Abstract art emerged as one of the major shifts in twentieth century visual culture. Rather than depicting recognisable objects or natural scenes, it zeroes in on colour, form, gesture, and composition. Artists began exploring emotional and spiritual territory without the constraint of making things look realistic. When you're looking at an abstract work, you're dealing directly with visual elements: lines, shapes, textures, colours. It's a fairly straightforward transaction between the artist and the person standing there looking at it.
Newtown, Sydney
16albermarle Project Space is a Sydney gallery that shows contemporary art from regional and international artists. You'll find experimental exhibitions, screenprints and mixed-media work here. The space works collaboratively, putting together group shows and artist projects that deal with current social and cultural issues, often teaming up with independent print studios.
Emerging
West End, Brisbane
Aboriginal Art Co Gallery is a First Nations-led not-for-profit in West End, Brisbane (QLD 4101) that shows contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. You'll find paintings, sculptures, fibre art, and wearable pieces here, along with cultural artefacts from Indigenous artists. They run both a physical space and sell online. The gallery also puts on exhibitions, runs workshops, and does art tours.
Emerging · Mid
Sydney, Sydney
Aboriginal Art Galleries in Sydney's Queen Victoria Building focuses on contemporary Indigenous Australian art from Central Australian and remote communities. The gallery works with a range of established and emerging Aboriginal artists who paint in traditional dot painting styles and other mediums, depicting Dreaming stories, bush medicine narratives, and ceremonial themes.
Darwin City, Darwin
Aboriginal Bush Traders is a 100% Indigenous-owned not-for-profit in Darwin that sells authentic Aboriginal art and cultural products. They stock paintings, weavings, carvings and bush goods made by artists across the Northern Territory and beyond. The focus is on ethical sourcing and putting money directly back into Indigenous communities, art centres and enterprises.
Nicholls, Canberra
Aboriginal Dreamings Gallery is a long-standing Canberra gallery that deals in ethically sourced Australian Indigenous art and craft from communities and art centres around the country. The gallery runs rotating exhibitions roughly every four to six weeks and has built up a collection ranging from work going back to the 1970s through to pieces made today. It's committed to supporting Indigenous artists' rights and holds membership in both the Indigenous Art Code and the Aboriginal Art Association of Australia.
Adelaide, Adelaide
ACE (Adelaide Contemporary Experimental) is a gallery and arts facility located in the Lion Arts Centre on North Terrace that presents cutting-edge experimental and contemporary art exhibitions, live programs, and educational initiatives. The venue supports emerging and established artists through residencies, commissions, and public engagement opportunities, whilst maintaining a commitment to the Kaurna people and traditional custodians of the Adelaide Plains.
Melbourne, Melbourne
Alcaston Gallery is a leading contemporary Melbourne gallery established in 1989, renowned for representing Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists alongside contemporary practitioners from Australia and the Asia Pacific region. The gallery provides curatorial guidance, valuations, and corporate services to collectors and institutions.
Sandringham, Melbourne
AMAGOA opened in 2006 as an Aboriginal and modern art gallery in Sandringham, Melbourne. They focus on Central and Western Desert Aboriginal art, stocking work from both up-and-coming and established artists. You'll find everything from small intimate pieces through to proper big statement works, plus a stockroom where you can grab discounted pieces if you're after a good deal.
Emerging
Dickson, Canberra
ANCA Inc. is a Canberra-based artist-run cooperative gallery and studios in Dickson housing the Australian National Capital Artists Incorporated. The gallery showcases contemporary printmaking and mixed-media work by local artists, with a curatorial focus on socially engaged practice and experimental printmaking techniques including etching, screen printing, photogravure and natural dye methods.
Fremantle, Perth
Anya Brock Gallery is an online studio and physical gallery space in Fremantle, WA 6160, working in contemporary paintings, prints, and illustrated homewares. You'll find abstract and figurative work here: landscapes, botanical pieces, birds, and designs inspired by reef life. They do original paintings, limited and open edition prints, plus a range of homewares. If you're after something custom, they take commissions and personal portraits, and they run art workshops too.
Redfern, Sydney
APY Gallery is an Indigenous-owned collective of art centres showcasing contemporary Aboriginal art from the APY Lands, remote South Australia and Adelaide. The gallery represents early-career and established artists, offering paintings, ceramics, works on paper and printmaking across three physical locations and online, with an ethical 80/20 commission model that prioritises artist and community income.
Brisbane City, Brisbane
Arabella Wang Art Gallery is a Brisbane-based gallery that focuses on contemporary art with nature themes. The work includes wildlife, plants, and symbolic imagery. They produce limited-edition giclée canvases with hand-painted finishes, offer bespoke commissions, and do large-scale mural installations for homes and businesses.
Emerging · Mid
Melbourne, Melbourne
Arc One Gallery is a contemporary space in central Melbourne, located on Flinders Lane. It represents an established group of Australian and international artists working across painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking and mixed media. The gallery focuses on contemporary and experimental work, handling artist representation and commissions.
Edwardstown, Adelaide
Art by Farquhar is a family-run Adelaide gallery that works with contemporary Aboriginal artists from the Central Desert and APY Lands. They buy directly from the artists and their families, which means you're getting genuine paintings, prints and photography straight up, each with a certificate of authenticity. They're members of the Aboriginal Art Association of Australia and take pride in paying artists fairly, being transparent about where work comes from, and supporting Indigenous creators. You can shop in person or online.
Emerging · Mid
Perth, Perth
Art Collective WA is an independent Perth gallery that represents a solid range of Western Australian painters, sculptors and mixed-media artists. The space shows contemporary work across landscape, abstract and figurative practices, with a real focus on oil painting and three-dimensional forms that explore colour, material and place-based ideas.
Perth, Perth
Art Lease is a contemporary art rental service that works with both established and emerging artists, with a particular focus on Indigenous Australian practice. They help people and businesses find art for their spaces through a leasing model, so you can access original works without buying them outright.
Hobart, Hobart
They focus on contemporary work by Indigenous artists, plenty of it from Utopia and other remote communities around Australia. The gallery works with established Indigenous artists, ships stuff nationally and internationally with their own packing crew, and keeps a solid stockroom of work rotating through exhibitions.
Mid · Established
Woollahra, Sydney
Art2Muse Gallery, based in Woollahra NSW 2025, represents 54 artists working in painting, sculpture, mixed media and works on paper. They offer art consultation and handle delivery and installation, with a focus on contemporary figurative and abstract pieces.
Hobart, Hobart
Artefacts started up in 1986 as a not-for-profit artist-run co-operative in Hobart's Salamanca Arts Centre. Four core artists work through the gallery, each focused on jewellery, textiles, painting or leather crafts. They also bring in rotating makers who specialise in ceramics, woodwork and decorative arts to commission work.
