About Warwick Art Gallery Inc

Warwick Art Gallery Incorporated was established in 1989 and the new building was opened in February, 1990

The Art Gallery provides a range of services to the community including:

• A program of temporary exhibitions
• Public programs including visual art workshops, education and outreach projects
• Arts-related advice to the community, including support of local arts groups, by offering assistance with the management of exhibits, professional development advice and assistance with applications for government grants
• Management of the visual art component of the Jumpers and Jazz in July annual arts festival

The Gallery is coordinated by a Management Committee composed of two councillors appointed by the Southern Downs Regional Council and 13 committee members elected from our membership.  The Management Committee receive an annual operational grant from Southern Downs Regional Council.  The Committee also employ a full-time gallery director  and two part-time assistants.

To become fully involved and informed about programs at Warwick Art Gallery, consider becoming a Gallery Member.  Members receive:

• Quarterly newsletters by post or email
• Invitations to exhibition openings.  We have an exhibition change over every 4 - 6 weeks.  Openings are free to attend and offer an opportunity to meet other supporters of the arts in our community.
• The opportunity to nominate for a position on the Management Committee
• Exemption form site fees for artists markets held at Warwick Art Gallery
• Gallery membership card offering entry at concession prices to selected exhibitions at Queensland Art Gallery (may not apply to all exhibitions)

Gallery hours

• Tuesday through Friday: 10am - 4pm
• Saturday & Sunday: 10am - 1pm
• Closed Mondays and Public Holidays

How To Find Us

Warwick Art Gallery is located in the Southern Downs Regional Council Administration precinct.  Parking is available in the public car park with entrances off Fitsroy, Albion and Grafton Streets.

Venue

Warwick Art Gallery has three unique spaces

Main Gallery

The Main Gallery is the premier exhibition space at Warwick Art Gallery.  The movement of visitors through the space can be altered through the use of four movable walls. 

Foyer Gallery

The Foyer Gallery space has a lovely garden aspect and three large sliding doors that allow the room to be opened up to enjoy the garden. This space features a singular curved wall with exceptional potential for installation work.

Studio

The Gallery Studio is available for workshops, meetings and lectures.  Equipped with ceiling mounted power outlets, loading zone and a kitchenette, the multipurpose space is a popular new addition to the facility

Collection

Jenny Durack - North From Archie's Hill

About the collection

The Southern Downs Regional Council Collection includes artworks that have been donated and acquired from the 1970’s to the present day.  There are approximately 900 pieces in the collection including historical photographs made up of works from the former Stanthorpe and Warwick Shire Councils.  Recently the collection was valued at just under $3,000 000.

Historical Context

The Stanthorpe Collection

Established in 1972 with the first acquisitions from the biennial Art Festival, the collection has grown to almost 800 pieces, representing the diversity of Australian Art Practice through the wide ranging mediums of fibre/textile, painting, ceramics, works on paper and sculpture.

A number of internationally recognised Australian artists are represented in the collection with selected works having great significance including William Robinson, Jon Molvig, Margaret Olley and Charles Blackman.  Generous donations from Pamela Bell O.A.M., and William Bowmore A.M. have added considerable depth to the collection with a number of European artists including Pablo Picasso being represented.

The Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery continues to acquire works by Australian artists, with recent additions to the collection by Ken Done, Jorg Schmeisser and Dr Ian Henderson.

The Warwick Collection

Half of the Warwick collection is made up of Australian landscapes that were acquired by the previous Rosenthal, Glengallan, Allora and Warwick Shire Councils. Records as to the history of the purchase/bequest of many of the early acquisitions are limited however several of the works are quite significant including paintings by Kenneth McQueen and Ray Crooke.

Between the years of 1995 and 2009 works were acquired through the Warwick Art Gallery’s annual art competition, the Warwick Art Prize. Works acquired during this period include paintings by James Guppy, Ian Smith and Mostyn Bramley Moore.    

 As caretakers of the Warwick collection, Warwick Art Gallery Incorporated resolved to cease acquiring paintings in 2009 in order to develop a new strategic collection plan with the potential to include textile art from Jumpers and Jazz in July.