Smith College of Art Announces Emma Chubb is appointed Director of Curatorial Affairs

 

Smith College Museum of Art Announces Emma Chubb as Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs photo credit: Patrick Montero

NORTHAMPTON, MA — The Smith College Museum of Art (SCMA) has appointed Emma Chubb as Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs. Chubb, who is the Charlotte Feng Ford ’83 Curator of Contemporary Art, will continue in this capacity while also leading the museum's curatorial division. Overseeing exhibitions, acquisitions, collections research, and strategic curatorial initiatives will be among Chubb’s responsibilities in her new role.  “Emma brings to this role exceptional scholarly depth, a thoughtful and ambitious curatorial vision, and a genuine talent for fostering collaboration across the museum and the college. As Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs, she will be instrumental in shaping the future of SCMA’s curatorial program and furthering the museum’s longstanding commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and meaningful public engagement,” said Jessica Nicoll, Director and Louise Ines Doyle ’34 Chief Curator of the Smith College Museum of Art. Emma Chubb is the inaugural Charlotte Feng Ford ’83 Curator of Contemporary Art at SCMA and a scholar specializing in contemporary art from Morocco. Her initiatives include Amanda Williams: An Imposing Number of Times (2020–22), Younes Rahmoun: Here, Now (2024–25)—the first retrospective dedicated to one of North Africa's most significant contemporary artists—and the establishment of SCMA's Artist-in-Residence Program. She is also the organizing curator for Don't mind if I do (2026) and Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas from the Smithsonian American Art Museum (2026–27). Her academic credentials include a PhD in art history, with a certificate in Middle East and North African Studies from Northwestern University, and a BA in Art History and French from Haverford College. This appointment follows the nearly decade-long tenure of Aprile Gallant, who is stepping down from the Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs position. Gallant will remain at SCMA as the Mary Walcott Keyes 1931 Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs, dedicating her efforts to scholarship and major research projects. Gallant’s leadership expanded the museum's curatorial expertise by appointing curators of Asian and Contemporary Art and overseeing a dynamic program of exhibitions, acquisitions, and collection initiatives. Her work has established a strong foundation for the department’s continued growth. With Chubb’s appointment, SCMA continues a series of leadership transitions that have strengthened its senior team, underscoring the museum’s ongoing commitment to organizational excellence in support of its mission as a teaching museum for Smith College.  About the Smith College Museum of Art As a teaching museum at Smith College, SCMA is dedicated to connecting people to art, ideas, and each other by engaging people with firsthand experiences of art, artists and museum practice; collecting, researching, presenting and preserving an expansive collection of art in the service of learning, teaching, and critical dialogue; and by fostering an inclusive and accessible environment that welcomes diverse perspectives and inspires imagination. Except for select holidays, SCMA and the SCMA Shop are open to the public year-round, Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. The museum is located at 20 Elm Street at Bedford Terrace, Northampton, MA. In SCMA’s galleries and classrooms, visitors experience a world-class collection of art spanning ancient times to the present and encompassing the arts of Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. The Cunningham Center for the Study of Prints, Drawings and Photographs houses and hosts the study of a comprehensive collection of works on paper.  SCMA’s commitment to broad public access is supported by the Art Bridges Foundation’s “Access for All” grant initiative, alongside a generous gift from Smith College alumnae Jan Fullgraf Golann ’71 and Jane Timken ’64, which has enabled the museum to eliminate all admission fees and expand community programming. An accredited member of the American Alliance of Museums and a founding member of Museums10, a regional cultural collaboration, SCMA is also a member of the College Art Association and the New England Museum Association. #smithcollegemuseum#fineartmagazineblog.blogspot.com #sunstormfineartmagazine.com#artfunchange#artfunnow#artfunhistory#artfunculture

The African Film Festival NY, SoundTrack to a ~Coup d" Etat~. screen at Snug Harbor, Staten Island NY, Thursday July 16, 7:30

