Your Guide to Art Exhibitions Across Australia
Immerse yourself in the dynamic realm of Australian art and culture,
brought to life by an eclectic range of exhibitions. Take a sneak peek
into the ongoing showcase of creativity that awaits you.
VIC
Archibald, Wynne, Sulman Prizes 2025
Julie Fragar 'Flagship Mother Multiverse (Justene)', 2025, Art Gallery of New South Wales
August 30 - November 9 2025
Geelong Gallery
Held annually at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Archibald, Wynne, Sulman Prizes are the most well renowned art competitions in Australia. Celebrating Australian contributions to the portraiture and landscape genres, the Archibald, Wynne, and Sulman prizes are infamously known for their ability to spark national conversations about art. With the exhibition travelling to Geelong Gallery, seeing these artworks in person offers visitors the chance to see Australian art history be made first-hand.
65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art
May 30 - November 22 2025
Potter Museum of Art
After an extensive period of renovation and renewal, the Potter Museum of Art at the University of Melbourne has finally re-opened with its debut exhibition ‘65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art.’ Featuring more than 400 works, ‘65,000 Years’ celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, whilst also comprehensively exploring Australia’s dark colonial history.
A Modern Turn
March 16 - September 28
Castlemaine Art Museum
With a focus on the development of modernism in Australia, Castlemaine Art Museum’s ‘A Modern Turn’ is a vivid celebration of Australian art, embracing a broad range of artists and art styles. This exhibition features artists such as Dorothy Braund, Eric Thake, and Sybil Craig and includes works across various mediums that individually speak to what it means to embrace modernity. For fans of 20th Century Australian art, this exhibition should not be missed.
Man Ray and Max Dupain
August 6 - November 9
Heide Museum of Modern Art
In this vivid exploration of the development of modernist photography, Heide brings together the works of American-born artist Man Ray with the works of famed Australian photographer Max Dupain. Drawing comparisons between their works, this exhibition explores how the artists influenced each other, contributing to the development of surrealism and innovative photographic techniques. For lovers of Modernism and photography, this exhibition is a must-see.
Brett Whiteley: Inside the Studio
June 28 - October 5
Shepparton Art Museum
One of Australia’s most iconic artists, this exhibition provides a fascinating insight into the life and creative practice of Brett Whiteley. Drawing from the collections of the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Brett Whiteley Studio, Whiteley’s multidisciplinary artistic genius will be on full display, with his iconic paintings and prints featured alongside sculptures, photographs, and collages. For all fans of Whiteley’s works and wanting an intimate look inside his studio life, this exhibition will be a must-see.
NSW
Janet Dawson: Far Away, So Close
Janet Dawson, 'The origin of the Milky Way', 1964, Art Gallery of New South Wales
July 19 2025 - January 18, 2026
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Held at the Art Gallery of NSW until 2026, this free exhibition explores the works of prominent Australian Modernist Janet Dawson. Born in 1935, Dawson’s works defy traditional art historical boundaries. A pioneer of abstraction in Australian art, Dawson is also an accomplished portraitist, winning the Archibald Prize in 1973 with her first ever entry into the annual national competition. For those who love pioneers in Australian art history, this AGNSW retrospective is a must-see.
Olive Cotton and her Contemporaries
Olive Cotton, 'Teacup Ballet', 1935, National Gallery of Australia
August 22 - October 19, 2026
Hawkesburn Regional Gallery
This touring exhibition is a celebration of the innovation and importance of Olive Cotton, one of Australia’s most important modernist photographers and a leading figure of the modernism movement. Drawing on the National Gallery of Australia’s extensive collection, this exhibition focuses on both Cotton and her fellow photographers, including Dora Maar, Lucia Moholy, and Tina Modotti. Bringing awareness to the cultural significance of the Australian photography movement, this exhibition is perfect for lovers of early-modernist photography.
QLD
Spectrum
July 5 2025 - February 8 2026
Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art
The QAGOMA’s newest exhibition ‘Spectrum’ delves into the vivid world of Australian abstract paintings, with a focus on the developments of modernism in Australia and the rise of the Abstract art movement. Featuring artists such as John Peart, Helga Groves and Michael Johnson, this exhibition covers a dynamic range of art, from the 1960s to the Contemporary era. For lovers of Australian abstract art, this exhibition is a must-see.
National Interest: Australian Art in the 20th Century
Until February 21 2027
Hervey Bay Regional Gallery
Hervey Bay Regional Gallery’s ‘National Interests’ exhibition is an exploration of the development of modernism in Australia. Pairing works from the gallery’s own collection with significant works from the National Gallery of Australia, this exhibition delves into the interconnected nature of Australian nationalism and the creation of a distinct national art movement. Featuring artists such as Arthur Boyd, Keith Namatjira, Sidney Nolan, and Margaret Preston, this exhibition captures the broad scope of modernism in Australia.
SA
Rethinking Australian Art
Philippe Le Miere ‘Alice Kelly and Family’
Currently Showing
Art Gallery of South Australia
By re-hanging these selected artworks from their collection, the Art Gallery of South Australia aims to re-explore Australian Art History. Challenging the notion of a national art scene that was isolated or singular, this presentation of art showcases the intricate and revolutionary shifts that took place in Australian art following the Second World War - including the emergence of Aboriginal art, the momentum of the Feminist art movement, and the ascent of conceptual art and postmodernism.