Our mission with the ArtAsiaPacific Almanac, launched in 2005, has been to survey the diverse art communities within our geographical footprint. From Turkey in the West to Tonga on the edge of the International Date Line, we have strived for comprehensiveness, celebrating global artistic activity within institutions that championed figures from the non-Western realm. As the shock of Covid-19 and the worldwide lockdowns forced us to adapt, the Almanac pivoted its focus from countries to cities that remained active during those unprecedented times. Five years on, the world once again faces new challenges.

On the cusp of 2026, I am filled with a profound sense of optimism. The unanticipated disruptions of this past year serve as the graphic theme of our latest Almanac. From economic headwinds and geopolitical tensions to unnervingly rapid AI advancements, the art world has navigated a complex landscape. Yet amid this chaos, there is fertile ground for renewal. Our 14 city reports, the Almanac’s core, reveal how our art ecosystem has thrived by embracing fluidity, hybridity, and bold reinvention. Our interviews feature key figures impacting artists and their communities. Brisbane-based multidisciplinary artist Tony Albert discusses his role as artistic director of the fifth National Indigenous Art Triennial in Canberra, while Riyadh’s Abdulnasser Gharem reflects on how his Arts Tower (2025) has come to symbolize Saudi Arabia’s cultural metamorphosis. We also explore the in-roads made by emerging artist-organizers like Hong Kong’s Jeremy Ip, founder of WURE AREA. Museum leaders share their new institutional approaches—from Yukie Kamiya, chief curator at the National Art Center, Tokyo, recontextualizing Heisei-era art, to Shanghai’s Rockbund Art Museum executive director X Zhu-Nowell on her concept of a “resistant institution.” The Tselinny Center for Contemporary Culture’s director Jamilya Nurkalieva echoes this, detailing the establishment’s aim to empower Kazakh artists.

The Almanac chronicles how tumultuous changes have affected cities across Asia and the Pacific. From Seoul, curator Valentina Buzzi reports on the art scene’s questions of sustainability regarding Hallyu’s cultural momentum. Istanbul-based writer Matt A. Hanson captures the Turkish art community’s internal conflicts, while Zian Chen explores the growing wave of populism in Taipei that is impacting both arts funding and creative practice. Bea Belen-Ferrer examines trends of self-archiving and the re-evaluation of Philippine art in Manila’s exhibitions. As Kittima Chareeprasit charts the flurry of new private art initiatives and cultural developments in Bangkok, Yvonne Wang analyzes how Singapore’s art calendar has transitioned from episodic marquee events to a steadier rhythm of both institutional and grassroots exhibition. Jennifer S. Li recounts a troubling year in Los Angeles, which began with devastating fires, followed by immigration raids and major gallery closures. Despite this, the city persists as a haven for cross-generational artists hailing from Asia.

Our Artists of the Year includes Saodat Ismailova, whose mesmerizing films probe Uzbekistan’s complex history. We also spotlight Singapore’s Ho Tzu Nyen, whose solo exhibitions offered a fascinating exploration on time, history, and mythmaking. The futuristic works of Ayoung Kim captivated audiences around the world, blending video, virtual reality, and AI to consider how technology shapes society and the gig economy. Colombian-Korean-American artist Gala Porras-Kim, known for her conservationist practice, had cross-continental shows and earned the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship. India’s Shilpa Gupta, a significant figure for decades, held numerous solo exhibitions, beginning in Dubai and ending in Kochi. Our One to Watch in 2026 is Han Mengyun, who produced a new film during her residency in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, and had further projects in China and beyond.

Across the region, we survey this year’s defining festivals—from the Sharjah Biennial in the UAE to the Aichi Triennale in Japan. In our Exhibitions of the Year, we revisit landmark showcases in Melbourne, Tokyo, London, and San Francisco alongside Heman Chong’s witty critiques of bureaucracy at the Singapore Art Museum; Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook’s meditations on the human condition at Dubai’s Jameel Arts Centre; and Lee Bul’s breathtaking retrospective of utopia and its failures at the Leeum Museum of Art in Seoul. In News, we recap major awards, commissions, appointments, infrastructure projects, controversies, and the passings of creative luminaries. Additionally, we reassess the art fair and auction sectors. For Inside the Burger Collection, Harry C. H. Choi sits down with Kong Chun Hei to discuss the influences shaping his quiet practice. Finally, we highlight what’s in store for 2026, from new museums to flagship events and exhibitions.

Our Almanac would not be possible without the generous support of Burger Collection, Ann Tranqui & Hossein Zaimi, Eiko & Keita Arisawa, 100 Tonson Art Foundation, Bangkok Art Biennale, Gallery Hyundai, Kukje Gallery, The Private Museum, Soluna Fine Art, STPI, Nicole Schoeni, Art Jakarta, and Nicola Chu. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the contributors, artists, curators, organizations that shared their time, insight, images, and knowledge so graciously throughout the year. Sincere appreciation to our art director Heesun Seo and designer June Lin, whose bold visual design captures the exhilarating sense of transition we are collectively experiencing. And finally, the Almanac is a testament to the unwavering dedication of AAP’s editorial team: Michele Chan, Louis Lu, Annette Meier, Arphy Li, Don J. Cohn, and our enthusiastic interns.

In this era of blurred boundaries—between tradition and technology, crisis and opportunity, the individual and the collective—we embrace chaos as the essence of creativity. Our optimism is born not from denial, but from action: artists reimagining futures, curators forging connections, collectors endorsing substance over spectacle. I am inspired by the unyielding resilience in our communities—may 2026 bring fearless experimentation, deeper solidarities, and more joyful chaos that propels art ever forward.