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| Australian Art Association | |
|---|---|
| Name | Australian Art Association |
| Formation | 1932 |
| Type | Non-profit arts association |
| Headquarters | Sydney |
| Region served | Australia |
| Leader title | President |
Australian Art Association
The Australian Art Association is a national arts organization founded in 1932 to promote visual arts in Australia through exhibitions, publications, collections and professional development. It has been associated with major figures and institutions such as Sidney Nolan, Arthur Boyd, Heide Museum of Modern Art, National Gallery of Australia and Art Gallery of New South Wales, and has participated in dialogues alongside National Gallery of Victoria, Australian War Memorial, Taronga Zoo and University of Sydney. The association has engaged artists linked to movements represented by Heidelberg School, Antipodean Manifesto, Contemporary Art Centre of South Australia and collaborates with festivals like Adelaide Festival and Sydney Festival.
Founded in Melbourne in the wake of debates involving Heidelberg School alumni and modernists such as Tom Roberts and Arthur Streeton, the association relocated its headquarters to Sydney in 1946 amid postwar cultural expansion influenced by figures like William Dobell and Christchurch Art Gallery. Early patrons included collectors associated with Heide Circle, John and Sunday Reed, and donors connected to Benalla Art Gallery. During the 1950s and 1960s the association coordinated touring exhibitions with institutions such as the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the National Gallery of Victoria and the Queensland Art Gallery and commissioned works by artists who later exhibited at Biennale of Sydney and Venice Biennale. In the 1970s its policy debates intersected with controversies that also involved Arthur Boyd, Sidney Nolan and curators from the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. The association expanded in the 1990s through partnerships with universities including University of Melbourne and Monash University and with archives linked to National Library of Australia.
The association states a remit to support Australian visual arts by connecting practitioners such as Brett Whiteley, Rosaleen Norton, Grace Cossington Smith, Ethel Carrick and John Brack with museums, collectors and educators at venues like the Art Gallery of South Australia, Geelong Gallery and Artbank. Core activities mirror initiatives undertaken by Australia Council for the Arts and cultural trusts associated with Australia Council funding streams, and include advocacy comparable to campaigns led by Creative Australia and collaborations with policy bodies such as Australian Council for the Arts-linked networks. It convenes panels featuring curators from Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, critics from The Sydney Morning Herald, and trustees from the National Gallery of Australia.
Membership has included painters, sculptors, curators and collectors such as Margaret Preston, Eleanor Ray, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, Glen Murcutt (as supporter), Ken Unsworth, and institutional representatives from National Film and Sound Archive. The governance model is a board of trustees elected at an annual general meeting drawing governors with past affiliations to Art Gallery of New South Wales, State Library of Victoria and National Portrait Gallery. The association has awarded fellowships in the tradition of prizes like the Archibald Prize and has administered bursaries similar to those offered by Biennale of Sydney coordinating bodies and heritage trusts such as Australian Heritage Commission-linked foundations.
The association organizes touring exhibitions shown at venues including Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Queensland Art Gallery, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery and regional galleries like Ballarat Fine Art Gallery. Major retrospectives have featured artists associated with Heide Museum of Modern Art, Sidney Nolan and Brett Whiteley and thematic shows referencing events such as World War II-era art movements and postwar refugee narratives linked to exhibitions at Australian War Memorial. It runs residency programs akin to those at Bundanon Trust and exchanges with international partners such as British Council and Asia-Pacific Triennial organizers, and educational programs developed with institutions like Tate Modern and Museum of Modern Art.
The association maintains a permanent collection of works by artists including Arthur Boyd, Sidney Nolan, Brett Whiteley, Grace Cossington Smith and Noel Counihan, and manages archives of correspondence with collectors like Sunday Reed and curators from National Gallery of Australia. Its publishing arm produces catalogues raisonnés, monographs and journals comparable to outputs from Art Monthly Australia, Art and Australia and exhibition catalogues issued by the National Portrait Gallery. Collaborative publications have been produced with university presses such as University of Melbourne Publishing and research centres at Australian National University.
The association has been credited with shaping national canons alongside institutions like National Gallery of Victoria and critics from The Age, while critics have challenged its curatorial choices in debates involving representatives from The Sydney Morning Herald, scholars at Monash University and community groups connected to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission. Controversies have occasionally mirrored disputes at events like the Biennale of Sydney and inquiries similar to those conducted by the Australian Human Rights Commission over representation and acquisition policies. Supporters cite partnerships with major donors and galleries including Art Gallery of New South Wales and National Gallery of Australia as evidence of sustained influence on collecting, exhibition practice and arts education.
Category:Arts organizations based in Australia