The Cayman Islands’ art scene converges each May during Cayman Art Week, a six-day festival that in 2026 ran from 26 to 31 May across Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman. Founded in 2020 by National Gallery director Natalie Urquhart during the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was designed to support artists affected by lockdowns and has since grown into one of the biggest creative events of the year, with hundreds of artists showing work across all three islands.
Hundreds of artists show work across all three islands during Cayman Art Week, which has become one of the biggest creative events of the year.
The week-long programme includes free exhibitions, artist talks, studio tours, and special events, with most galleries, studios, and pop-up exhibitions open weekdays from 10 a.m. for public viewing. Guided bus tours — hop-on hop-off services operating in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac — have become a staple feature, transporting art enthusiasts between participating venues. The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands serves as lead partner, and the event closes out May in alignment with Heritage Month celebrations across the islands.
Cayman Art Week gives you a structured way to see the islands’ visual arts scene in one go, but the real draw is the access — you can walk into a working studio, talk to the artist making the work, and buy directly. Most events are free, though a few special experiences, food and drink events, or art-supply workshops require payment. The bus tours (especially the hop-on hop-off routes) solve the logistics problem of hitting multiple venues across three islands without renting a car.
Art collectors
Families
First-time visitors
The table below gives a quick overview of the key venues and experiences you can expect during the week.
| Venue / Experience | Island | Highlight | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Gallery of the Cayman Islands | Grand Cayman | Launch party, permanent collection, curator-led tours | First-time visitors, history buffs |
| Carlos V. Gallery at the Grove | Grand Cayman | Evening event with artists present, open until late | Night owls, collectors |
| Gordon Solomon Studio | Cayman Brac | “The Fair Weather Project” exhibition, launch event | Contemporary art fans |
| Seahorse Boutique and Gallery | Little Cayman | Open House Coffee Morning, relaxed browsing | Families, casual browsers |
| Eastern Grand Cayman Studio Tour | Grand Cayman | Curator-led bus tour of studios, galleries, pop-ups | Serious collectors, photographers |
National Gallery of the Cayman Islands
The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands acts as the anchor for the entire art week. The official launch event on Wednesday 27 May ran from 7 to 9 p.m. and was free with RSVP required. Parliamentary secretary for culture and heritage Julie Hunter spoke at the launch, and artist Randy Chollette performed drumming — his work was also displayed at the gallery. The gallery’s permanent collection of Cayman art offers a guided walk-through on Thursday 28 May, giving context to the island’s artistic lineage. On Friday 29 May, a Curators Tour of Maritime Art was offered at lunchtime.
The gallery also serves as the departure point for the Saturday bus tour of eastern Grand Cayman, which leaves at 9 a.m. for a curator-led tour of studios, galleries, and pop-ups in South Sound, Savannah, Bodden Town, Breakers, North Side, and East End.
Carlos V. Gallery at the Grove
Carlos V. Gallery at the Grove hosted an evening event on Thursday 28 May that ran from 6 p.m. to just before midnight — one of the later-running openings during the week. The event was part of a broader evening of events across various locations where artists shared insights into their works. The gallery sits within the Camana Bay and Seven Mile Beach corridor, which also saw the hop-on hop-off bus tour operating that same day. If you are on the Seven Mile Beach side of Grand Cayman, this is an easy evening add-on after a day at the beach or pool.
Carlos V. Gallery’s late hours (until midnight) make it a good option after dinner — the hop-on hop-off bus runs through the Camana Bay area during the day, but you will need a taxi or rental car for the evening return.
Gordon Solomon Studio and Cayman Brac
Cayman Brac gets its own launch event on Wednesday 27 May at Gordon Solomon Studio, where Solomon shared a new exhibition titled “The Fair Weather Project.” The studio is one of several venues on the smaller island that participate in the art week. Earlier on Tuesday 26 May, a pre-event at the National Trust’s Eldemire House featured local artists’ works and a silent auction. On Saturday 30 May, the Cayman Brac bus tour departed from Cayman Brac Heritage House, visiting numerous venues and artists, and Simone Scott ran a workshop at Eldemire House. The TimeBack exhibition was also available at Cayman Brac Beach Resort that day.
Getting to Cayman Brac requires a short inter-island flight or ferry, but the research indicates the bus tour makes multi-venue navigation straightforward once you are there.
Little Cayman’s Creative Side
Little Cayman, the smallest of the three islands, participates in Cayman Art Week with its own slate of events. The Seahorse Boutique and Gallery hosted an Open House Coffee Morning on Friday 29 May from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. — a low-key, drop-in format that works well for visitors who want a relaxed introduction to local art. The National Trust Little Cayman led a Photography Walking Tour from 3 to 6:30 p.m. the same day, combining creative practice with the island’s landscape.
Little Cayman’s events are concentrated on Friday, so you can fly over from Grand Cayman in the morning, attend the coffee house and photography tour, and fly back the same evening — or stay overnight at one of the island’s small resorts.