Windsor, Melbourne
Artemisia Gallery & Event Space sits in Windsor, Melbourne, and operates four gallery spaces with changing exhibitions. The venue backs all sorts of artistic work and gives First Nations artists a discount on rates. They're pretty focused on making sure their programming works for the community.
Darlinghurst, Sydney
Arthouse Gallery is a commercial Sydney gallery in Darlinghurst that works with a number of contemporary Australian artists doing painting, printmaking, sculpture, and ceramics. They focus on figurative, landscape, and abstract work, with a strong interest in both up-and-coming and established painters who are interested in themes around place, identity, and nature.
Emerging · Mid · Established
South Fremantle, Perth
Artitja Fine Art Gallery in South Fremantle focuses on contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art from remote parts of Australia. They stock paintings, works on paper, sculpture and ceramics from artists based in desert and Top End communities. Since opening in 2004, the gallery has backed these artists and made sure their stories and voices stay front and centre.
Camperdown, Sydney
Artsite Contemporary is a Sydney gallery focused on contemporary Australian art across many mediums and styles. The gallery works with a range of established local and Indigenous artists, running rotating exhibitions and stocking available works. Located in Camperdown, it opens weekends by appointment and also does consultancy and event hire.
Emerging · Mid
Canberra, Canberra
Aboriginal Dreamings Gallery opened in Canberra back in 1989. It focuses on ethically sourced Australian Indigenous art and crafts, with pieces ranging from the 1970s through to today. The gallery works with artists from plenty of Indigenous communities and art centres right across the country. You'll find new exhibitions coming through every four to six weeks, plus they've got a solid collection available for collectors both here and overseas.
Paddington, Brisbane
Aspire Gallery sits in Paddington, Brisbane and works with more than 70 contemporary artists. You'll find affordable to mid-range original paintings, prints and mixed media across the board here. They stock everything from landscapes and seascapes to figurative work and abstracts, plus themed collections focused on coastal and floral subjects.
Emerging · Mid
Collingwood, Melbourne
Australian Galleries opened in 1956 and now runs spaces in Melbourne and Sydney. They show work by significant contemporary Australian artists, with an extensive collection and a monthly exhibition program covering painting, sculpture, prints, works on paper, and photography.
Paddington, Sydney
Australian Galleries started in 1956 and now runs gallery spaces and storage facilities in both Melbourne and Sydney. They focus on contemporary Australian art, handling everything from paintings and sculptures to prints, drawings, and photos. The gallery works with plenty of different artists and puts on monthly shows that mix work from their regular roster with guest artists.
Surry Hills, Sydney
Badger and Fox Gallery is in a heritage terrace in Surry Hills (NSW, 2010) and specialises in original fine art from the 17th century through to now. The space is fairly compact, which means you get a proper look at whatever's on show. They stock a solid range, including contemporary work, modern and emerging artists, indigenous pieces, photography, drawings, prints and works on paper.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Adelaide, Adelaide
Bearded Dragon Gallery is run by Community Bridging Services Inc. as a social enterprise. It displays and sells contemporary art from both emerging and established artists. The gallery stocks paintings, ceramics and prints in different styles, and really puts the focus on making art accessible to the wider community.
Emerging · Mid
Hobart, Hobart
Bett Gallery is based in Hobart and works with a range of contemporary Tasmanian and Australian artists. You'll see paintings, photographs, sculptures, and mixed-media pieces there, covering everything from abstract and figurative work through to landscape art. What stands out is the focus on artists who are genuinely interested in exploring land, place, and environmental issues in their practice.
Fitzroy, Melbourne
Brunswick Street Gallery is a Melbourne gallery that features contemporary art by Indigenous Australian artists and up-and-coming contemporary artists. They run rotating exhibitions, commission studio work, and keep an online stockroom with paintings, sculptures, prints and paper-based works across various artistic styles and mediums.
Fitzroy, Melbourne
BSIDE Gallery opened in Fitzroy back in 2016 and runs a lively commercial art space focused on contemporary street art, abstract work, and mixed media. Located in VIC 3065.
Emerging · Mid
Australian Capital Territory 2601, Canberra
Burrunju is Canberra's only Aboriginal-owned art gallery, established in 2014 as a not-for-profit charitable organisation. The gallery showcases and sells contemporary Indigenous artworks by represented artists, and offers art workshops alongside its exhibition and retail spaces.
Griffith, Canberra
{"text":"Canberra Art Workshop opened back in 1948 and has been a focal point for artists ever since. It runs self-directed art groups, tutored courses, workshops led by professionals, and member shows twice a year. You'll find paintings, prints, drawings and sculpture on display, covering all sorts of styles. The place welcomes beginners and experienced artists alike, with activities suited to people at any level of artistic practice."}.
Emerging
Parkes, Canberra
Canberra Contemporary is an independent, not-for-profit visual arts organisation that started back in 1981. It runs two gallery spaces in Parkes and Manuka. The outfit puts on ambitious exhibitions and public programs featuring both up-and-coming and established artists working across different mediums. They're keen on getting people to collaborate and experiment, both locally and internationally in the contemporary art world.
Kingston, Canberra
Canberra Glassworks in Kingston is the Southern Hemisphere's largest studio glass facility, operated by the ACT Government. You can see contemporary glass art through exhibitions and watch artists work in the hotshop. They take on commissions, run classes, and sell hand-made glass pieces made by the studio artists.
Emerging
North Hobart, Hobart
Contemporary Art Tasmania is a free, public art space in North Hobart dedicated to showcasing contemporary and experimental work across diverse mediums and styles. The gallery operates an active exhibition program featuring established and emerging artists, alongside community engagement initiatives and artist development opportunities. It functions as a non-commercial public institution supporting the development of contemporary visual culture in Tasmania.
Sydney, Sydney
CBD Gallery is a contemporary space in Sydney's CBD that works with six represented artists across painting, sculpture, and textiles. You'll find everything from portraits and figurative pieces to abstract and landscape painting, covering both emerging and established contemporary work.
Mid
Darlinghurst, Sydney
Chalk Horse opened in 2007 in Darlinghurst as a contemporary art gallery. It represents a mix of Australian and international artists, runs curatorial projects around Sydney and Asia, and works to promote Australian artists overseas. In 2026, the gallery expanded into Thailand with CHOK MAA, an artist residency in Bangkok that offers studio space and exhibition opportunities.
Richmond, Melbourne
Charles Nodrum Gallery has been going since 1984, showing contemporary and mid-century work in Richmond. You'll find painting, sculpture, drawings, and photography from different movements: figurative stuff, abstraction, surrealism, and conceptual work. They keep a pretty active exhibition program running and maintain a stockroom collection too. Charles Nodrum Gallery, Richmond, VIC 3121.
