Artworks by John Olsen AO OBE, Sir William Dobell OBE and Margaret Olley AC will soon get the stunning exhibition space they deserve when the community is given its first look inside the reimagined Newcastle Art Gallery in September.
After more than 40 years, the gallery is undergoing a major expansion, which will see it more than double its exhibition space. That means there will be 13 galleries honouring iconic works by beloved big-name Australian artists. Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton OAM says the gallery’s significant collection was a major driving force behind the expansion.
‘We have over 7,000 works of art and it is arguably one of the most important collections outside of the State Gallery,’ Morton says. ‘To be able to finally get our icons on display on a permanent rotation is going to be really exciting.’
Those icons include the only John Olsen ceiling that’s actually installed as a ceiling in one of the gallery spaces. Olsen has strong links to the community, having been born around the corner from the gallery. Dobell was also born a couple of streets away, while Olley lived in Newcastle for several years.
Along with these historically important works, there will be international shows in the upstairs galleries to ensure there is something for everyone. The expansion also means the gallery will have a dedicated retail shop and its first ever permanent cafe, making it a complete destination for locals and tourists. There will also be a new learning space that can be converted into a theatrette and workshop area for inclusive adult and children’s programs. Morton says the expansion is about maturing as a gallery.
Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton.
‘We’re just growing up, is how I like to describe it,’ she says. ‘We’re turning into a modern art gallery that the city and region deserves…’
The gallery’s slogan is ‘locally grounded, nationally engaged and globally minded’, and bringing that to life are an impressive number of stakeholders. The Australian Government has contributed
$5 million toward the expansion, which has been matched by the NSW Government. The Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation has funded $12 million of the expansion through the Valerie and John Ryan bequest, Margaret Olley Trust and community donations over many years, with fundraising ongoing for an additional $1 million.
‘To have all levels of government, as well as huge community support is really significant for this project,’ says Morton. ‘It absolutely takes a village,’ she says with a laugh, and it’s the ‘village’ that’s at the front of Morton’s mind. She hopes Newcastle Art Gallery is a space the entire community will enjoy.
‘I think galleries are a safe and welcoming place, and I think art is for everyone,’ Morton says.
She plans to have extended gallery hours, including Friday nights so people can drop in after work to see a program or hear music. Her idea is to ‘kind of push the boundaries that it’s not all about the high art’. After all, it’s a public art gallery.
‘We’re here for everyone to come and enjoy their collection,’ Morton says. ‘We’re just the custodian of that collection…’
Newcastle Art Gallery is scheduled to open for a first look at the new spaces on 26 September 2025. Discover more.
All images courtesy Newcastle Art Gallery.
