SYDNEY GALLERIES
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery Road, The Domain 1800 679 278
A Mecca for colonial Australian art, European art as well as modern and contemporary works. The annual ArtExpress and The Archibald Prize exhibits are always popular and the stunning harbour view is an added bonus.
Museum of Contemporary Art, 140 George Street, Sydney +61 9245 2400
Located on the foreshore of Circular Quay, this constantly evolving gallery is a must-see. There is a plethora of Aboriginal art and previous temporary exhibitions have included works by Annie Leibovitz and installations of the Biennale.
Brett Whiteley Studio Museum, 2 Raper Street, Surry Hills +61 9225 1881
This was the actual studio of ill-fated artist and beloved Sydney icon, Brett Whitely. Trawling through reference books, observing unfinished works and even a look through Whitley’s music collection is a moving and unique experience.
Ray Hughes Gallery, 270 Devonshire St, Surry Hills +61 9698 3200
The cavernous warehouse style space has frequently revolving exhibits from Australian and New Zealand artists, and more recently Chinese contemporary and German expressionist artists.
Urban Uprising, 314 Crown St, Darlinghurst +61 9331 6614
Showcasing some of the most iconic street art prints from Banksy and Obey Giant as well as emerging talent, this gallery is giving a wealth of urban artists a great space to bring their works to the fans and newcomers alike.
Tap Gallery, 278 Palmer St, Darlinghurst +61 9361 0400
Part art gallery and part theatre, Tap represents mostly local art and sculpture. But what makes this space unique is the captivating performance art, comedy nights and theatre productions – a truly artistic experience.
Australian Centre for Photography, 257 Oxford St, Paddington +61 9332 1455
Both a gallery and a workshop, ACP is a great place to spend an afternoon indulging in seriously inspiring works of photography. The centre also offers handy workshops to improve your everyday photos.
Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, 8 Soudan Lane, Paddington +61 9331 1919
This is an art gallery at the forefront of contemporary art practice. Never one to shy away from controversy, it has played host (and missed out on) showcasing works by Bill Henson. They’ve also exhibited household names such as Tracey Moffat and Del Katherine Barton.
Blender Gallery, 16 Elizabeth St, Paddington +61 9380 7080
Blender specializes in music photography and rock and roll prints. On display are some of the most inspiring images of rock legends and cultural icons. The Just Shoot Lomography shop is on site too; a great place for camera enthusiasts.
Tim Olsen Gallery, 63 Jersey Rd, Woollahra +61 9327 3922
Since its opening in 1993 this has become one of Sydney’s esteemed galleries. Australian artists are the focus here and they’re lucky enough to have Australian legend John Olsen as a regular exhibitor.
China Heights Gallery, 3/16-18 Foster St, Surry Hills
A space run by creatives, for creatives; China Heights nurtures new faces and often throws a pretty cool party or designer sample sale too.
Sarah Cottier Gallery, 3 Neild Ave, Paddington +61 9356 3305
This gallery has long been popular with the art set. The airy space and polished cement floors makes it perfect for the local and international contemporary works that are on display all year round.
By Carla Seeto
