Portrait Gallery Delays Outwin 2025 Opening as Shutdown Threatens Smithsonian Operations

Overview

• Acting director Elliot Gruber notified artists on October 7 that the opening events set for October 16–17 are postponed, with the exhibition previously slated to open October 18 and run through August 30, 2026.
• The Smithsonian said limited private trusts and prior‑year federal funds could keep its museums and the zoo open only through October 11 if the shutdown continues.
• A National Portrait Gallery spokesperson said the decision was taken proactively to let participants recover travel costs and to allow extra installation time if needed, with a new date to be set after reopening.
• The triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition show features 35 works by 36 artists selected from more than 3,300 submissions, with a $25,000 first prize and winners including David Antonio Cruz, Kameron Neal, and Jared Soares.
• The postponement reflects wider cultural disruptions, as the National Gallery of Art has been closed since October 1 and National Park sites across the country are shuttered.