Kick off the summer with AFF at our first outdoor screening of the season! Join us this Thursday at Snug Harbor for a special screening of the award-winning Soundtrack to a Coup d'État at 7:30 PM, preceded by a live jazz performance by Craig Harris. THU, JULY 16 AT 7:30PM 'Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat' by Johan Grimonprez Snug Harbor - South Meadow 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301 United Nations, 1960: The Global South ignites a political earthquake, jazz musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach storm the Security Council, Nikita Khrushchev bangs his shoe, and the U.S. State Department sends jazz ambassador Louis Armstrong to Congo to deflect attention from the CIA-backed coup. In this gripping essay film, director Johan Grimonprez traces the collision of African politics and American jazz, revealing the forces behind the 1961 assassination of Congo's leader Patrice Lumumba. Through eyewitness accounts, government memos, speeches, and a rich soundtrack of jazz icons, ‘Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat’ examines colonial history in a story whose political resonance remains strikingly relevant today. Watch the trailer here The screening will be preceded by a live jazz performance by Craig Harris! SUN, JULY 19 2026 AT 2PM 'Rediscovering Fanon' by Rico Speight The Leonard Nimoy Thalia at Symphony Space 2537 Broadway at 95th Street New York, NY 10025 Rediscovering Fanon is an independent feature documentary that explores the life, work, and enduring legacy of Frantz Fanon, the Martinican psychiatrist, philosopher, and revolutionary whose writings transformed global conversations about racism, colonialism, decolonization, and human liberation. Combining interviews, archival materials, music, and contemporary political reflection, the film demonstrates the continuing relevance of Fanon's ideas in the twenty-first century.

Donate Since 1990, African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF) has bridged the divide between post-colonial Africa and the American public through the medium of film. AFF's unique place in the international arts community is distinguished not only by leadership in festival management but by a comprehensive approach to the advocacy of African and diaspora film and culture. Launched in 1993, the New York African Film Festival (NYAFF) is presented annually by African Film Festival, Inc. and Film at Lincoln Center, in association with Brooklyn Academy of Music. AFF also produces a series of local, national, and international programs throughout the year.   African Film Festival, Inc. 154 West 18th Street, Suite 2A 212-352-1720

#africanflimfestival#fineartmagazineblog#sunstormartfineartmagazine.com#artfunfilm

#artfunsummer#artfunchange#artfunnow#artfuntoday

Haines Gallery ~The Shape of Looking~ Group exhibition, July 10, - September 5,2025

Haines is closed for the Fourth of July weekend on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4. Join us next week for our new exhibition, and see works by our artists around Fort Mason:

The Shape of Looking Rebekah Goldstein, Ricardo Mazal, and David Simpson Haines Gallery July 10 – September 5, 2026 Opening Reception: Friday, July 10, 5:30-7:30PM

Andy Goldsworthy: Red Flags Presented by FOR-SITE and Fort Mason Art Gateway Pavilion July 1 – 30, 2026 Opening Reception: Friday, July 10, 5:30-7:30PM (Closed on July 4–5, July 11–12)

John Chiara: Bay Panel Presented by SF Camerawork and Haines SF Camerawork June 26 – July 19, 2026 (Closed on July 4, open on July 5)

Sales Inquiries: alexandra@hainesgallery.com

Images: 1) Installation view of Andy Goldsworthy: Red Flags. Photo by Shaun Roberts; 2) Rebekah Goldstein, #hainesartgallery#fineartmagazineblog.blogspot.com #sunstormfineartmagazine.com#artfuncelebration#artfunall#artfunchange

Not Reat Art & CODAworx Present : Acelebration of Public Art in the U.S.

My Opinion: This is an interesting concept coming of age during the time of AI to forward virtual art presentation. I am wishing Not Real  Art great success. Jamie Forbes, Publisher Fineartmagazineblog.blogspot.com,& SunStormFineArtmagazine.com

NOT REAL ART and CODAworx Present '250: A Celebration of Public Art in the U.S.'— A Nationwide Art Exhibition for America's 250th Anniversary

LOS ANGELES, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- NOT REAL ART, in partnership with CODAworx and Arterial, will launch 250: A Celebration of Public Art in the U.S. Honoring America's 250th anniversary, this landmark virtual exhibition features one public artwork from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. 250 invites viewers on an immersive tour of installations in parks, deserts, city streets, and public interiors, showcasing the breadth and diversity of public art across the country. The exhibition will remain open and archived online indefinitely on NotRealArt.com.

250 highlights site-specific installations, sculptures, murals, bridges, archways, and multimedia experiences, shifting the conversation about art beyond traditional venues and into the public realm. Curated by Virginia-based arts writer Kirsten Bengtson-Lykoudis, 250 celebrates the artists who transform everyday environments into places of beauty, protest, reflection, and wonder, and reminds audiences that art is for everyone.

All artists and artworks featured in 250 are curated in partnership with CODAworx, the leading platform for the public art industry based in Madison, WI. Since 2014, CODAworx has connected all segments of public art and championed innovative public art worldwide. The artists, designers, architects, fabricators, and artisans they collaborate with have contributed to a remarkable selection of installations that celebrate community, creativity, and collaboration across the U.S.

250 is part of NOT REAL ART's First Fridays virtual exhibition series, which celebrates independent artists globally and introduces new thematic exhibitions on the first Friday of every other month. The exhibition is sponsored by Los Angeles-based arts nonprofit Arterial, whose mission is to democratize and amplify art in public spaces by sharing contemporary stories about the visual and performing arts.

