Art in Cyprus: Galleries, Art Museums and Where to See Art (2026)

The best places to see art in Cyprus are in Nicosia: the A. G. Leventis Gallery, the State Gallery of Contemporary Art and NiMAC, the municipal arts centre in a former power station. Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos each have a municipal gallery and a growing circle of private galleries, and the Larnaca Biennale and the VIMA art fair bring the island's art scene together.

Cyprus has a small but lively art world. Much of it is free or costs only a few euros, and exhibitions often open with an evening reception that is open to the public. Here is where to go, city by city, what to put in your diary and where to learn yourself.

Where can you see art in Nicosia?

The capital has the island's main collections and most of its galleries, many of them within walking distance of each other.

A. G. Leventis Gallery

Opened in 2014, the A. G. Leventis Gallery is a major art museum with three collections: the Paris Collection of European art from the 17th to the 20th century, with works by Canaletto, Boucher, Fragonard, Monet, Renoir, Signac and Chagall; a Greek Collection of 19th- and 20th-century painters; and a Cyprus Collection of the first generation of Cypriot artists, born between 1884 and 1930. As of 2026, CultureSpot lists standard entry at €5 (free for under-18s), with late opening until 22:00 on Wednesdays and closing on Tuesdays.

State Gallery of Contemporary Art

The state's own collection of 20th-century Cypriot painting and sculpture hangs in a building on the corner of Stasinou Avenue and Kritis Street. Entry is free; it opens on weekdays and Saturday mornings, and August hours may vary.

NiMAC, the Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre

NiMAC opened on 14 January 1994 in Nicosia's first power station, restored by the municipality and run in association with the Pierides Foundation. It shows contemporary art from Cyprus and abroad and has an art history library and the Cyprus Visual Arts Archive. During exhibitions it opens Wednesday to Sunday. Instagram: @nimac_cy.

Old town galleries

Inside the walls you will also find CVAR on Ermou Street, the Hambis Municipal Printmaking Museum and the Byzantine Museum and Art Galleries of the Archbishop Makarios III Foundation, covered in our best museums guide. Private galleries include Gloria Gallery, founded in 1977, and Art Seen, directed by curator Maria Stathi, as well as artist-run spaces such as Thkio Ppalies. Our Nicosia old town guide covers the neighbourhood.

Where can you see art in Limassol?

The Limassol Municipal Art Gallery, at 28 Oktovriou 103 on the seafront, has one of the largest collections of modern Cypriot art, with more than 600 works. The old building, designed in 1938, shows painters such as Adamantios Diamantis, Christoforos Savva and Telemachos Kanthos, and the newer halls show younger artists. As of 2026 it opens Monday to Friday, 08:00–14:30, and entry is €2.

The Limassol Municipal Arts Centre – Apothikes Papadaki is a converted warehouse in the historic centre, used for major contemporary shows. In July 2026 it hosted a group exhibition by members of the Cyprus Chamber of Fine Arts.

Private galleries include Lumiere Contemporary Art Gallery and 125 Space, both on Georgiou A' Avenue. For the creative quarter around the old town, see our Saripolou Square guide.

Where can you see art in Larnaca, Paphos and Ayia Napa?

• Larnaca: the Larnaka Municipal Gallery fills four connected halls in 1881 colonial buildings on Europe Square, at the start of the Foinikoudes promenade. It shows rotating exhibitions by Cypriot and foreign artists and is free. It opens on weekday mornings and afternoons and on Saturday mornings.
• Paphos: the Pafos Municipal Gallery is at 7 Gladstone Street in the town centre. Private spaces include Psifida Gallery in Paphos and AB Gallery in Yeroskipou, both featured on ART.Cy in 2026.
• Ayia Napa: MUSAN, the underwater sculpture museum off Pernera beach, has 93 sculptures at 8–10 metres, visited by snorkellers and divers.

What art events and festivals are there in Cyprus?

The Larnaca Biennale is a major contemporary art event held every two years; its fourth edition ran from 15 October to 28 November 2025, and the theme for 2027 is "Metatopies: Geographies in Motion", with an open call for artists. VIMA is a contemporary art fair in Limassol; its 2026 edition was curated by Kostas Stasinopoulos of London's Serpentine. ART.Cy organises group exhibitions and publishes listings of openings across the island; follow it on Instagram at @art.in.cyprus. In autumn 2025, FastForward also listed the Nicosia Walls Fest in the moat, the Nicosia International Festival and the ArtCargo Festival on the Limassol seafront. Check our events calendar for dates.

Where can you take art classes in Cyprus?

1. Adult Education Centres: the Ministry of Education's Adult Education Centres teach painting, ceramics and pottery, mosaic, stained glass, graphic arts and hagiography (icon painting) through centres across the island; ask your local centre about the new year's courses and how to enrol.
2. NiMAC: announces a new cycle of courses for 2026–2027 on its website.
3. Gallery workshops: the A. G. Leventis Gallery holds occasional adult workshops linked to its exhibitions, such as a €10 experiential workshop in January 2025 (in Greek).
4. For children: municipal art workshops, CVAR family mornings and pottery villages are in our arts, crafts and pottery workshops for kids guide.

Tips for visiting galleries in Cyprus

• Check the hours first. Municipal galleries keep office-style hours: the Limassol Municipal Art Gallery closes at 14:30 and at weekends, and the Larnaka Municipal Gallery closes for a long lunch break and on Sundays. Private galleries often open only in the afternoon or on certain days while a show is on.
• Plan around August and public holidays. Many venues close on public holidays, and the State Gallery of Contemporary Art warns that its August hours may vary.
• Go to an opening. Exhibition openings are usually early evening, free, and the easiest way to meet artists and gallery owners when you are new to the island.
• Follow the listings. ART.Cy and NiMAC post upcoming shows on their websites and Instagram, and the Deputy Ministry of Tourism publishes a programme of free events for International Museum Day each May.
• Combine visits. In Nicosia, the galleries above are close enough to see two or three in a morning; in Limassol, pair the Municipal Art Gallery with a walk through the old town.

Are you an artist or gallery in Cyprus?

We love showing the people who make the island's art scene. If you paint, sculpt, throw pots, take photographs or run a gallery or art space in Cyprus, tell us about your work and where people can see it, add a few photos and we will write your feature, free. Share your art with Expatify.