Since its establishment in 1998 the Gallery has been a core participant in the Perth Festival visual arts program, bringing many of the world’s most important contemporary arts projects to Australia each year. Highlights in recent years include Lisa Reihana (2018), Candice Breitz (2019) and Isaac Julien (2022). We have also exhibited highly acclaimed Australian artist including Angelica Mesiti (2019), Christian Thompson (2020), Brian Robertson (2021), Lindy Lee (2022) and ProppaNOW Collective (2023).
We capitalise on our location within a research-rich environment to curate exhibitions that bridge art, science and academia in engaging and innovative ways.
Our small but dedicated team of highly skilled staff have established an enviable reputation in delivering an outstanding annual exhibition program of the highest integrity with transformative impact for local audiences as well as harnessing innovative technologies to extend that impact beyond our shores.
The Gallery has won a number of Awards in recent years including: 2018 MAGNA Award for Indigenous projects, 2019 MAGNA Award for the exhibition Contesting Space: Women in Sport, and Highly Commended MAGNA in 2020 for the exhibition Sense and Sensitivity.
The Gallery Team were awarded the Vice Chancellors Award for Excellence in Reconciliation in 2019.
Our Vision
Following the disruption of the 2020 pandemic and the resulting year of isolation, introspection, and a search for meaning, a wide range of social, political, humanitarian, and ecological issues came into sharp relief, and movements such as “Black Lives Matter” and “Me Too” gained global traction.
Against this backdrop of growing political and economic instability, ecological catastrophe, humanitarian crises, ongoing inequalities based on race, sexuality, and gender, and increasing civic pressure on governments and corporations around the world to redress prevalent inequities and environmental negligence, we took time to reconsider our gallery and collection’s purpose. We now define ourselves as an Art Museum that interrogates and promotes dialogue about the social issues of the day through the Visual Arts.
Our Purpose is to inspire audiences to reflect on contemporary issues and to create a more just and equitable world.
Our Mission is to interrogate contemporary issues through the visual arts, presenting the highest quality dynamic exhibitions from local, national and international artists, and collecting works representative of the complex and rich cross- and multi-cultural practice in Australia and throughout the Region.
Our work is Guided by:
The Code of Practice for the Professional Australian Visual Arts, Craft and Design Sector
National Standards for Australian Museums and Galleries
First Peoples: A Roadmap for enhancing Indigenous engagement in museums and galleries