Projects submitted by leading artists, design firms, fabricators, engineers, and government arts agencies are located in every state: (Alabama) Stephen Whyte's Sculpture Studio, (Alaska) Daniel Roache, (Arizona) Creative Machines, (Arkansas) Erin Ashcroft Artistry LLC, (California) Ilan Averbuch, (Colorado) Denver Arts & Venues (Connecticut) Svigals + Partners (Delaware) Chiodo Art Development, (District of Columbia) OxmanStudios, Inc. (Florida)  Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (Georgia and South Dakota) Christopher Weed Sculpture Inc., (Hawaii) Glasmalerei Peters Studios / Peters Studio U.S. (Idaho) David Carmack Lewis, (Illinois)  Ignition Arts, LLC, (Indiana) Torey Dunne, (Iowa) KenyonZubko Collaborative Beau Kenyon +Natalia Zubko, (Kansas) Ball-Nogues Design Studio, (Kentucky) Bollinger Atelier, (Louisiana) Marcus Brown, (Maine and Mississippi) Transformit, (Maryland and Wisconsin) RE:site, (Massachusetts) MASARY Studios, (Michigan) Formed For/Brodin Sculptures,(Minnesota) City of Bloomington Creative Placemaking, (Missouri) Matthew Mazzotta, (Montana) Jessica Bodner, (Nebraska) James Tyler, (Nevada) Davis McCarty, (New Hampshire) Lyubov Muravyeva, (New Jersey and New York) Mayer of Munich, (New Mexico) Lordy Rodriguez, (North Carolina) MARC FORNES/THEVERYMANY, (North Dakota) Anne Labovitz, (Ohio) Cliff Garten Studio, (Oklahoma) Narduli Studio, (Oregon) Ray King Studio, (Pennsylvania) Ava Blitz, (Puerto Rico) Pseudo Mero, (Rhode Island) Peter Diepenbrock, (South Carolina) Laurel Holtzapple, (Tennessee) Blessing Hancock, (Texas) Metalab, (Utah) Gordon Huether + Partners, Inc. (Vermont) Stephen Rhoades, (Virginia) WMATA Art in Transit Program, (Washington) Sarah Helen More, (West Virginia) Humanity Memorial Inc., and (Wyoming) Elizabeth Best, G. Brown Design Inc.

About the Curator

Former New York gallery director Kirsten Bengtson-Lykoudis (she/her/hers) serves as staff writer, archivist, and curator for NOT REAL ART. She enjoys rambling through NRA's vast digital archive of contemporary artworks and getting to know the people behind them. After growing up in the Twin Cities, Kirsten traveled between Florida, Russia, Sweden, New York, France, Italy, the Aegean Islands, and Washington, DC, before landing in Richmond, Virginia. A photographer, student of Russian literature, devout polyglot, and nonfiction writer, she is currently plotting her next trip to Greece.

About First Fridays

First Fridays is an online exhibition series celebrating independent artists nationwide. This bi-monthly feature of NOT REAL ART, an online platform based in Los Angeles, helps people discover today's contemporary artists. Since its debut in 2023, First Fridays has showcased 766 artists and 1,045 artworks across 39 exhibitions, featuring painting, sculpture, photography, digital art, mixed media, and more. Upcoming exhibitions include The Art of Resistance (September 4 – November 5, 2026), which explores art as defiance, dissent, and solidarity—works that speak truth, challenge power, and refuse to look away; and Southern Gothic: Artists Working Below the Mason-Dixon (November 6 – December 31, 2026), a curated look at artists, aesthetics, and stories rooted in the American South—its mythology, contradictions, and unique creative voice.

About CODAworx

CODAworx is on a mission to demonstrate the power of public art to change the world. As the public art industry leader, the company provides creative professionals a platform to showcase their work, connect, and find opportunities. Powered by a database showcasing thousands of projects with a collective budget of over $13 billion dollars, CODAworx leverages live events, awards programs, publications, data, and digital tools to empower public art in the experience economy.

About NOT REAL ART

NOT REAL ART is a free, independent platform for discovering today's contemporary artists. The site helps working artists tell their stories and promote their work through exhibitions, podcasts, grants, and editorial coverage. NOT REAL ART is owned and operated by Crewest Studio LLC, an independent media company dedicated to creative culture and the arts. Follow @notrealartworld and visit NotRealArt.com.

