BlogMet Gala
Who will wear the hottest mask at the Met Gala? Museum charts a more intimate, health-conscious fundraiser
NewsArt fairs
Art Basel gets complicated: Swiss authorities will not accept Astra Zeneca vaccine while US issues ‘do not travel’ advisory
Non-EU visitors will have to apply for Swiss Covid-19 certificate before attending and, with certain vaccines not recognised, some will have to take tests onsite
NewsUnions
Workers at the Brooklyn Museum vote overwhelmingly to form a union
Represented by a UAW local, curators, conservators, educators and others at the New York institution will now seek to negotiate a contract with management
Newscoronavirus
New York City museums will require employees and visitors to provide proof of vaccination
Mayor’s order will be enforced starting on 13 September after a public education campaign
NewsAppointments & departures
Regrouping after pandemic shut down its new home, International Center of Photography in New York names its next director
David E. Little, who heads Amherst College’s museum, has experience in fund-raising, educating and curating at multiple US institutions
NewsArt market
UK art fairs breathe sigh of relief as government waives quarantine for vaccinated overseas exhibitors
Some US and European galleries at events such as Photo London in September had threatened to drop out due to added cost of isolating in hotels
NewsCovid-19
American Museum of Natural History sues insurer over Covid-19 coverage
New York institution says it lost over $37m when it was forced to shut down, but insurance company caps potential coverage at $200,000
NewsMuseums
France enforces vaccine passports for over-18s visiting museums and cultural venues
Controversial “health pass” introduced to fight a fourth wave of Covid-19 infections driven by the Delta variant
NewsPrizes
From village life to vaccine centre: Museum of the Year 2021 shortlist announced
Centre for Contemporary Art Derry-Londonderry, Experience Barnsley, Firstsite, Thackray Museum of Medicine and Timespan chosen as five finalists for Art Fund's coveted £100,000 prize
NewsArt market
US galleries survive: despite a stark decline in revenue in 2020, many galleries have a positive post-pandemic outlook, report says
The Art Dealers Association of America 2021 survey shows many galleries intend to increase their artist roster in 2021 and slowly hire back employees
NewsUnited Kingdom
England's Freedom Day has arrived—and museums are fighting to keep crowds at bay
Despite lockdown restrictions lifting today, most institutions will maintain capacity limits and distancing rules until at least end of August
BlogDiary
Tate Moderna? Not quite. London museum to offer free Pfizer jabs on Friday evening
NewsDocumenta
Documenta 15 to go ahead as planned in 2022 despite pandemic hurdles
After weighing postponement, the Kassel exhibition’s shareholders say decision to stick to timetable was “not easy”
NewsArt education
Royal College of Art students launch virtual gallery of works that were 'lost or damaged' during lockdown
More than 150 students have complained but only two students have so far made a claim, college officials say
NewsMuseums
Visitor figures: how many people are actually returning to London museums post-lockdown?
We asked English institutions to provide figures for the four-week period from 17 May to gauge current demand
NewsMuseums
Museum curators battle rise in bug numbers during pandemic with new card game
Staff continue fight against vermin with innovative entertainment
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Paris's indebted Fan Museum at risk of folding
Income losses during the pandemic have pushed the private museum and fan-making workshop to the brink
NewsOpenings
Home truths: east London's museum of domestic life emerges from lockdown after £18.8m makeover
Museum of the Home reopens on 12 June with double the public space in its 18th-century almshouse buildings
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Minneapolis Institute of Art announces over $19m in gifts, including funds for a diversity officer, Latin American curator and deputy director
Museum, under pressure to embrace equity while facing revenue losses, says the money will shore up its endowment and operating budget
NewsMuseums & Heritage
After warnings that a third of US museums could close, a survey indicates that just 15% are at significant risk
Poll conducted in April yields optimism that financial fallout from the pandemic will be less severe than feared
BlogAdventures with Van Gogh
India’s 'vaccine prince' has a Van Gogh landscape in his living room
Adar Poonawalla, who runs the world’s largest Covid-19 vaccine producer, claims to have the finest collection of European art in the sub-continent
NewsFunding
Germany pledges €2.5bn in aid for cultural events
The funding, available for small events from 1 July, will also include cancellation insurance for large events planned from September
AnalysisMuseums & Heritage
What it's like to visit museums now—and how Covid-19 has fundamentally changed them long term
Coronavirus restrictions have dramatically altered the visitor experience, but the changes run deeper than mask-wearing and one-way systems