Mid
Richmond, Melbourne
Christopher Vine Gallery is a gallery representing celebrated Australian artist Christopher Vine, whose abstract and figurative fine art practice spans over three decades. The gallery showcases paintings in acrylic, oil and mixed media alongside a curated selection of homeware and design products, with locations in Richmond, Melbourne and Surry Hills, Sydney.
Hobart, Hobart
Colville Gallery is a contemporary art space in Hobart run by appointment only from Collins Street. It represents Tasmanian and Australian artists working in painting, sculpture and mixed media. The gallery works with both established and emerging practitioners, concentrating on contemporary work.
North Hobart, Hobart
Contemporary Art Tasmania is a free public gallery in North Hobart where you can check out contemporary work in all sorts of mediums and art practices. They run regular exhibitions featuring both established and up-and-coming artists, and they offer studio spaces and curatorial mentorship to help support local artists.
West End, Brisbane
Creative Room Art Space is a Brisbane gallery that works with a range of contemporary painters, sculptors, and textile artists. You'll find figurative works, landscape and botanical painting, printmaking, and textile art here. The artists use all sorts of materials, oil and watercolour, bronze sculpture, ceramics. The gallery runs solo and group shows, holds artist workshops, and backs both established and emerging artists.
Fremantle, Perth
Current is an artist-run gallery in Fremantle, WA 6160 that focuses on contemporary and experimental art. The space lets artists test out different ideas, whether that's sculpture, ceramics, painting, or mixed media work from newer and more experienced artists alike. They run regular exhibitions and take submissions from the public through an open call process.
Woollahra, Sydney
They focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, working with a solid group of both established and up-and-coming Indigenous Australian artists. You'll find Western Desert paintings and historical bark paintings in their collection. The gallery shows up at major international art fairs and handles primary market sales and private commissions.
Waterloo, Sydney
Darren Knight Gallery is a Sydney contemporary art space that works with both established and emerging artists. They show photography, sculpture, printmaking and mixed-media pieces, along with monographs and exhibition catalogues. The gallery leans toward conceptual and experimental work.
Emerging
Darwin City, Darwin
Darwin Art Gallery is tucked away in the Voyage Arcade and run by TE, an artist who focuses on abstract expressionism. The space displays work across paintings, prints, and various Indigenous artefacts like crocodiles, boomerangs, and didgeridoos. They also run art workshops for locals keen to get involved.
Paddington, Sydney
Defiance Gallery operates out of Paddington, Sydney, and represents a range of contemporary Australian artists who work in painting, sculpture, printmaking and mixed media. They show landscape, seascape, figurative and abstract pieces, though painting is their main focus. The gallery runs regular exhibitions for emerging and mid-career artists, administers the Defiance Award, and works on conservation projects.
Emerging
Rushcutters Bay, Sydney
Dominik Mersch Gallery opened in 2006 at Rushcutters Bay and focuses on work by emerging, mid-career and established Australian and European artists. The shows are conceptually strong and visually compelling. The gallery runs exhibitions, panel discussions, performances and special projects in its physical space and online, attracting serious collectors and sparking real conversation about what's happening in contemporary art today. NSW 2011.
Newtown, Sydney
DRAW Space is an artist-run venue in Newtown, Sydney, focused on contemporary drawing. The gallery puts on shows that look at all sorts of drawing work, from artists who've been at it for years to newer people finding their way. It's a place where artists and the public come together to work with and experience drawing as a main thing.
Clontarf, Brisbane
Dreamtime Kullilla-Art is an online art shop based in Brisbane that sells Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artwork, cultural products, and contemporary gallery pieces. They work with several Aboriginal artists and stock everything from high-end gallery works to more affordable pieces, plus cultural merchandise and educational materials.
Collingwood, Melbourne
e+Hive is a Melbourne-based gallery representing contemporary artists from Australia and South East Asia. The gallery specialises in fine art exhibitions, functional ceramics and pottery, and design homeware, with a curatorial focus on traditional handcraft techniques and East Asian aesthetics.
Woollahra, Sydney
Fellia Melas Gallery in Woollahra, NSW, represents work from some of Australia's top contemporary and established artists. You'll find figurative and landscape paintings, sculpture, and printmaking across the space. The gallery operates in both primary and secondary markets, running regular solo and group shows with a solid stockroom of available pieces.
Adelaide, Adelaide
FELTspace is an artist-run gallery in Adelaide, SA 5000, on Angas Street. It shows rotating exhibitions of contemporary art by emerging and established artists. The space also runs graduate support programmes and gives artists a community platform for creative talk and exhibition chances.
Paddington, Brisbane
Field Trip is a contemporary art gallery in Paddington, Brisbane, showing rotating exhibitions of modern art. You'll find painting, ceramics, mixed media, photography and textiles on the walls. The gallery works with both established and emerging artists, and they put on talks and community events pretty regularly.
Bowen Hills, Brisbane
FireWorks Gallery opened in 1993 in Brisbane and focuses on contemporary Indigenous Australian art, portraiture and mixed-media. They work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, regional groups, and non-Indigenous artists doing contemporary work. A big part of what they do is support artists' estates and help keep cultural work alive.
Mid
Woolloomooloo, Sydney
Firstdraft is a non-profit, artist-run gallery in Woolloomooloo that backs experimental contemporary art. They run exhibitions, commissions and writers programs. The gallery shows emerging and established artists working in painting, moving image, sound, textiles, drawing and digital practice. They focus on risk-taking, inclusion and artistic labour.
Emerging
Melbourne, Melbourne
Flinders Lane Gallery sits in Melbourne's Nicholas Building and shows work by both established and up-and-coming Australian artists. They focus on painting, sculpture, prints and other contemporary art, with a steady stream of exhibitions on rotation.
Surry Hills, Sydney
Flinders Street Gallery in Surry Hills, NSW 2010, runs contemporary art shows with both up-and-coming and established artists. You'll find painting, drawing, and mixed media on display. The gallery rotates its exhibitions regularly, showing work from the artists they represent, which covers everything from figurative stuff through to abstraction and landscapes.
Collingwood, Melbourne
Fox Galleries is a contemporary art space in Collingwood, Melbourne, that works with a number of artists doing all sorts of conceptual and visual work. Since 2016, they've been putting on monthly exhibitions of both older and newer pieces, and they've got a private sales area where you can get valuations and insurance assessments done.
