Installation of the Tactility exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia

Goal 4: Deliver outstanding displays and exhibitions

To provide stimulating, informative and enjoyable experiences through displays and exhibitions of works of art from the national collection

Key strategies

• Develop and deliver a stimulating, informative and enjoyable exhibitions program in Canberra, throughout Australia and overseas
• Identify and explore innovative ways to better present displays and exhibitions, with particular regard to rural and regional Australia
• Continue to develop a diverse display and exhibitions program of Australian and international art, with an emphasis on promoting the work of significant contemporary Australian artists
• Promote displays and exhibitions through educational, multimedia and membership programs and events and strategic marketing, and through the provision of published material and merchandise
• Facilitate research and provide information and published material about the display and exhibition program

Our success will be measured by

• Provision of stimulating, informative and enjoyable displays and exhibitions
• New ways to present displays and exhibitions being identified, considered and implemented where appropriate
• Number of visitors to the Gallery and its exhibitions and their level of satisfaction with the Gallery's programs and activities with specific reference to visitors with particular needs
• Amount of media coverage of the Gallery's displays and exhibitions
• Extent to which research is facilitated, information is provided, and material published about the Gallery's displays and exhibitions

Our recent achievements

Our outstanding display and exhibitions program has provided visitors to Canberra and to touring venues across the country with a more holistic cultural experience.

Diversity in media and collection in displays and exhibitions has attracted a larger cross-section of the community. By broadening the exhibition program we appealed to a wider section of visitors: 28% of visitors to The Book of Kells & The Art of Illumination were first time Gallery visitors, as were 21% of visitors to Monet and Japan and 17% of visitors to Inside Out: New Chinese Art.

During 2002–03, four million people saw exhibitions and works of art from the national collection and in 2000–01 the exhibition program led to the highest level of visitation ever, with 590,000 people visiting the Gallery in Canberra. The annual visitation over the past six years has been higher than in any previous six-year period in the Gallery's history.

We created and staged events to better engage our youth such as Sub-urban, an annual celebration of youth culture and Noise, a youth arts project.

Our expanded travelling exhibitions program provides excellent opportunities to view works of art from the national collection. Out and About toured some of the Gallery's most treasured works of art to selected venues in all states and territories. 1.3 million visitors saw 20 Gallery exhibitions at 56 venues throughout Australia, New Zealand and Noumea in 2002–03.