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Hermitage Amsterdam close to reaching €1m in urgent crowdfunding appeal to survive Covid-19 crisis
The privately funded Dutch branch of the State Hermitage Museum has attracted 10,000 donations from the public but director says "we're not done yet"
NewsDeaccessioning
As a Sotheby’s auction looms, scholars protest Newark Museum of Art’s plan to sell a Thomas Cole painting and other works
In an open letter, they denounce the deaccessioning move as a “senseless monetisation” of art from the permanent collection
NewsMuseums
Crowds flock to revamped Uffizi Galleries
Florence museum unveiled new exhibition space and recent acquisitions
NewsExhibitions
Met's next Costume Institute show is an exploration of the emotional hues of American fashion
The two-part exhibition invokes the upheaval of the past year and will be accompanied by an "intimate" gala this September and then a more expansive benefit next May
NewsMuseums
Pinault's Bourse de Commerce plans to finally launch on 22 May as Macron gives French museums the green light to reopen
Health passes to certify visitors are Covid-free will be mandatory at cultural venues
NewsArt education
Christie’s supports charity delivering art history lessons for students at UK state schools
Art History Link-Up chief says subject is a rare offer at state schools because of cuts and teacher shortages
BlogVaccination
Offering a ‘whale of a time’ , the American Museum of Natural History hosts a walk-in vaccination site
The museum is offering around 1,000 Moderna vaccines per day on Fridays through Tuesdays
NewsIndia
As India's death toll surges, £2bn renovation of Delhi parliament buildings continues as 'essential service'
Many are questioning how Prime Minister Narendra Modi can justify his "vanity project" as hospitals are overwhelmed with patients
Newscoronavirus
Pope cuts pay for clerics but not for Vatican Museum employees
After pandemic revenue crash, Vatican slashes its spending but protects all jobs
NewsCovid-19
Museums weigh in on the vaccine passport debate, as countries are under pressure to open up their economies
As Israel and Denmark introduce Covid-19 status certificates, institutions are concerned that government schemes may keep visitors away
Newsreopenings
Smithsonian will reopen eight museums and other venues in May after more than five-month closures
National of Gallery of Art also plans to open its West Building in Washington, DC
NewsGermany
German parliament’s “emergency brake” closes Kusama show, threatens Gallery Weekend
Measures to counter the third wave of the pandemic force museums in high-incidence areas to close
Newscoronavirus
Some New York museums will ramp up to 50% visitor capacity next week under relaxed limits announced by governor
Others welcome the change while scrutinising their Covid-19 safety procedures
Newscoronavirus
Survey finds that 43% of people in US museums field have lost income because of the pandemic
Financial impact is particularly severe for independent contractors, and the average toll on mental health appears serious
NewsMuseums
Unesco issues three key recommendations to help museums following report that reveals scale of Covid-19 crisis
Among the innumerable concerns expressed by international institutions are loss of public funding, threats to the security of collections and a decrease in visitors
Newscoronavirus
Siberian surgeon’s drawings show devastating rise in domestic violence in Russia due to Covid-19 pandemic
Ruslan Mellin turned to art as a refuge from the brutal reality of lockdown and the effects of the virus
Newslayoffs
After avoiding layoffs, Oakland Museum of California now plans job cuts of 15%
Staff will shrink from 126 to 106 as institution pursues an organisational makeover
NewsAttendance
While US museum attendance nosedived in 2020 amid pandemic, disparities in reopenings yielded a few surprises
Huntington Library in California and Crystal Bridges in Arkansas ascended to the top of the visitor figures list
NewsArt market
Pared down and profit sharing: here are the sales from Art Dubai, this year’s first physical fair
Meanwhile, a crypto-art cruise during the fair indicates which way the wind may be blowing for future editions
NewsBritish Museums
The cost of the cuts: what now for UK museums as the Covid-19 crisis bites?
Museum directors in London and the regions are cutting jobs and slashing budgets, raising concerns for the post-pandemic future of the sector
Newscoronavirus
Grayson Perry is casting a bell to ring at the end of the Covid-19 pandemic
As future of London's historic Whitechapel foundry hangs in the balance, artist’s bell will be made elsewhere
NewsGhent altarpiece
Restored Ghent Altarpiece returns to Saint Bavo's Cathedral with a temperature-controlled case and AR headsets
Medieval masterpiece by Jan and Hubert Van Eyck is being unveiled today after a three-year treatment
Newscoronavirus
French culture minister hospitalised after contracting Covid-19
Roselyne Bachelot's condition is "stable and not worrying"
AnalysisCovid-19
Covid-19: which countries are closest to getting back to art business?
