Chiang Mai University Art Center

Known for showing both student work and some of the world’s best international artists, CMU Art Centre is one to keep your eye on. Taking in a graduate show here is a good way to see what’s happening in the next generation of contemporary Thai art. In recent years, CMU’s Faculty of Arts has really been stepping up its game by introducing students to more conceptual and experimental styles of art. Graduate exhibitions give viewers a taste of the city’s future in art.

The space itself is enormous. Multiple large rooms with high ceilings make it feel expansive. Highly regarded among arts professionals, this is the one of the few exhibition spaces in the city that successfully attracts big name artists on an ongoing basis. Even though it does show student work often, you can also catch international touring exhibitions here if you check their events calendar. From intense retrospectives on American war photography to displays of traditional Japanese dolls and costume, there’s often something fascinating to see at CMU Art Centre. Next door to the gallery is Dindee, a lovely restaurant with organic food, tea, and trinkets. In other words, it’s a perfect way to wind down a big day of arting around. The cafe closes at 6 pm, and hour after the gallery.