Eastern Grand Cayman Studio Tour
The Saturday bus tour of eastern Grand Cayman is one of the art week’s most popular features. The tour departs from the National Gallery at 9 a.m. and is curator-led, making stops at studios, galleries, and pop-up exhibitions in South Sound, Savannah, Bodden Town, Breakers, North Side, and East End. This route covers the quieter, less developed side of Grand Cayman, where working artists have set up studios away from the Seven Mile Beach corridor.
Board the CAW East Bus Tour at the National Gallery. The curator provides context for each stop along the route. No advance booking required for bus tour participation, but confirm RSVP requirements for specific studio visits as you go.
First stops cover studios and pop-ups in South Sound and Savannah — expect a mix of painting, sculpture, and multimedia work. Artists are typically present and available to talk about their process.
The route continues through Bodden Town, Breakers, and North Side, with stops roughly every 10-15 minutes. The bus runs on a hop-on hop-off schedule, so you can linger at a studio and catch the next bus.
The final stretch covers East End before the bus loops back. If you have energy left, the evening events at St. Ignatius Catholic School or Magenta Studio are worth checking — both are listed as Saturday venues in the research.
Navigating Cayman Art Week: Costs, Bus Routes, and Timing
Most Cayman Art Week events are free and open to the public. A few require RSVPs, and some charge for special experiences, food and drink, or art supplies. The free access is made possible through continued support from patron Susan A Olde OBE, lead partners the Ministry of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure through the George Town Revitalisation Initiative, the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands, and the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, among others. Participation is free for artists and venues as well.
The hop-on hop-off bus services are the most practical way to see multiple venues. On Grand Cayman, buses operated throughout the Camana Bay and Seven Mile Beach corridor on Thursday, and a central bus tour ran from Cardinall Avenue and Cricket Square on Friday, stopping at venues every 10-15 minutes. Complimentary Aperol Spritz was offered to bus tour joiners at Cardinall Avenue. On Saturday, the eastern districts tour and the Cayman Brac bus tour both operated. The research notes that guided bus tours have become a staple feature of the event because they solve the transport problem across spread-out venues.
The Friday bus tour from Cardinall Avenue and Cricket Square in George Town runs every 10-15 minutes — use this as your base for hitting the Industrial Park and George Town venues. The complimentary Aperol Spritz at Cardinall Avenue is a nice touch, but do not plan your route around it.
If you are visiting outside of Cayman Art Week, many of the same galleries and studios remain open year-round. The Cayman Art Week website functions as a central hub for information on the islands’ art scene throughout the year, listing venues, artists, and upcoming exhibitions. The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands is a year-round destination with its permanent collection and rotating exhibitions.
Some special events, food and drink offerings, and art-supply workshops require payment — check the full programme on the Cayman Art Week website before you go to avoid surprises. The research also notes that some evening events require RSVPs even when free, so confirm ahead for events like the National Gallery launch party.
Before You Go — Cayman Islands Art Scene
Do I need to book bus tours in advance?
The hop-on hop-off bus tours operate on a walk-up basis — just show up at the departure point. The Saturday eastern districts tour departs the National Gallery at 9 a.m., and the Cayman Brac tour departs Cayman Brac Heritage House. No advance booking is mentioned in the research for the bus services themselves.
Are the events suitable for children?
Yes. Sunday’s Still Life Drawing at the Farmers Market (10 a.m. to 12 p.m.) and the Family Fair at Gram Bella’s (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday) are specifically designed for families. Most daytime gallery events are also fine for older kids who can handle a short walk-through, though evening events at bars and restaurants skew adult.
What if I am not on Grand Cayman?
Cayman Brac and Little Cayman both have dedicated programming. Cayman Brac’s bus tour visits multiple venues from Heritage House, and Little Cayman offers the Seahorse Boutique coffee morning and the Photography Walking Tour. Both islands are reachable by inter-island flight or ferry from Grand Cayman.
What is the single best day to attend?
Saturday 30 May offers the deepest programming — the eastern Grand Cayman studio tour, the Cayman Brac bus tour, and multiple workshops and evening events across all three islands. If you only have one day, Saturday gives you the most breadth.
Art Beyond the Week
Cayman Art Week was founded to build a sustainable art market in the Cayman Islands while celebrating creativity and supporting artist sales and venue success. The event has grown each year, reflecting what Urquhart describes as the growing maturity and vibrancy of Cayman’s art scene. Whether you come during the festival or visit the National Gallery’s permanent collection on a quiet weekday, the islands’ creative community offers a side of the Cayman Islands that goes well beyond the beaches and dive sites. For more ideas on how to build a trip around the islands, see our guide to exploring all three Cayman Islands on a road trip.
References
Cayman Compass. “Cayman Art Week Offers a Full Immersion into Local Art.” 2026. ↗
Cayman Independent. “Cayman Art Week Showcases Islands’ Vibrant Creative Sector.” 2026. ↗
Cayman Independent. “Cayman Art Week Dates for 2026 Have Been Announced.” 2026. ↗
If you are planning a broader Cayman Islands trip, you might also find our guides to white sand beaches and crystal waters and luxury beaches and world-class diving useful for balancing culture time with island classics.
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