ART AND CULTURE SYDNEY Sydney is home to a multitude of colourful galleries, fascinating museums, internationally acclaimed theatre companies and iconic performance spaces. Permanent exhibits, touring exhibitions and a year- round calendar of events and performances showcase some of Australia’s best art and culture, from Koori, to colonial to contemporary. Art Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Adjacent to the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Art Gallery of NSW, established in 1874, is one of Australia’s foremost cultural institutions showcasing a collection of past and present Australian and International artists’ works. Displays dedicated to celebrating the arts of Asia and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art are also featured. The permanent collections are complemented by a calendar of Australian and international exhibitions. The Yiribana Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Gallery displays artworks by past and present artists from the Australian indigenous community. Tel: + 61 2 9225 1700 Photo credit: Branca Giaca www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au Museum of Contemporary Art, The Rocks Australia’s Museum of Contemporary Art is dedicated to exhibiting and interpreting the work’s of today’s artists from across Australia and around the world. The recently expanded Museum of Contemporary Art includes spacious galleries, the National Centre for Creative Learning with state- of-the-art technology and a series of site-specific commissioned pieces. In addition to the gallery’s permanent and touring exhibitions, the Museum of Contemporary Art offers visitors a series of talks, tours and workshops. Tel: + 61 2 9245 2400 www.mca.com.au Alongside these iconic Sydney art galleries, a diverse collection of public, private and commercial art galleries are dotted throughout the city. From ancient art forms to cutting-edge design, visitors to Sydney can view and purchase works from internationally acclaimed artists and inspiring new talent. The Rocks and Walsh Bay The cobblestone streets of the Rocks are home to a variety of commercial galleries showcasing the works of some of Australia’s most renowned artists and photographers, traditional and contemporary indigenous artists and creative new talent. Argyle Gallery Billich Art Gallery Aboriginal and Australian fine art Charles Billich surrealist Sydney art Tel: + 61 2 9247 4427 Tel: + 61 2 9252 1481 www.argylegallery.com.au www.billich.com Photo credit: Chloe Ferres Ken Done Gallery Ken Duncan Gallery Iconic contemporary Australian art Spectacular landscape photography Tel: + 61 2 9247 2740 Tel: + 61 2 9241 3460 www.kendone.com www.kenduncan.com National Trust S.H.Ervin Gallery Rocks Pop-Up Australian art through the ages Creative minds in unusual places Tel: + 61 2 9258 0173 http://therockspopup.tumblr.com www.shervingallery.com.au Sydney Inner East Contemporary galleries and fine arts dealers present original and exciting forms of creative expression in commercial studios and unique venues throughout Sydney’s Inner Eastern suburbs. 2 Danks Street, Waterloo Brett Whiteley Studio, Surry Hills Collection of contemporary artists Former home and studio of and jewellery designers Australian artist, Brett Whitley www.2danksstreet.comau Tel: + 61 2 9225 1881 www.brettwhiteley.org Carriageworks, Everleigh Metalab, Surry Hills Progressive multi-disciplinary art Modern design and jewellery Tel: +61 2 8571 9099 Tel: + 61 2 8354 1398 www.carriageworks.com.au www.metalab.com.au Object Australian Design Centre Cutting edge design exhibitions Tel: + 61 2 9361 4511 www.object.com.au Sydney Inner West The colourful and often unconventional suburbs of Sydney’s Inner West present an eclectic collection of quality arts from local and international artists. Defiance Gallery, Newtown White Rabbit, Chippendale Contemporary sculpture gallery Contemporary Chinese art space Tel: +61 2 9557 8483 Tel: + 61 2 8399 2867 www.defiancegallery.com www.whiterabbitcollection.org Sydney East A collection of art galleries, studios and dealerships throughout Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs showcase contemporary glass and ceramics, traditional indigenous art and exciting photographic exhibitions. Australian Centre for Photography Coo-ee Aboriginal Art, Bondi Photographic art exhibitions Quality indigenous artworks Tel: + 61 2 9332 1455 Tel: + 61 2 9300 9233 www.acp.org.au www.cooeeart.com.au Olsen Irwin Gallery, Woollahra Savill Galleries, Paddington Commercial gallery Dealers in quality Australian art Tel: + 61 2 9327 3922 Tel: + 61 2 9327 8311 www.timolsengallery.com www.savill.com.au Sabbia, Paddington Contemporary glass and ceramics Tel: +61 2 9361 6448 www.sabbiagallery.com Museums Sydney’s museums present local and internationally significant collections and exhibitions of cultural