US politics

Trump eyes site near National Mall for ‘Garden of American Heroes’

The location, although not yet official, would legally require the project to undergo a rigorous review process and receive congressional approval

More Bob Ross paintings head to auction to benefit US public television

The sale at Bonhams comes just two months after Ross’s auction record was shattered in another charity auction

Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery removes wall text mentioning Trump’s impeachments

The museum said the change of labels and portraits is in preparation for an overhaul of its popular permanent gallery “America’s Presidents”

Trump pulls US out of international cultural property preservation centre and coalition of arts agencies

In a memo announcing the withdrawals, the president said the organisations ran “contrary to the interests of the United States”

Trump administration puts renewed pressure on Smithsonian to turn over materials for review

The White House has given the Smithsonian Institution until 13 January to provide a trove of materials about planning and procedures at eight of its museums

Paintings by US president Jimmy Carter go to auction

The works are included in an upcoming Christie's sale marking the 250th anniversary of US independence

More US artists forced to pay for their own shows as museum and culture budgets shrink

A non-profit initiative in Miami exposes the widening funding gap redefining who can afford to exhibit at American institutions

Trump's name added to Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, despite legal questions

President Trump's latest step in his takeover of the revered performing arts venue involved a hasty change of title

Construction of Trump’s White House ballroom continues despite heritage body’s lawsuit

A federal judge has rejected attempt by National Trust for Historic Preservation to temporarily halt president’s pet construction project

Revamped Nazi-loot restitution bill passed by US Senate

The Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery (Hear) Act of 2025, passed unanimously in the Senate and now heads to the House of Representatives

Despite turmoil, the cultural plan to mark the 250th anniversary of the US is taking shape

After government shutdown and firing of organising committee leader, plans for shows and events advance

Artists protest Alligator Alcatraz at Scope Art Show

The project “invites fairgoers to reflect, respond and enact change through signing a petition that demands the closure of Alligator Alcatraz”, Amnesty says

A haunting portrait of the Everglades appears in Miami

Isabelle Brourman, an artist known for her courtoom sketches from high-profile trials, is showing in a pop-up exhibition at the Rice Hotel

Political statements at Art Basel Miami Beach are sparse but strident

The heated cultural climate is felt at the fair, from a caustic Maurizio Cattelan sculpture to Cristin Tierney’s stand marking—and interrogating the meaning of—the upcoming semiquincentennial of US independence

Bob Ross painting sells for record $1m at auction to benefit US public broadcasters

Four original canvases by the late television painting instructor have been sold lately to raise funds for US public broadcasting following slashes by the Trump administration, and dozens more will be offered in 2026

Sculptor Alma Allen officially selected to represent US at 2026 Venice Biennale

The state department’s announcement, delayed by the US government shutdown, says Allen’s presentation will further Donald Trump’s “focus on showcasing American excellence”

Sculptor Alma Allen reportedly selected to represent US at 2026 Venice Biennale

After plans for a Robert Lazzarini presentation collapsed, another sculptor has reportedly been picked for the US Pavilion

With end of US government shutdown, National Gallery of Art and Smithsonian museums start reopening

Areas of the National Gallery of Art and parts of the Smithsonian were open to the public for the first time in more than a month on Friday

How is Trump’s new visa regime impacting art world talent?

The cumbersome and hugely expensive system is complicating international hiring across the sector

Leaderscomment

Comment | As the US’s 250th anniversary approaches, museums must keep pushing the American story forward

The Phillips Collection was founded amid a president’s calls for a return to “normalcy”, and today the museum is addressing a city and a country grappling with a similar dynamic

Trump fires all members of fine arts commission that reviews construction projects in Washington, DC

The White House plans to install new Commission of Fine Arts members who “are more aligned with President Trump’s ‘America First’ policies”

Trump demolishes White House’s historic East Wing despite preservationists’ protests

One group called the sudden demolition “a collective loss” while another expressed concern the $300m ballroom that will replace the East Wing “will overwhelm the White House itself”

US politicsanalysis

Where do New York City’s mayoral candidates stand on the arts?

While it is not a central topic in their campaigns, Andrew Cuomo, Zohran Mamdani and Curtis Sliwa have all addressed issues relevant to artists and arts workers

At a Los Angeles exhibition, contemporary artists face off with decommissioned Confederate statues

The show at the Brick and the Museum of Contemporary Art addresses the US’s fraught racial history—featuring decommissioned Confederate monuments alongside works by Kara Walker, Leonardo Drew, Torkwase Dyson and others

Activismfeature

Cultural resistance to Trump begins to form, with artists leading the charge

As president attempts to reshape US society, nationwide campaigns and protest projects are taking root

Texas's ‘Black Artists Matter’ mural and rainbow crosswalks at risk

A directive from governor Greg Abbott to remove 'political ideologies' from the state's roadways comes amid a nationwide DEI crackdown

Smithsonian museums in Washington and New York close as US government shutdown drags on

The 21 museums, 14 research and education complexes, and one zoo overseen by the Smithsonian closed on Sunday

An exhibition in New York City takes on censorship in the art world

As political art becomes increasingly subject to censorship in Trump's America, the free speech-focused organisation Art At A Time Like This organised a poignant show

Leaderscomment

Comment | Executive odour: Trump’s fervour inspires more flag burning

Trump’s order attempting to criminalise the burning of the US flag has led to defiant actions from artists and activists