Loans Program

About
Works of art from the national collection are often on loan to galleries here and around the world.
Lending works of art allows the collection to reach regional, metropolitan and international communities for as many to enjoy as possible. By working with our partners and with the support of our donors, the Gallery strives to make the collection accessible to more communities.
Through the ongoing Outward Loans Program or through funded initiatives, pieces of the collection are always on the road. With short-term loan programs such as the Regional Initiatives Program supported by Metal Manufactures and longer-term loans made possible through the upcoming sharing the collection initiative, more Australians can access their collection within their own communities.
Regional Initiatives Program

Andy Warhol, Campbell's Soup II - Cheddar Cheese, 1969, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, Orde Poynton Bequest, 2005, © The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc./ARS. Licensed by Copyright Agency
The Regional Initiatives Program is a short-term loan program supported by Metal Manufactures Ltd, conceived specifically to provide regional Australians with access to the national art collection.
The program is guided and inspired by the overarching aim:
‘The purpose of this gift is to enable Australians in many parts of the country to experience directly, the extensive visual arts collections of the National Gallery.’
Through this philanthropic partnership, more Australians have been able to access their national collection. Since the delivery of the first loans in 2022, over 50,000 regional visitors have been able to view works of art from the collection in their own communities.
‘The Regional Initiatives Program has made it possible to bring the best of international art to our audiences… the sponsorship supports social equality as it enables us to present the exhibitions to the public free of charge and attract diverse audiences and people that have never engaged with art before.’
WHAT'S ON
Collection works by artists such as Clarice Beckett, Tracey Moffatt, Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein are currently on loan to regional galleries. Find out what’s on loan near you.

SIDNEY NOLAN IN THE WIMMERA
until 5 Mar | Horsham Regional Gallery (NSW)
Arguably one of Australia’s most important artists, Sidney Nolan is synonymous with the “Heide Circle” and Australian modernism. In 1942 Nolan painted in Dimboola whilst being stationed in the area on army duty during World War II. It was during this time he created some of his most iconic paintings. This exhibition explores how Nolan saw the Wimmera region, its landscapes and people, as he developed a versatile visual language that re-envisaged the Australian landscape. This exhibition is presented by Horsham Regional Art Gallery, the National Gallery is a Principal Loan Partner, supported by Metal Manufactures.

Tracey Moffatt, Laudanum # 13 from Laudanum (detail), 1998, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, gift of the artist © Tracey Moffatt, courtesy of Roslyn Oxley Gallery9, Sydney
NO EASY ANSWERS
10 Mar – 2 Jul | Murray Art Museum Albury (NSW)
No Easy Answers explores art as a way of thinking. Bringing together six artists from across Australia and the United States, it makes the case for art as a necessary strategy in confronting contemporary challenges that have no easy answers. This exhibition is presented by Murray Art Museum Albury, the loan of works of art from the national collection is supported by Metal Manufactures.

Roy Lichtenstein, Nude with blue hair, state I , 1993, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, gift of Kenneth Tyler 2002 © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein/Copyright Agency, 2023
ANDY WARHOL / ROY LICHTENSTEIN
25 Mar – 18 Jun | Cairns Art Gallery (QLD)
The names Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein are synonymous with the influential and international pop art revolution that swept the world in the 1960s. Warhol and Lichtenstein’s works are now iconic references to a time when young artists began to revolt against the prevailing art styles being taught at art schools and shown in art galleries around the world. This exhibition is presented in partnership between the Cairns Art Gallery and the National Gallery, supported by Metal Manufactures.

Clarice Beckett, Evening landscape, c 1925, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, purchased 1974
CLARICE BECKETT – ATMOSPHERE
1 Apr – 9 Jul | Geelong Gallery (VIC)
Geelong Gallery presents an exclusive in-focus, thematic survey of the work of Australian artist Clarice Beckett (1887–1935). This much anticipated exhibition will present key works from across Beckett’s oeuvre ranging from 1919 to the early 1930s, providing a critical representation of this enduringly enigmatic modernist artist’s atmospheric depictions of light, climate, and bayside Melbourne. This exhibition is presented by Geelong Gallery, the loan of works of art from the national collection is supported by Metal Manufactures.

Graham Lightbody, Cockroach Posters & Annandale Studio, Take to the sun, alternative energy works , 1979, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, gift of the Philip Morris Arts Grant 1982 © courtesy Graham Lightbody
ENVIRONMENTAL POSTERS 1975-2023
3 Sep – 19 Nov | Wagga Wagga Art Gallery (NSW)
Wagga Wagga Art Gallery will be devoting the entirety of its 2023 exhibition program to the Environment – from the sublime to the climate crisis. Environmental Posters 1975 – 2023 will offer regional audiences an historical overview of artists’ involvements in the environmental movement. This exhibition is presented by Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, the National Gallery is a Principal Loan Partner, supported by Metal Manufactures.
CONTACT
If you’re interested in loaning a work from the national collection contact through our Regional Initiatives Program, please contact Regional Initiatives at regionalinitiatives@nga.gov.au
Sharing the Collection

Grace Cossington Smith, Interior in yellow, 1962-64, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, purchased 1965
The national collection is the most comprehensive collection of Australian and First Nations art in the world and a vital part of Australia’s cultural heritage.
Under the National Cultural Policy ‘Revive’, the National Galley’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 with regional and metropolitan galleries, and cultural institutions across the country on long-term loans.
The National Gallery will be working with galleries and cultural institutions, in both regional and suburban areas, to share the collection.
‘Sharing the 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.’
Outward Loans Program
The Gallery is committed to conducting a wide-reaching outward loans program, making its collection accessible to broad and diverse audiences across Australia, as well as internationally.