Cluj's contemporary art has for years been the subject of special international attention. The term Cluj School in reference to new figurative painting - which appeared in the mid 2000s and has been the topic of debate ever since - and the Paintbrush Factory - which houses studios and independent cultural institutions - quickly became widely known in Europe.

Of the Cluj artists, many have exhibited in such prestigious international venues as the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, MoMA in New York, the Kunsthaus of Zurich, and the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein. Their works have been discussed in internationally significant publications and they have collaborated with distinguished galleries.

The art institutions of Cluj have notable networks of international connections and continuously host prominent foreign experts.