Collection

Through the acquisition, development, care and management of the Maitland Regional Art Gallery Collection, we bring our works of art to life and increase public access to ideas, history and conversations.

The Collection began in 1957 with artworks purchased from the inaugural Maitland Art Prize. From 1965 until 2004 the Maitland Art Prize was an acquisitive prize, with the winning artworks being presented to the Maitland City Collection. One of the Gallery’s treasured works acquired during this time is the iconic painting Legend IV 1965 by John Coburn which won the prize in 1966. In 1975, Brough House in Church Street, Maitland was refurbished to become the first gallery space for the new Maitland City Art Gallery. Artworks previously hanging in Maitland City Council buildings were assembled into a formal collection and exhibited in the gallery. During this period, the Collection continued to grow through acquisitions and benefaction. Artworks acquired into the Collection over that period include works by renowned Australian artists such as William Dobell, Margaret Olley, George Baldessin, Charles Blackman, Brett Whiteley and Tim Leura Tjapaltjarri.

In 2003 the Art Gallery moved to its present location in High Street, Maitland and became known as Maitland Art Gallery. The following year, in 2004, it became the Maitland Regional Art Gallery.

From 2005, the Gallery began to focus on collecting works on paper, which included paper sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, books, posters and print portfolios. The Collection grew considerably from this time including works by artists Sidney Nolan, Tim Storrier, James Gleeson, Martin Sharp, Salvatore Zofrea, John Olsen, Euan Macleod, Suzanne Archer, Alan Jones, Ken Whisson, Adrian Lockhardt, Judy Watson, Gloria Petyarre and Lloyd Rees.

Today, the Collection is diverse and dynamic and while the Gallery still collects works on paper, there is an expanded vision to reflect contemporary art making in all forms. A significant boost was made to the Collection through the generous donation of a large number of contemporary artworks from the collection of Penelope Seidler. The Collection also includes images of Maitland; and Les Darcy memorabilia.