Mid · Established
Collingwood, Melbourne
FUTURES is a contemporary art gallery in Collingwood that works with a range of emerging and established Australian artists making paintings, sculptures, and mixed media. The gallery puts on regular shows from both artists it represents and visiting artists, while respecting the Traditional Custodians of the land.
Surry Hills, Sydney
Gallery 144 is a contemporary art gallery in Surry Hills, Sydney, that works with both established and emerging artists. You'll find painting, printmaking, mixed media and sculpture on the walls. The artists the gallery represents work across abstract, figurative and landscape styles.
Emerging
Marrickville, Sydney
Gallery 371 is an artist-run space in Marrickville, Sydney. They put on rotating shows of contemporary art from local and international artists. The gallery handles a pretty broad range of work and styles. You'll find painting, watercolours, mixed media and photography. There's plenty of representational stuff too, including seascapes, landscapes and figurative pieces. The place has a friendly vibe and a real community feel about it. They run group shows and solo exhibitions with both up-and-coming and more established artists.
Norwood, Adelaide
Gallery Lenuancier in Adelaide deals in contemporary paintings and drawings. You'll find oil, acrylic, and watercolour work on the walls, along with charcoal and pastel pieces. The gallery also stocks artisanal goods. There's a decent range of prices and mediums if you're after something specific.
Emerging · Mid
Newtown, Sydney
Gallery LNL is a contemporary gallery in Newtown, Sydney, focused on ceramics and Australian art. The gallery works with painters, ceramic artists and sculptors who make contemporary, abstract and figurative pieces. They run regular exhibitions and take part in major art fairs.
Surry Hills, Sydney
Gallery OZ is a Sydney gallery focused on contemporary urban and street art. They work with a solid lineup of established artists who create paintings, prints, photographs, and sculptures, with particular interest in pop-art, minimalism, and figurative work. You can buy original pieces, limited-edition prints, and framed works either online or by visiting the gallery.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Prahran, Melbourne
Gallerysmith is a contemporary art gallery in Melbourne that focuses on collectible work by both established and up-and-coming Australian artists. The place stocks over 600 original pieces covering painting, sculpture, ceramics and photography. They'll help you out with art advice tailored to what you're after, framing, getting work installed properly, and they can arrange studio visits too.
Collingwood, Melbourne
Gertrude is an independent, artist-run gallery and studio complex in Collingwood, Melbourne. It operates across two spaces: Gertrude Contemporary and Gertrude Glasshouse. The organisation runs exhibitions, provides studio support for working artists, and puts on public programs, educational activities, and publishing work focused on contemporary visual arts.
Glenelg, Adelaide
Glenelg Art Gallery displays contemporary paintings, sculptures, jewellery and decorative arts from Adelaide-based and Aboriginal artists. The gallery works with artists from Circle of Arts Foundation and Indigenous creators across South Australia and the Northern Territory, selling original pieces that come with authenticity certificates and background on the makers.
Collingwood, Melbourne
Goldstone Gallery is a contemporary art space in Collingwood, VIC 3066 that takes on social issues through the work it shows and the stands it takes. You'll find glass installations, detailed paper pieces, ceramics and ritual objects by artists interested in memory, spirituality, light and transformation. The gallery's program puts energy into giving a platform to voices that get left out and speaking up against antisemitism.
Emerging · Mid
Fyshwick, Canberra
Grainger Gallery is a commercial fine art gallery in Fyshwick, ACT 2609. It represents a solid lineup of contemporary Australian artists and operates from a dedicated studio-gallery space. The gallery handles framing services and works across painting, sculpture, and mixed-media pieces, covering figurative, landscape, and abstract styles.
Emerging · Mid
Hobart, Hobart
Handmark Gallery is a commercial gallery in Hobart, TAS 7000, representing a number of contemporary artists who work across painting, sculpture, ceramics, works on paper and jewellery. They offer art consultancy if you're kitting out a home or workplace, and they're always putting on shows from their roster of artists.
West Perth, Perth
Holmes a Court Gallery runs two spaces in Western Australia. The main one's at 10 in West Perth's Pickle District, with another site out at Vasse Felix near Margaret River. They put together exhibitions from the Janet Holmes à Court Collection, focusing on contemporary Australian art. The curatorial angle emphasises cross-cultural artistic dialogue, indigenous representation, and how contemporary and traditional art practices overlap and feed into each other.
Richmond, Melbourne
Hoo Gallery, Richmond VIC 3121, features contemporary eco-print paintings by Dharshi de Silva. She grows plants in her garden and prints them straight onto canvas using natural dyes and earth pigments. Each piece captures a different plant impression, mixing fine art practice with environmental awareness and ideas pulled from how nature moves through the seasons.
West End, Brisbane
They run artist residencies and offer studio tenancies at decent rates for people just getting started. The place is set up for artists to work together, try new stuff, and actually connect with each other across different forms and mediums. It's basically where artists work and where the local creative community hangs out.
Beulah Park, Adelaide
Hugo Michell Gallery is a commercial Adelaide gallery that represents contemporary artists working across multiple mediums. The gallery features work in hand-stamped printmaking, hand-built ceramics, and sculptural installations. It focuses on both emerging and established artists who work with abstract and figurative approaches.
Adelaide, Adelaide
JamFactory is a craft and design studio and gallery in Adelaide that works with contemporary ceramics, glass, jewellery and furniture. It runs exhibition spaces, an online shop, and teaching programs, while supporting Australian artists and fair trade practices with Indigenous creators through its Dealer Member status.
Teneriffe, Brisbane
Jan Manton Gallery is a Brisbane outfit that works with a number of contemporary Australian and international artists. They show everything from abstract and figurative painting through to sculpture, photography, and works on paper. There's a real focus on contemporary art that sits somewhere between conceptual and expressive work.
Mid
Fortitude Valley, Brisbane
Jan Murphy Gallery is based in Fortitude Valley and represents a solid range of contemporary artists. You'll find painting, sculpture, textiles and mixed media on the walls. The gallery works with both seasoned and up-and-coming artists, so the shows cover figurative work, landscapes, abstract pieces and indigenous art practices.
Fremantle, Perth
Japingka Aboriginal Art sits on Fremantle's High Street and focuses on contemporary paintings by Indigenous artists from right across the country. They represent more than 50 artists and stock acrylic works on canvas and linen covering everything from Dreaming stories to cultural symbols. You can browse their collection online or visit the physical gallery. They're accredited by the Aboriginal Art Association of Australia and the Indigenous Art Code.
