As 2025 draws to a close and the world welcomes 2026, the global arts and culture scene is buzzing with activity, innovation, and a few surprises that have left critics and fans alike marveling at the sheer breadth of human creativity. From London’s celebration of a century of photobooths to Singapore’s citywide art extravaganza, this season’s highlights are a testament to the enduring power of the arts—even as technology and shifting cultural tides reshape the landscape.
According to Euronews Culture, the past year has been nothing short of eclectic. The team recently compiled their top 20 lists for movies, music, and exhibitions, offering a handy guide for anyone looking to catch up on the best that 2025 had to offer. The exhibitions alone were a whirlwind: imagine 200-year-old condoms, pastel pink hotels that look straight out of a Wes Anderson film, and even sculptures of a crucified Donald Trump. These shows didn’t just push boundaries—they redrew them entirely, reflecting both a playful and provocative spirit in contemporary art.
One of the more unique celebrations is happening in London, where The Photographers’ Gallery is marking what many believe to be the 100th anniversary of the photobooth. The exhibition, aptly titled ‘Strike a pose! 100 Years of the Photobooth’, runs until February 22, 2026. Visitors are encouraged not only to view the history of this quirky cultural icon but to take home their own strip of memories. The exact date of the photobooth’s invention may be up for debate, but the impact is undeniable—a century of spontaneous smiles and candid moments, now immortalized in one of the city’s most beloved galleries.
Meanwhile, the world of film has proven itself resilient in the face of industry upheaval. As noted by Euronews Culture, 2025 saw the release of ‘The Housemaid’, a psychological thriller that hit cinemas on January 2, 2026. Starring Sydney Sweeney and based on Freida McFadden’s 2022 novel, the film follows Millie Calloway, a young nanny who uncovers unsettling secrets within a wealthy family’s home. The film is a heady mix of suspense, social commentary, and a few delightfully absurd twists—holding what the publication calls “a cracked mirror up to American suburbia.”
For those in the mood for something a bit less serious, the 90s cult classic ‘Anaconda’ has been given a comedic reboot, now featuring Jack Black and Paul Rudd. Released just in time to combat the winter doldrums, this new take on the snake-infested adventure is already drawing crowds, proving that a little nostalgia (and a lot of humor) can go a long way.
Television hasn’t been left behind, either. Netflix’s adaptation of Harlan Coben’s 2019 novel ‘Run Away’ premiered on January 1, 2026, offering a gritty British thriller about a father’s desperate search for his runaway daughter. With James Nesbitt, Ruth Jones, and Minnie Driver leading the cast, the show delves deep into family secrets and the shadowy underworld that emerges in their wake. And for fans of long-running series, the final ever episode of ‘Stranger Things’ aired on December 31, 2025, marking the end of an era for the streaming giant’s beloved supernatural saga.
On the music front, 2025 proved that even as artificial intelligence bands begin to make headlines, nothing quite matches the raw emotion and catharsis of human musicianship. Euronews Culture’s top albums of the year include Florence + The Machine’s theatrical ‘Everybody Scream’, Cate Le Bon’s introspective ‘Michelangelo Dying’, and Rosalía’s genre-defying ‘LUX’. These artists, among many others, have used their platforms to process the tumultuous events of recent years, channeling both pain and joy into sonic experiences that resonate deeply with listeners. As the publication puts it, “no one can channel all the pain and joy of existence into sonic magic like the humans that have actually experienced it.”
Yet, while Europe and the West have been celebrating their own cultural milestones, Singapore is gearing up to steal the spotlight in January 2026. According to Indulge Express, Singapore Art Week will run from January 22 to 31, transforming the city into a vibrant playground for art lovers and curious tourists alike. Anchored by the fourth edition of the ART SG fair at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, the event brings together over 100 world-class galleries. But this year, the action spills far beyond the convention halls, with installations and performances taking over venues across the city.
What makes this edition especially notable is the integration of SEA Focus—a platform dedicated to Southeast Asian voices—directly within the ART SG floor plan for the first time. Curated under the theme ‘The Humane Agency’ by John ZW Tung, the exhibition foregrounds compassion and environmental resilience, positioning artists as active participants in a rapidly changing world. Through large-scale installations and performance art, visitors are invited to reflect on what it means to be both human and humane in the 21st century.
The festivities don’t stop there. The Light to Night Festival, celebrating its tenth anniversary, will transform the facades of the National Gallery Singapore and the Asian Civilisations Museum into dazzling canvases of light. This year’s theme, ‘The Power in Us’, is a rallying cry for unity and creative energy. Inside the National Gallery, ‘Fear No Power: Women Imagining Otherwise’ offers a powerful counterpoint, spotlighting five decades of Southeast Asian women artists who have used their practice to challenge social hierarchies and imagine alternative futures.
Elsewhere in the city, art takes on immersive and playful forms. Gardens by the Bay hosts ‘David Hockney: Bigger & Closer’, a massive audiovisual journey narrated by the legendary artist himself. Over at Gillman Barracks, the installation ‘The Last Tree Was a Building’ features inflatable monkeys perched on colonial-era rooftops, blending whimsy with environmental commentary. Tanjong Pagar Distripark becomes a hub for experimental sounds with ‘Sonic Shaman 2026’, an avant-garde music festival hosted by the Singapore Art Museum. And in a cross-cultural partnership with Shanghai’s Rockbund Art Museum, The Warehouse Hotel at Robertson Quay is reimagined as the site-specific Wan Hai Hotel project—an experience that promises to blur the lines between hospitality and contemporary art.
With so much on offer, it’s clear that the global arts scene is not only surviving but thriving—adapting to new challenges, embracing fresh voices, and inviting audiences to see the world through ever-evolving lenses. Whether you’re drawn to the playful nostalgia of a photobooth, the haunting twists of a psychological thriller, or the immersive wonders of Singapore’s art week, there’s no shortage of inspiration as we step into 2026.
