Arc One Gallery

A landmark contemporary art space on Flinders Lane

Arc One Gallery opened in 2002 at 45 Flinders Lane in Naarm/Melbourne's established arts precinct. Since then it's built a solid reputation for promoting Australian contemporary art, working with museums, curators and advisors right across Australia, Asia, the USA and Europe. The gallery sits on the land of the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung People of the Kulin Nation, and respects and acknowledges their custodianship of this Country.

Located on Flinders Lane, Arc One sits right in the middle of Melbourne's cultural hub. Over the past twenty years, it's become known as a reliable player in both Australian and international art circles, and holds membership with the Art Galleries Association of Australia. The space draws collectors, art professionals and people just interested in what's happening in contemporary Australian art.

Representing Australia's most celebrated contemporary artists

Arc One Gallery works with a serious group of artists who define contemporary Australian art right now. You've got established names like Pat Brassington, Janet Laurence, Robert Owen, Jacky Redgate, Julie Rrap, Imants Tillers, Guan Wei, John Young and Anne Zahalka working across abstraction, figurative work, landscape and photography. The gallery also backs emerging and mid-career artists including Lyndell Brown and Charles Green, Peter Callas, Marina Rolfe, Murray Fredericks, Nike Savvas, Lydia Wegner and Dani Marti, among others.

You'll see everything from contemporary and minimalist abstraction through contemplative landscape photography to figurative work and conceptual practice at Arc One. Several artists here have made it onto the international stage. Robert Owen, John Davis and Imants Tillers have all represented Australia at the Venice Biennale, and plenty have had survey shows and retrospectives at Australia's major institutions. That's the mark of a gallery that actually builds artists' careers rather than just chasing trends.

Exhibitions and ongoing programming

Arc One Gallery keeps a steady stream of shows running across its spaces, with details on current, past and upcoming exhibitions available on their website. They also handle art commissions, so collectors and institutions can work directly with artists on custom pieces. Visitors can sign up for their newsletter to get updates on new shows, artist news and what's happening at the gallery, which beats having to check in all the time.

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Arc One Gallery's place in Melbourne's art scene

Arc One Gallery stands out because it actually sticks with artists over the long haul. Over more than twenty years, the gallery has built real relationships with its stable of artists instead of jumping from one flashy show to the next. That commitment has meant museum placements for artists, conversations with international audiences, and genuine support for contemporary Australian work. The viewing room lets you see what their key artists are doing, which gives you a solid sense of the gallery's scope.

Anyone in Melbourne interested in serious contemporary art should spend time at Arc One. The gallery represents everything from abstract minimalists to conceptual thinkers, figurative painters and photographers. If you want to see what's actually happening in contemporary Australian visual culture, it's the kind of place you need to know about.

Visiting Arc One Gallery

You'll find Arc One Gallery at 45 Flinders Lane, Naarm/Melbourne VIC 3000. It opens Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm. Ring +61 3 9650 0589 or email mail@arc1gallery.com if you want to book in or chat about what they're showing. Fran Clark runs the place, with Emily Winslade handling day-to-day operations as Gallery Manager.

If you're keen to visit, want to commission something, or just fancy staying in the loop about what's on, Arc One's happy to hear from you.