After a year in which the coronavirus wreaked havoc, vaccines offer hope. We look at the the state of play, and the outlook, for countries around the world
NewsPark Avenue Armory
Park Avenue Armory postpones socially distanced programme after performers test positive for Covid-19
The recently announced season aimed to provide a safe space for live arts performances as Covid-19 cases begin to decline in New York
NewsMuseums
Museums in Poland and Germany forced to close—again—as third pandemic wave hits Europe
Some countries are operating a system based on regional coronavirus case numbers while others have gone into full lockdown
NewsWorld Health Organization
‘Mirror pandemic’: art’s vital role in tackling the mental health crisis
A multi-agency $15m initiative backed by the WHO and funded through a series of charity auctions at Christie’s will support artist-led projects to improve mental, social and environmental health
NewsExhibitions
You can now buy a piece of a New Orleans Mardi Gras ‘house float’ to support local artists
Elements of the impromptu and extravagant holiday decorations will fund the hiring of builders, artists and musicians, as well as local Covid-19 relief
NewsBiennials & festivals
New York's Performa festival to be held entirely outdoors this year
Taking pandemic indoor occupancy limits into account, the biennial moves outside of performance spaces this autumn
NewsArt and health
World Health Organization joins art world to launch global campaign confronting mental health toll of pandemic
Year-long series of Healing Arts auctions and events aims to support mental health treatment and recovery in the wake of Covid-19
NewsDeaccessioning
Members of US museums association narrowly reject proposal to contemplate a change in guidelines on art sales
Amid debate, AAMD votes 91-88 against exploring a controversial revision of rules to allow proceeds to finance collections care
Newsreopenings
Los Angeles museums are revving up to reopen
Amid decline in Covid-19 cases, governor lifts a closure mandate that had stirred some dissent
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Virtual museum law conference shows how the pandemic has affected institutional administration
From dealing with cyberattacks on newly implemented digital offerings, to figuring out how to renegotiate a postponed loan, the coronavirus has raised a whole new crop of issues for museums
NewsPainting
Artist Yan Pei-Ming makes vast pandemic painting inspired by plague scenes of the Isenheim altarpiece
“The viewer might be shocked. It is life today,” says the artist who created the Covid-19 works in isolation in his studio in Dijon
NewsBrazil
Brazilian government suspends federal cultural funding in areas with Covid restrictions
As the country's coronavirus cases spike, a new ordinance temporarily stops support for projects in places that have not yet lifted lockdown measures
NewsCharity
Lorna Simpson, Rirkrit Tiravanija and other artists donate works to benefit New York charities
The Artists Support initiative will donate 100% of proceeds to local organisations
NewsMusée du Louvre
Louvre launches flurry of brand partnerships and ‘e-boutique’ in bid to make up Covid deficit
Deprived of visitors, the world’s most popular museum is striking deals with brands such as Uniqlo to reach international audiences online
Comment
Freelance workers are the backbone of the art world—but how are they expected to survive on a pittance?
If culture is to recover from the pandemic, the sector must value the self-employed more so that the next generation—of all backgrounds—can afford to live a creative life
NewsMuseums
'It feels slightly surreal!' German museums can open from Monday—but with complicated caveats
In a surprise ruling, the government prioritises museum openings ahead of restaurants and sports facilities
NewsArts funding
UK Budget 2021: further £408m boost for struggling culture sector
Chancellor Rishi Sunak digs deep, adding £300m to the £1.57bn Cultural Recovery Fund, £90m more for museums, and £18m for cultural community projects
NewsCensorship
Governments are ‘weaponising’ Covid-19 to silence dissident artist voices, report says
Seventeen artists were killed, 82 imprisoned and 133 detained over the past year in 26 countries, according to new Freemuse study
Newscoronavirus
Economic reports reveal drastic loss of arts jobs in the US
In New York, two-thirds of posts in the creative sector are gone, while nearly a quarter of the workforce in Los Angeles has been cut
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Swiss museums can reopen from 1 March as country eases lockdown restrictions
Fondation Beyeler will shows Arp and Rodin while Kunstmuseum Bern has a show on Latin American political art
NewsArts funding
‘Many museums will be lost’: US association appeals to Congress to support funding for institutions
Invoking the pandemic, advocates seek federal money for agencies that support museum programmes as well as operations grants and charitable tax deductions
Newslayoffs
Whitney lays off 15 more staff members, citing ‘extremely low’ attendance
Museum’s director notes that it may take until 2025 for tourists to return in force to New York
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Officials confirm: museums in England can reopen from 17 May under Boris Johnson’s lockdown roadmap
Commercial galleries will be permitted to open from 12 April under the new plan to gradually lift Covid-19 safety measures
NewsDeaccessioning
