Detail: Keith Looby Resurrection 1964 oil on canvas Gift of James O.Fairfax AO 2000 National Gallery of Australia click detail to view full image

Overview
The purpose of the National Gallery is to serve the public by enhancing understanding and enjoyment of the visual arts, through effective and efficient use of its collections, which will be developed, researched, preserved, displayed, interpreted, promoted and complemented with exhibitions and loans. The Gallery’s aim is to provide access to works of art and information about them locally, nationally and internationally.

The Gallery is mandated by the National Gallery of Australia Act 1975 to:

• develop and maintain a national collection of works of art; and
• exhibit, or make available for exhibition by others, works of art from the national collection, or works of art that are otherwise in possession of the Gallery, and use every endeavour to make the most advantageous use of the national collection in the national interest.

Outcome: Encourage understanding, knowledge and enjoyment of the visual arts by providing access and information about works of art locally, nationally and internationally

Output 1.1 Collection development
The National Gallery aims to build a collection of works of art of outstanding quality through acquisition, gift and bequest, and through disposal.

Output 1.2 Collection documentation
The National Gallery’s collection is accessioned and documented in order to account for each work of art in the collection. Works of art are catalogued to provide information about the collection and to enable access to that information.

Output 1.3 Collection maintenance
The National Gallery stores, secures, and conserves its collection in order to preserve it for the Australian people now and for the future. A collection of outstanding aesthetic quality is important to the Australian community, and thus the Gallery will develop and maintain the collection accordingly. The collection provides the basis for enhancing understanding and enjoyment of the visual arts, and thus the Gallery seeks to maximise the productive use of the collection as a public asset.

Output 2.1 Access to works of art
The National Gallery provides access to works of art by displaying, exhibiting and lending its collection, as well as borrowing works from other sources. Access to works from the collection which are not on display is also provided. The Gallery aims to maintain the highest museum standards of display and exhibition.

Output 2.2 Information about and promotion of works of art
The National Gallery enhances the understanding, knowledge and enjoyment of art by providing information about and promoting the benefits of works of art through visitor services, education and public programs and through multimedia.

The Gallery seeks to achieve the widest audience possible both in attracting visitors to the Gallery and by sending works of art around Australia and overseas thereby improving access to works of art and providing information about them. It encourages enjoyment of the collection through innovative displays, exhibitions and public programs. It also fosters research and scholarship about works of art and promotes the artistic achievement of Australia.

The tables below list the performance information that the Gallery used to assess the level of achievement of its outcome during 2000–2001. The tables show the efficiency of the outputs in contributing to the outcome. Information shown is both quantitative and qualitative. Targets for effectiveness have been included where they are applicable and appropriate for performance information for the outcome.