Emerging · Mid
Perth, Perth
Kamilė Gallery is a Perth-based contemporary gallery that focuses on museum-quality Aboriginal, Australian and international art. The gallery represents 17 artists and shows work across multiple mediums, from acrylic paintings to mixed media and sculpture. It works with both emerging and established artists.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Rozelle, Sydney
Kate Owen Gallery, based in Rozelle, NSW 2039, focuses on contemporary Indigenous Australian art. It works with over 200 artists from both remote and urban areas across the country. The space spans 600 square metres across three levels. You'll find everything from traditional desert dot paintings and ochres through to contemporary bark paintings, sculptures and prints. There's also a Collectors' Gallery section with high-quality work by established artists.
Emerging · Mid · Established · Blue-chip
Darlinghurst, Sydney
King Street Gallery on William is a Sydney gallery in Darlinghurst that shows work by established and emerging Australian artists. You'll find contemporary painting, sculpture, printmaking, and works on paper, with a focus on landscape and figurative pieces. They run major exhibitions alongside their roster of represented artists.
Perth, Perth
Kolbusz Space is a contemporary art gallery in Perth's Claisebrook precinct. Started in 2019, it was built from the ground up as a studio and project space. The gallery works with artists doing painting, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, neon, photography and new media. They run regular exhibitions and have an online stockroom with a full range of works. If you're buying, they'll give you one-on-one advice. They also do lease options and lease-to-buy arrangements to make things a bit easier for collectors, designers and businesses.
Toowong, Brisbane
Land Street Gallery is a contemporary exhibition space in Toowong, Brisbane. It shows work by emerging and established artists working across painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking and mixed media. The gallery runs solo and group shows, and operates a working studio program where artists can apply. It's set up as a community-focused venue with regular programming.
Parap, Darwin
You'll find paintings, prints, sculptures, and textiles from both established art centres and up-and-coming artists. The work spans traditional stuff like bark paintings through to screenprints and carved pieces.
Emerging · Mid
Richmond, Melbourne
Lennox St. Gallery sits in Richmond, Melbourne, and shows work by both well-known and up-and-coming artists. They focus on painting, sculpture, and mixed media across different styles - you'll find figurative pieces, abstract work, landscapes, and indigenous art. The gallery takes its exhibitions seriously, with careful selection and support for developing artists. Lennox St. Gallery | Richmond | VIC | 3121.
Newtown, Sydney
{"text":"Lennox Street Studios is an artist-run studio space in Newtown established in 1995. About 40 working artists share the space, making everything from painting and sculpture to ceramics, photography, printmaking, film, and textiles. Artists at all levels work side by side here, from those fresh out of art school to experienced practitioners with prize-winning credentials. The studios run open studio events each year where people can buy work directly from the artists or commission pieces."}.
Paddington, Brisbane
Lethbridge Gallery is a Brisbane outfit that works with a solid lineup of established and emerging artists across different mediums. They put on exhibitions, run art awards, and have an artist residency programme. They also handle a secondary market service, so collectors can buy and sell work through them.
St Kilda, Melbourne
Linden New Art is a contemporary art gallery in St Kilda, VIC 3182 that exhibits work by both emerging and established artists across various mediums. The gallery sits on Bunurong Boon Wurrung country and runs exhibition spaces alongside public programs like artist talks and community workshops. They also provide venue hire and artist residencies.
Emerging · Mid
Darlinghurst, Sydney
Liverpool Street Gallery operates out of Darlinghurst, exhibiting paintings, sculptures, ceramics and mixed media by Australian and international contemporary artists. They run a steady rotation of solo and group shows featuring abstract, figurative and landscape work, along with thematic exhibitions and gift salons.
Richmond, Melbourne
LON Gallery operates as a commercial contemporary art space in Richmond, Melbourne. The gallery works with a mix of emerging and established artists who practise across painting, sculpture, and mixed media. You'll see solo and group exhibitions featuring figurative, landscape, and abstract work, along with still-life and photographic pieces from the artists they represent.
Griffith, Canberra
M16 Artspace is an artist-run gallery and studio collective set up in 1985 in Canberra. It's got 31 artist studios on site and puts on rotating shows of work by emerging and established artists. The space operates three gallery areas with exhibitions changing every four weeks, with contemporary work in all kinds of mediums and styles.
Mid
Surry Hills, Sydney
m2 Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in Surry Hills, Sydney, that works with Australian artists doing street art, abstract work, and mixed-media pieces. They run exhibitions regularly and you can hire the space for art events or guest shows.
Collingwood, Melbourne
MAGMA Galleries is a commercial art space in Collingwood, Melbourne that shows work by established and emerging artists. They focus on painting, sculpture and mixed media, with a particular emphasis on contemporary and abstract art. Indigenous Australian art is a key part of what they do. As well as their regular exhibitions, they also run an online shop.
Malvern, Melbourne
Malvern Artists' Society is an artist-run cooperative gallery and learning hub in Melbourne's inner east, welcoming both emerging and experienced artists. The venue hosts regular members' exhibitions, offers studio classes in painting, drawing and mixed media, and provides affordable gallery hire and exhibition opportunities to its membership community.
Alphington, Melbourne
Mandel Aboriginal Art Gallery is a Melbourne online retailer that specialises in authentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artworks. You'll find a good range of pieces across all budgets, with works starting under $250 through to high-end investment pieces over $10,000. They focus on supporting Indigenous artists and helping preserve their cultural heritage.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Malvern, Melbourne
Manyung Gallery Group runs five contemporary art spaces around Melbourne, with one based in Malvern. They work with a pretty varied range of Australian artists doing painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media stuff. You'll see everything from established names to up-and-coming types. The gallery shows contemporary figurative work, landscapes, abstract pieces, still life and botanical subjects.
Darwin City, Darwin
Mason Gallery focuses on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, mainly sourced from the Central and Western Desert regions, Utopia Lands, Arnhem Land and the Top End. You'll find traditional paintings, sculptures and textiles by Indigenous artists here. The gallery's a member of the Aboriginal Art Association of Australia.
Darwin City, Darwin
Mbantua Gallery stocks genuine Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artwork. You'll find pieces from Utopia, Arnhem Land, Hermannsburg, North Queensland, and Western Desert artists, with a solid range available online. The gallery works with plenty of Indigenous artists and carries paintings, sculptures, bark works, watercolours, and artefacts. Prices and styles vary, so there's something for different budgets and tastes.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Paddington, Sydney
Michael Commerford Gallery is a commercial art space in Paddington, NSW 2010. It shows contemporary and abstract work, with a mix of established and emerging artists. The gallery focuses on modern painting and mixed-media practice.
Chippendale, Sydney
Michael Reid Gallery Sydney is a contemporary art gallery with a base in Berlin as well. They work with Australian artists, both established ones and people just starting out. The gallery focuses on painting, photography, sculpture and indigenous works. They keep a stockroom of pieces across different styles and materials.