About Crewest Studio

Crewest Studio LLC is a mission-driven, independent media and entertainment company dedicated exclusively to the visual and performing arts. Based in Los Angeles, Crewest develops, produces, publishes, and distributes television shows, movies, documentaries, podcasts, events, books, and blogs serving creative arts and culture. Crewest has worked with ABC/Disney, A&E Networks, PBS, Instagram, Microsoft, and the U.S. State Department, among others.

About Arterial

Arterial is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to telling contemporary stories about the visual and performing arts. Based in Los Angeles, Arterial sponsors and funds arts-related media projects across film, television, podcasts, and digital formats. Since its founding in 2024, Arterial has supported NYC filmmakers Logan Hicks and Jeremy Chilnick in completing their documentary, The Underbelly Project, and SoCal PBS for the Emmy-winning show "Art Bound." In 2025, Arterial became the fiscal sponsor for the unscripted television show "Arthouse," raising nearly $50,000 for its pilot. In 2026, Arterial will syndicate 50 hours of arts educational content to one million incarcerated people via the Edovo platform. Arterial also owns and operates ArtsvilleUSA.com, a digital discovery platform for arts and crafts.

SOURCE NOT REAL ART / Crewest Studio

#notrealart#fineartmagazineblog.blog.blogspot.com#sunstormfinearmagazine.com#artfunchange,

#artfuncreate#artfunvirtual#artfuneasy

Yale Center for British Art : Loyalists and Sons of Liberty: America 250 now through December 21, 2026

Loyalists and Sons of Liberty: America 250 On view through December 31, 2026 In Loyalists and Sons of Liberty: America 250, the Yale Center for British Art Displays the Tensions and Rich Pictorial History of America’s Fight for Liberty   In 1776, the Declaration of Independence announced the thirteen American colonies’ intention to break from the British Empire. The story of the resulting war is often told as a clash between “patriots” who supported independence and “loyalists” who wished to remain British. The reality was far more complicated, with the conflict dividing communities and testing friendships on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.  This tension is powerfully illustrated in the Yale Center for British Art’s new display, Loyalists and Sons of Liberty: America 250.  The display, which runs through the end of 2026, features paintings, prints, drawings, and sculptures by both British- and American-born artists—including works by Benjamin West, John Singleton Copley, and Gilbert Stuart. It is on view in the museum’s fourth-floor galleries, with a complementary display in the YCBA Study Room. “The Yale Center for British Art is uniquely positioned to offer a distinct perspective on America’s founding,” said Martina Droth, Paul Mellon Director of the Yale Center for British Art. “As the largest collection of British art outside the UK, our collection contains deep and often unexpected connections to American history. This display offers an opportunity to explore the birth of the United States through a transatlantic lens, and to illuminate the complicated cultural, political, and economic ties that shaped both Britain and America in this period.”  Loyalists and Sons of Liberty taps into the YCBA’s rich collection to examine America’s battle for independence via the artists who documented the years leading up to and throughout the Revolutionary War. Offering an alternative view of this complex moment in global history, their work portrays the many supporters of the American cause within Britain at the time of the Declaration’s signing. Other works were created to inspire loyalty and express a vision of the colonies’ future as part of the British Empire, in turn shaping the public image of the monarchy and the government. Among the historical figures featured in the display are British monarchs such as George III and Queen Charlotte and military leaders like General Charles Cornwallis, in addition to lesser-known figures from British and American military and political life. These subjects include abolitionists, enslavers, and both supporters and opponents of the American revolutionaries. “The complex loyalties and interconnections between these artists and the people they painted challenge the simple categories of patriot and loyalist,” said Edward Town, the YCBA’s Associate Curator of Paintings and Sculpture, who curated the display alongside Pilar Forrest, Postgraduate Research Associate. “These works prompt reflection on how art shapes political identity and public opinion, and why certain histories remain more visible than others.” In addition to the display, the YCBA in May hosted Thinking Through Tea: Art, Resistance, and Global Entanglements in the Age of American Independence, a symposium presented in conjunction with the Lunder Institute at the Colby College Museum of Art. Marking the 250th anniversary year of the Declaration of Independence, this program reconsidered American resistance not as a singular political rupture, but as a material and visual process shaped through objects, images, and everyday rituals.  Free and open to all. Yale Center for British Art 1080 Chapel Street New Haven, CT 06520-8280 Museum Hours Sunday: 11 am – 5 pm Tuesday–Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm   britishart.yale.edu Subscribe to our newsletter Image Credit: Benjamin West, The Death of Chatham, 1778, oil on canvas. Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Fund, in honor of Professor Jules David Prown  #yalecenterart#fineartmagazineblog.blogspot.com #sunstormfineartmagazine.com#fineartmagzineblog.blogspot.com#artfuncelebration$arfunlearn#artfunchange#artfun250