Met director defends move to consider deaccessioning for collections care rather than art purchases
Max Hollein argues that more art will not necessarily be sold, although proceeds can now go to other purposes amid the pandemic financial crisis
NewsMuseums
Visitor crush at Vatican museums
Tourists left “shocked and afraid” by their experiences at the museum say Covid-19 security measures were not followed
NewsConservation
Thanks to a £3m gift, the National Trust could finally uncover a secret portrait of Mary Queen of Scots
Conservation boost from a US charity comes after the heritage organisation faced a £200m revenue collapse due to the pandemic
NewsMuseums
Far-right mayor reopens four museums in southern France—without government’s permission
Although national museums are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Perpignan's Musée Rigaud, Casa Pairal, Musée Puig and the museum of natural history are open to the public again
AnalysisArt market
Pandemic prompts New York artists to leave the city in search of more affordable space
Tara Donovan, GaHee Park and artist-owners of Brooklyn's Elijah Wheat Showroom are among those who are leaving in pursuit of nature
NewsWallace Collection
Art library and archives at London's Wallace Collection could close to public as part of cost-cutting plans
Petition claims management want to ‘orientate the museum to income generation’
NewsGermany
Germany doubles pandemic aid for arts with an extra €1 billion funding
Some galleries received funding in the first package for exhibitions they can’t open in lockdown
NewsMuseums & Heritage
Museum revolution: 100 French directors call for 'essential' reopening
Petition urges culture minister to lift coronavirus restrictions on museums and galleries so they can "take care of visitors now"
NewsFunding
Weston Culture Fund gives UK arts organisations £30m in relief from 'devastating impact' of Covid-19
Wallace Collection, Birmingham Museums and the MAC Belfast are among more than 100 charities receiving recovery grants from the Garfield Weston Foundation
CommentArts funding
Arts researchers can help America overcome its toughest challenges
As the Biden-Harris administration begins to fill its leadership roles, it is vital that our federal government includes creative thinkers
NewsArt market
Tefaf Maastricht 2021 postponed again—this time to September
Dutch art fair will now run immediately before the delayed Art Basel, while Tefaf New York Spring has been cancelled altogether this year
NewsArt market
Déjà vu: Art Basel postponed from June to September—again
Swiss fair was also delayed from June to September in 2020, before being cancelled altogether due to coronavirus
NewsArt market
UK Supreme Court judgment on pandemic insurance payouts 'not a blank cheque' for art organisations
Some insurers using "aggressive tactics" to reduce barrage of claims following rejection of appeal on clarification of business interruption cover
Newscoronavirus
Museums around the world step up to be transformed into vaccination centres
London's Science Museum and a West Midlands museum where Peaky Blinders was filmed are just some of the venues doubling up as Covid-19 vaccine hubs
Newscoronavirus
Culture injection: Coronavirus vaccination centres in Germany are giving patients a dose of art
As exhibitions are cancelled due to the pandemic, local artists are finding creative ways to show their art—and distract patients
NewsDocumenta
Documenta 15 postponement increasingly likely, general director says
Travel restrictions could derail preparations, making 2022 date impossible, Sabine Schormann says
NewsDesert X
Desert X postpones opening amid Covid-19 surge in California
The outdoor festival, due to take over Coachella Valley in February, will now wait until lockdown restrictions are lifted
NewsCollectors
Moderna vaccine billionaire Timothy Springer explains his love for Chinese scholar rocks
Gongshi—whose unusual forms are created by years of river erosion—have long been highly prized in Asia. Now they are garnering admirers in the West
NewsMuseums
Opening of Pinault's Bourse de Commerce postponed as French museums told to remain closed
Scheduled to reopen this week, cultural institutions must keep their doors shut after an increase in Covid-19 cases
NewsConservation & Preservation
From lockdowns to looting: how Covid-19 has taken a toll on world's threatened heritage sites
Sites of major importance—many in regions already ravaged by conflict—are contending with security problems and funding shortfalls
NewsVenice
Culture war erupts over Venice mayor's closure of Doge's Palace and other civic museums until April
Luigi Brugnaro's "entrepreneurial" decision violates Venice's historic agreement with Italian state to keep the landmark open to the public
NewsMuseums
Closure of London's Florence Nightingale Museum fuels fears that the pandemic will force smaller UK institutions to shut
Williamson Art Gallery & Museum in Birkenhead is also under threat of closure as part of cost-cutting measures by local council
CommentArt market
A Covid-19 silver lining? Let’s not return to family-unfriendly art business as usual
The industry could work better for mothers and fathers if it doesn’t go back to the out-of-hours, out-of-town way things were
CommentMuseums & Heritage
Pandemic anniversary: the things museums should learn from our plague year
Although “thumbstoppable” social media content is essential, the online world has dark consequences too, says Tristram Hunt, the director of the Victoria and Albert Museum
Tristram Hunt