Emerging · Mid · Established · Blue-chip
West End, Brisbane
Milani Gallery is a commercial Brisbane gallery that focuses on contemporary art from both established and emerging artists. They work with practitioners across textiles, painting, and photography, and take a particular interest in conceptual and culturally engaged practice. The gallery is based in West End and puts on solo and group shows regularly, while also helping artists get into major venues overseas.
Adelaide, Adelaide
{"text":"Milpinti Indigenous Gallery in Adelaide puts on contemporary work by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, mixing established names with up-and-coming talent from right across the country. They focus on dot paintings, traditional Dreaming stories done in modern ways, and using visual art to tell cultural stories."}.
Emerging · Mid
Redfern, Sydney
Minerva is a contemporary art gallery in Redfern, NSW 2016 that shows work by emerging and established artists. You'll find painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media pieces rotating through the space pretty regularly. The gallery's keen on new artistic ideas and reckons cultural diversity matters, which shapes what they put on the walls.
Fortitude Valley, Brisbane
{"text":"Mitchell Fine Art is a gallery in Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006, that focuses on contemporary and Indigenous Australian art. It's been running for thirty years and works with a wide range of artists doing painting, sculpture and ceramics.
Mid · Established
Perth, Perth
Moore Contemporary is a gallery in Perth that reps over twenty contemporary artists making work across all sorts of different mediums and styles. You'll find it at Cathedral Square on Hay Street. The gallery handles painting, sculpture, and mixed-media pieces, everything from abstract stuff through to figurative work and landscapes. They focus on supporting both established and emerging Australian artists.
Richmond, Melbourne
Niagara Galleries is a commercial Richmond gallery that represents a mix of contemporary and established Australian and international artists. The space focuses on painting, sculpture, and works on paper, covering everything from abstract and figurative pieces to landscapes. They're regulars at major Australian art fairs and have a strong commitment to showing work by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.
Collingwood, Melbourne
Nicholas Thompson Gallery opened in Collingwood back in 2015 and focuses on contemporary Australian art. You'll find work across painting, printmaking, and mixed media from a range of artists.
Armadale, Melbourne
Nightingale Gallery is a contemporary art space in Armadale, Melbourne, working with both established and up-and-coming artists. You'll find painting, printmaking, photography and mixed media on the walls, with regular exhibitions featuring local and international work. They've also got a shop selling limited-edition pieces and original works across a range of price points.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Richmond, Melbourne
Nissarana Galleries runs contemporary art spaces across Noosa Heads, Richmond Melbourne, and Bangalow NSW. Since 2008, they've worked with over eighty Australian and international artists, focusing on painting, sculpture, ceramics, and photography that explores spirituality and cultural identity. The gallery takes artists seriously when their work reflects genuine inner exploration rather than surface-level trends.
Hobart, Hobart
Nolan Gallery & School of Art sits in Hobart's Salamanca Arts Centre and shows work by local Tasmanian artists. You'll see paintings, sculptures, jewellery and ceramics. Some pieces are pretty traditional, landscapes and portraits mostly, while others lean more towards abstract or contemporary art. They run art classes, put on exhibitions, and you can hire the space for events.
Emerging · Mid
Parap, Darwin
The Northern Centre for Contemporary Art sits on Larrakia Country in Darwin and runs independently. They show work from local Territory artists, national names, and international creators. NCCA basically lets people get stuck into all sorts of art, whether that's Indigenous Australian pieces, street work, or conceptual stuff that tackles social, aesthetic and cultural issues you'd actually care about in Northern Australia and elsewhere.
Emerging
Redfern, Sydney
Nussinov Gallery sits in Redfern, NSW, as an artist-run space where Micha Nussinov shows work across painting, digital composites, collages, and sculpture. The work ranges across figurative and landscape subjects through to abstract and contemporary pieces. It's based at 56 Cope Street and functions as both a working studio and exhibition space.
Mid
Woollahra, Sydney
Olsen Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in Woollahra that focuses on modern painting, sculpture, ceramics and works on paper. It shows work by both established and up-and-coming Australian artists working across figurative, landscape and abstract styles. The gallery runs two spaces: the main one in Sydney and the Olsen Annexe. It also operates LIMITED Contemporary Editions, an archival print studio.
Emerging · Mid · Established · Blue-chip
Melbourne, Melbourne
Original & Authentic Aboriginal Art is a Melbourne-based gallery that stocks traditional and contemporary Aboriginal artwork straight from Australia's leading Indigenous art centres and independent artists. You get certificates of provenance with every piece, so authenticity's covered. They work across painting, sculpture, ceramics and works on paper, and they're serious about treating artists fairly and paying them properly for their work.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Melbourne, Melbourne
Outré Gallery has been running in Melbourne for over thirty years, focusing on New Contemporary art. You'll find solo and group exhibitions with work from both Australian and international artists, along with original pieces, limited-edition prints, and stuff they publish through Outré Press.
Emerging · Mid · Established
South Brisbane, Brisbane
PARKER Contemporary is a Brisbane gallery that focuses on contemporary print and paper work. You'll find it in the Fish Lane Arts Precinct. The space represents a mix of established and emerging artists who work across printmaking, drawing, painting, and mixed media. They're keen on hand-crafted pieces and experimental approaches, particularly with works on paper.
Hobart, Hobart
Penny Contemporary is a gallery in Hobart that works with local, national, and international artists in contemporary art. You'll find both emerging and established artists here, showing work across painting, sculpture, photography, textiles, and mixed media. Their focus leans toward figurative, landscape, and abstract pieces.
Emerging · Mid
Perth, Perth
Peter Kendall Art Gallery displays contemporary paintings and mixed-media work by Perth artist Peter Kendall. You'll find oil paintings on canvas and hessian, black and white prints, ink pieces, and mixed-media works dealing with abstract and figurative themes. Kendall also runs art classes and takes commissions from his Australia Place studio.
Armadale, Melbourne
Plume Gallery is a vibrant contemporary art space founded in 2005 and directed by artist Katrina McKeon. Located in Armadale and Albert Park, Melbourne, it represents a diverse stable of Australian artists working across multiple mediums, with a particular strength in abstract expressionism and textured contemporary work. The gallery fosters an inclusive environment where contemporary and indigenous Australian art is accessible and enjoyable.
Bowden, Adelaide
Praxis Artspace, set up in 2015 in Bowden, Adelaide (SA 5007), is an independent contemporary gallery and artist studio space. It works as both a working studio complex and exhibition venue, with rotating shows featuring different contemporary artists and a stockroom holding artworks in various mediums and styles.
