Sharing the National Collection

Home to the most valuable collection of art in Australia, the national collection comprises over 155,000 works of art, including the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. Our significant collection represents the whole of Australian art, modern art worldwide, particularly from Europe and America, and art from across Asia and the Pacific. The collection includes some of the finest examples in Australia of French Impressionism, Dada and Surrealism, the Russian avant-garde, Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, Minimalism and Conceptual Art.

National Gallery Director, Nick Mitzevich says 'Sharing the National Collection with people in regional Australia is something close to my heart. I started my career in a regional gallery and I want to see as many people as possible, regardless of where they live, experience and enjoy the national collection. This support will allow us to share more of the national collection with more Australians and local communities – making it a truly national collection.'

Under the National Cultural Policy Revive, the National Gallery’s Sharing the National Collection initiative will receive $11.8 million over 4 years. This support will allow us to share some of our much-loved works of art with regional and suburban galleries, and cultural institutions across the country on long-term loans.

The National Gallery welcomes expressions of interest from eligible cultural institutions across the country and partnering with as many as possible to share the national collection.

The Sharing the National Collection initiative is focused on regional and suburban Australia. In defining this, the National Gallery seeks to be as generous and inclusive as possible.

The primary criterion is that the institution must be in regional or suburban Australia. For the purposes of Sharing the National Collection, regional and suburban Australia is defined as >5km from the GPO of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra and Brisbane. This means that all of Tasmania, the Northern Territory and Western Australia (including the GPO of their state capitals) are included.

State collecting institutions in the jurisdictions of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia are ineligible to participate in Sharing the National Collection.

Commercial galleries and private individuals are ineligible to participate in Sharing the National Collection.

The Sharing the National Collection initiative is designed for long-term loan requests. Short-term loans can be considered via our ongoing outward loans program.

What the National Gallery provides to partner institutions:

• conservation (to enable the work of art to travel), packing and outgoing freight
• labels for the work of art being shared
• a range of support materials (that may include branding, any available high-resolution image for the work of art, media release, curatorial and front-of-house notes to support visitor engagement)
• care instructions for the work of art
• reactive conservation support (onsite or online, depending on need and type of work)
• insurance cover (in transit and while in the custody of the partner institution) for the full value of the work of art.

A range of other support is available for institutions who may need it in order to participate in this initiative, including copyright assistance, installation support and curatorial advice.

Please note that capital purchases and/or upgrades to facilities are not able to be funded as part of Sharing the National Collection.

Lodge an expression of interest here.

The Sharing the National Collection initiative is designed for long-term loan requests. Short-term loans can be considered via our ongoing outward loans program.

Our collection search has a record for almost every work of art in the national collection (over 99%).

This database is the inventory management tool that allows you to research and select the work(s) of art you would like to express interest in.

Labels added to the record help to indicate if the work of art may be available for loan. For example ‘on display’ and ‘on tour’ mean the artwork is already being enjoyed.

There are a number of ways to search the collection, such as by keyword, curriculum term and geographically. Visit Art & Artists for more information.

Click below for FAQ answer reveals or download a PDF version here.