artefacts, natural science, cutting edge technology, colonial and indigenous history. Australian Museum, Sydney The Australian Museum houses extensive collections of natural science and cultural artefacts featuring galleries dedicated to natural history, dinosaurs, Indigenous Australians and Australia’s unique wildlife. The newly refurbished Indigenous Australians Gallery now includes Menagerie: Contemporary Indigenous Sculpture exhibition, which features established and emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island artists who have each produced exceptional sculptural works depicting a variety of animals. Personalised tours of this gallery and other exhibitions at the Australian Museum are available on request, or experience one of the daily Behind The Scenes tours. Tel: +61 2 9320 6000 www.australianmuseum.net.au Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour The Australian National Maritime Museum located in Sydney’s Darling Harbour captures a range of water related themes with artefacts, exhibitions and fun activities. Permanent exhibitions are complemented by a calendar of visiting exhibitions; and include: Navigators – defining Australia, tracking the successive waves of sailors and settlers who navigated Australian shores over thousands of years; Eora First People - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture is strongly entwined with the sea and this exhibition takes a journey from Tasmania to Far North Queensland and the Torres Strait, exploring this deep connection through art and adornments; Watermarks – adventure, sport and play, exploring the coastal culture's love of water; Navy - how the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) operates on land, in the air and under the sea during peace and war; and Passengers – portraying the journeys of those who travelled to Australia via sea. The Australian National Maritime Museum is represented by Dynamic Tourism Group. Tel: +61 2 9298 3777 www.anmm.gov.au Historic Houses Trust, Sydney As one of NSW’s premier cultural institutions, the Historic Houses Trust manages a portfolio of properties, museums, exhibitions and libararies in Sydney, many of which are open to the public and offer educational programs, others which are available for venue hire. Properties include architechtural showpieces from a working class terrace to suburban homes and colonial homesteads as well as buildings of national signficance such as: Government House, the Museum of Sydney, the Justice and Police Museum, Hyde Park Barracks and the Mint. Tel: +61 2 8239 2288 www.hht.net.au Museum of Sydney, Circular Quay The sculptural installation in the museum forecourt, dubbed Edge of the Trees, marks the site of first contact between the British colonisers and the Gadigal people of Sydney. On the historic site of the first Government House, the Museum of Sydney offers visitors a journey through Sydney from the Dreamtime to modern times. Tel: +61 2 9251 5988 www.hht.net.au/museums/mos National Trust, Sydney The National Trust is a conservation organisation for the built cultural heritage of Australia, it manages a collection of properties including Experiment Farm, the site of Australia’s first land grant, Old Governemnt House which was home to manly early Governors of the colony and S.H Ervin Gallery, one of Sydney’s leading Australian art galleries. A range of tours are available to educational groups of all ages. Tel: +61 2 9258 0123 www.nationaltrust.org.au/nsw/home Powerhouse Museum, Haymarket A brilliantly conceived showcase of interactive science and culture for the whole family. The museum’s diverse collection spans history, science, technology, design, music and transport to provide a comprehensive insight into the Australian culture and lifestyle. Regular tours, demonstrations, performances, workshops and special events complement the Powerhouse’s range of educational services and tours for groups. Tel: +61 2 9217 0111 www.powerhousemuseum.com Rocks Discovery Museum, The Rocks Housed in a sandstone colonial warehouse, the free-entry Rocks Discovery Museum follows the history of the Rocks from pre-European settlement to the present day through a unique collection of archaeological artefacts, photographs and interactive multi-media exhibits. Tel: + 61 2 9240 8680 www.therocks.com Sydney Observatory, The Rocks Built in 1858, the Sydney Observatory was essential to shipping navigation, meteorology, timekeeping and to the study of Southern Hemisphere astronomy. In 1982 the Sydney Observatory became part of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences which houses a museum and public observatory. Tours include indigenous astronomy, opportunities to view the sun, moon, stars and far away galaxies through powerful telescopes as well as stunning short films in the 3d space theatre. Tel: +61 2 9921 3485 www.sydneyobservatory.com.au