The Queensland Art Gallery is Queensland's premier visual arts institution and a leading art museum nationally. The Gallery's driving philosophy is to connect art and people.
The Gallery was established in 1895 as the Queensland National Art Gallery. Throughout its early history the Gallery was housed in a series of temporary premises, and did not have a permanent home until the opening of its current architecturally acclaimed building on Brisbane's south bank in 1982.
Since opening, the Gallery's Collection, exhibitions, audiences and programs have grown in size, complexity and diversity. To cater for the community's future needs, during the 1990s the Gallery embarked on extensive research and wide consultation, resulting in the concept of a second building.
The Gallery of Modern Art, which opened in December 2006, complements the Queensland Art Gallery building. Situated at Kurilpa Point only 150 metres from the Queensland Art Gallery building, the Gallery of Modern Art focuses on the art of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
The Gallery's flagship project is the Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art series of exhibitions, now a major event on the national and international arts calendar. The expertise developed from staging the Triennial for over a decade has led to the establishment of the Australian Centre of Asia-Pacific Art (ACAPA), to foster alliances, scholarship and publishing, and the formation of an internationally significant collection of art from the Asia-Pacific region.
Similarly, the Gallery is committed to profiling Indigenous Australian art and strengthening relationships with Queensland's Indigenous communities.
The Gallery is also recognised as an international leader in presenting innovative museum-based learning programs for children. These programs are coordinated through the Children's Art Centre. Developing youth audiences for visual art is another priority for the Gallery and this is achieved through programs such as the annual Prime event.
To ensure all Queenslanders have access to the Collection, travelling exhibitions tour to regional and remote centres of the state.
The Gallery's governing body is a Board of Trustees appointed by the Queensland Government, and it is managed by an Executive Management Team.