Woollahra, Sydney
Project Gallery is a contemporary gallery in Woollahra showing work by emerging and established local artists. The gallery reps a range of artists working across painting, ceramics, and sculpture. You'll find a lot of figurative work, still-life studies, and landscape painting in the shows. They also do art consulting, and there's an active online store if you want to shop from home.
Emerging · Mid
Melbourne, Melbourne
Project8 Gallery is a Melbourne space dedicated to contemporary abstract art. The gallery focuses on work that sits between order and organic forms. Right now, the exhibition looks at liminal spaces using mixed-media pieces that pair exact linear structures with loose, gestural marks on paper and canvas. The work examines the line between built environments and nature itself.
Ainslie, Canberra
The gallery displays contemporary art in different mediums and styles, and pays real attention to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. You can see exhibitions and buy work there, plus it runs workshops and hosts creative events.
Emerging · Mid
Darwin City, Darwin
Qubit Gallery is an artist-run space in Darwin City's Mayfair precinct that focuses on contemporary art. It started from Darwin's street art scene and now functions as both an experimental lab and exhibition venue. The gallery works with emerging and established artists, running collaborative shows and residency programs that bring people together and push creative boundaries.
Darwin City, Darwin
Central Desert, Top End, Utopia, Arnhem Land, Roper River. You name it. They work with Indigenous artists from these areas and sell paintings and other pieces.
Emerging
Port Melbourne, Melbourne
Red Desert Dreamings is an Aboriginal art gallery located in Port Melbourne, Victoria, that stocks authentic paintings, barks, artefacts and glass made by Indigenous artists from Australia's Central and Western Desert regions, the Kimberley, and Tiwi Islands. The gallery takes care to represent artists fairly and handle their cultural knowledge with respect.
Mid · Established
Fitzroy North, Melbourne
Red Gallery is a contemporary art space in Fitzroy North that runs group and solo exhibitions. They work with an open submission model, so artists can pitch their work. The gallery puts on thematic shows like the Urban group exhibitions and an annual Red Salon programme. It's basically run as a community space where artists get a fair go at showing their stuff.
Red Hill, Brisbane
Red Hill Gallery is a Brisbane commercial art gallery that focuses on contemporary Australian paintings, sculpture, glass, ceramics and jewellery. Situated in Red Hill, it works with both established and emerging artists across figurative, landscape and abstract styles. The gallery sells existing pieces and takes on new commissions for collectors.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Paddington, Brisbane
Red Sand Art Gallery started back in 1996 at TiTree in the Northern Territory, then moved to Paddington, Brisbane. They focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, carrying everything from contemporary paintings and sculptures to didgeridoos and boomerangs. The collection leans heavily toward dotwork styles and stories tied to the Dreaming, particularly pieces from the Utopia Homelands and Central Desert regions.
Albion, Brisbane
Revival Art & Design Gallery operates out of Albion in Brisbane, showing work from Queensland and Australian artists. They put on regular solo and group shows, run an annual prize for emerging artists, and take work to art fairs around Australia and overseas. You'll also find fine craft, industrial design, and ceramics in the space, mixed in with painting and sculpture.
Emerging · Mid
Redfern, Sydney
Revolve Gallery & Studios is an artist-run gallery and studio space in Redfern that puts emerging artists' practice first. The place combines exhibition space, working studios, workshops and a coffee bar, so artists can make work together and try new things out loud.
North Sydney, Sydney
Rochfort Gallery is a commercial art space in North Sydney that represents a pretty varied mix of contemporary Australian and international artists. You'll find painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, and works on paper, covering everything from abstract and figurative work to landscape and conceptual pieces. The gallery opens by appointment and on weekends, and it gives both established and emerging artists a chance to show work that deals with cultural, environmental, and philosophical stuff.
Paddington, Sydney
Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in Paddington, Sydney, representing a diverse roster of established and emerging artists. The gallery works with contemporary painting, sculpture, photography and mixed-media works, covering figurative, abstract and conceptual practices, with a focus on Australian and international artists engaged with contemporary discourse.
Redfern, Sydney
Sabbia Gallery in Redfern works with established and emerging Australian artists, mostly those working in glass, ceramics and fibre. The gallery exhibits contemporary pieces across different mediums, with a particular focus on craft-based work and indigenous Australian artists from a range of cultural backgrounds.
Paddington, Sydney
Saint Cloche is a contemporary art gallery in Paddington that puts on fortnightly shows of painting, sculpture, ceramics, and functional art. They work mainly with established Australian artists and run an online shop selling work across different mediums and styles. The space also hosts installations, collaborations, and events.
Mid
Darlinghurst, Sydney
Scieppan Gallery is a contemporary art space in Darlinghurst that focuses on figurative, narrative, and abstract painting. They work with Australian and international artists, showing oils, acrylics, and mixed media pieces. You'll find a lot of figurative work on the walls, alongside surreal landscapes and abstract stuff.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Prahran, Melbourne
Scott Livesey Galleries operates in Prahran and focuses on contemporary Australian art. The gallery works with painters, sculptors, ceramicists and mixed-media artists. There's a dedicated area for work by Indigenous Australian artists.
Adelaide, Adelaide
Segwood Galleries is an Adelaide gallery that shows mid-career to established contemporary Australian artists alongside high-end designer furniture, lighting, and antiques sourced from local and overseas markets. The space leans toward contemporary and experimental art, including street art, with a real interest in Japanese, Chinese, and African cultural objects.
Collingwood, Melbourne
Seventh Gallery is an artist-run space in Collingwood, VIC 3066, showing work that plays with how materials actually behave. They run exhibitions looking at extraction, circulation, and what materials can do, featuring photography, sculpture, installation, and video by Australian artists. The shows tend to focus on how stuff gets moved around and what it means for matter to act independently.
The Rocks, Sydney
Shazia Imran Gallery is a commercial art space in The Rocks, NSW 2000, run by award-winning artist Shazia Imran. The gallery stocks contemporary mixed-media paintings, sculptures, and fine-art prints. You'll find everything from abstract works and coastal paintings to figurative pieces and botanical studies, available as originals or reproductions. Shazia also takes on commissions and runs workshops.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Darwin City, Darwin
Sister7 is an Indigenous women's art gallery and ethical gift shop on Larrakia country in Darwin. They stock authentic artworks by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women artists, complete with certificates of authenticity and artist stories. The shop also sells homewares, textiles, jewellery and cultural products from fair-trade and ethical makers.
Fitzroy, Melbourne
Sol Gallery is a contemporary commercial art space in Fitzroy, Melbourne, showing established and emerging artists across painting, photography, ceramics, and mixed media. The gallery actively participates in major international art fairs and represents artists, whilst also operating a secondary project space in Collingwood.
