 500 protesters stage Anti-Columbus Day history tour at New York museums
After being blocked from entering the American Museum of Natural History, decolonisation demonstrators took to the streets, ending at the Metropolitan Museum’s steps
NewsPolitics
'No chance for art institutions': fears for freedom of speech as populist party set to win Polish elections
Expected victory for ruling Law and Justice party raises concerns that minority voices will be silenced as museums increasingly come under state control
NewsExhibitions
Major Kandinsky show opens in Saudi Arabia as Vladimir Putin arrives for rare state visit
Cultural programme of Russian art launches to coincide with president's trip to the Gulf state to sign over $2bn worth of deals
NewsDesert X
Three board members resign as Desert X announces collaboration with Saudi Arabia, Los Angeles Times reports
Ed Ruscha, Yael Lipschutz and Tristan Milanovich have resigned over the decision to launch the sculpture biennial in Al-Ula next year
NewsCensorship
Feminist exhibition in China suddenly axed following alleged governmental pressure
Show in Shanghai cancelled after being deemed "too sensitive" to run during 70th anniversary of country's founding
NewsFrieze London 2019
Frieze returns to safe haven of painting amid threat of recession and political instability
Traditional medium is back in fashion amid looming Brexit
NewsAppointments & departures
Uffizi's Eike Schmidt reveals why he cancelled move to Kunsthistorisches Museum at the eleventh hour
Uffizi director says he is able to pursue reforms at Florence museum under Italy's new centre-left government
CommentMuseums & Heritage
A victory for righteousness or just a performance of it?
We need to acknowledge the complexity of our time and not hide in simple political polarities, says the director of the Art Gallery of Ontario
CommentSudan
It is time to support Sudan’s artists in their fight for democracy
Freedom of expression was at the forefront of the fight to overthrow Omar al Bashir, now the political cartoonist Khalid Albaih asks the US to keep an eye on its own dictatorial leaders
Khalid Albaih