Emerging · Mid · Established
Melbourne, Melbourne
SongLines Gallery in Melbourne, VIC 3000 is the Melbourne base for Original & Authentic Aboriginal Art, a specialist dealer that's been sourcing rare and collectible Aboriginal fine art for over 30 years. You'll find work from major artists like Walungkura Napanangka here, including pieces that draw on traditional Indigenous painting and sacred cultural stories.
Richmond, Melbourne
Sophie Gannon Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in Richmond, Melbourne that works with more than forty established and emerging artists. The gallery shows painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography and design, covering everything from figurative and abstract work through to realism and design-focused pieces.
The Rocks, Sydney
Spirit Gallery sells Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and didgeridoos from their shop in The Rocks, Sydney. They've got a good range - over 220 paintings and 113 didgeridoos on hand. Most of their stock is traditional Indigenous work, featuring dreaming stories and cultural patterns. You can also order online and they'll ship worldwide.
North Fremantle, Perth
They stock work by solid contemporary Australian artists across painting, sculpture, ceramics, and decorative pieces. The gallery carries figurative and abstract work, along with landscapes, still-life, seascapes, and wildlife paintings from artists working in different styles and mediums.
Mid · Established
Darlinghurst, Sydney
Stanley Street Gallery is located in Darlinghurst, Sydney. It represents a diverse group of contemporary artists working across various mediums. The gallery puts on regular exhibitions and keeps solid ties with the local community. It acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation as the traditional custodians of the land.
Surry Hills, Sydney
Station Gallery works with a mix of established and up-and-coming Australian and international artists making contemporary work. The gallery has locations in Melbourne (since 2011) and Sydney (since 2019), showing paintings, sculptures, works on paper, and mixed media. You'll find abstract, figurative, and conceptual pieces across both spaces.
South Yarra, Melbourne
Station Gallery shows work by a mix of established and up-and-coming Australian and international artists. They work across painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media. The gallery's been running since 2011, with spaces in Melbourne and Sydney. They focus on abstract, figurative and conceptual pieces, mostly from mid-career and emerging artists.
Melbourne, Melbourne
Stephen McLaughlan Gallery is an established gallery in central Melbourne that represents a diverse group of contemporary Australian artists working in painting, sculpture, ceramics, glass and printmaking. The gallery exhibits figurative, abstract, landscape and still-life work, and focuses on supporting professional artists through regular exhibitions and representation.
Subiaco, Perth
SubiARTco was a Perth artist collective that ran galleries in Subiaco from 2017 to 2021. They showed member work across painting, photography, sculpture, glass art and jewellery. The cooperative worked with a range of contemporary styles and still helps shift artwork and take on commissions through direct artist contact. You can see their current pieces at local pubs and cafes around the place.
Fitzroy, Melbourne
Sutton Gallery in Fitzroy, VIC 3065 represents a range of contemporary Australian artists making work in painting, photography, sculpture and works on paper. You'll find everything from abstraction and figuration to landscapes and still-lifes on the walls. The gallery actively supports indigenous and Asia-Pacific artists, putting them front and centre in the work it chooses to show.
Adelaide, Adelaide
T'Arts Collective is a member-run artist co-op based in Gay's Arcade, Adelaide, SA 5000. It represents 34 South Australian artists who work in painting, printmaking, ceramics, glass, sculpture, textiles and craft. The gallery has member artists on site most days, and they focus on selling original artworks and handmade gifts.
Surry Hills, Sydney
TAP Art Gallery in Surry Hills operates as a contemporary art space where emerging and established artists get together. The place runs regular exhibitions, art classes, and artist talks, plus they host fundraising events and community activities around art. You'll see different kinds of work across various mediums and styles, from solo artists to people working together on projects.
Marrickville, Sydney
The Commercial is a contemporary art gallery in Marrickville, Sydney that shows work from both established and up-and-coming Australian artists. You'll find painting, sculpture, printmaking and mixed media on the walls, spanning everything from figurative work through to landscapes and abstracts. The artists exhibited there regularly show up in major institutional exhibitions and international art fairs.
Adelaide, Adelaide
The Little Machine is a contemporary art gallery in Adelaide's Regent Arcade. It shows work from both up-and-coming and established artists working across different mediums. The space runs rotating exhibitions, puts out publications, and hosts events that engage with what's happening in contemporary art. They also acknowledge the Kaurna People's traditional custodianship of the Adelaide Plains.
Fortitude Valley, Brisbane
The Renshaws is a Brisbane gallery that represents contemporary Australian artists working across painting, sculpture, photography and mixed media. Located in Fortitude Valley, the space features everything from abstract and figurative work to landscapes and photography, with a focus on both seasoned and up-and-coming artists.
Hobart, Hobart
TAG Art Gallery, established over 25 years ago, presents a curated program of contemporary Australian art in central Hobart. The gallery specialises in abstract and landscape works, offering personalised guidance to collectors and featuring both emerging and established practitioners exploring spatial relationships, chromatic sophistication, and emotional abstraction.
Fitzroy, Melbourne
THIS IS NO FANTASY is a contemporary art gallery in Fitzroy, VIC 3065 that works with emerging and established artists doing painting, sculpture, photography and mixed-media. It was co-founded by Dianne Tanzer and Nicola Stein and focuses on abstract and figurative contemporary work.
Melbourne, Melbourne
Tolarno Galleries is a Melbourne gallery that shows work by Australian contemporary artists across painting, sculpture, glass, photography and mixed media. You'll find everything from abstract to figurative work, photography and Indigenous Australian art, with a strong focus on large-scale pieces and stuff that's conceptually solid.
Darwin City, Darwin
Top End Art Gallery is a Darwin-based commercial art venue showcasing hand-painted works by local artist TE, featuring abstract expressionism and street art on canvas, prints, and unconventional mediums including crocodiles, boomerangs and didgeridoos. The gallery operates from Voyage Arcade with pop-up locations at Mindil and Parap markets, alongside a café and paint-and-sip workshops.
Emerging · Mid
Waterloo, Sydney
Utopia Art Sydney works with a number of contemporary Australian artists, both Indigenous painters from Papunya Tula and established Sydney-based practitioners. The gallery focuses on painting and works on paper. You'll find abstract, figurative and landscape work there, but they're particularly interested in Aboriginal desert art and how it talks to modern Australian practice.
West End, Brisbane
Vacant Assembly is an artist-run venue in Brisbane that focuses on grassroots arts, community activation and experimental work. Located at 266 Montague Road in West End, QLD 4101, it operates as a multidisciplinary space offering gallery exhibitions, studio residencies, workshops, and participatory projects. Over seven years, the venue has built a reputation for accessible, collaborative art-making and community wellbeing.
Emerging
East Melbourne, Melbourne
The Victorian Artists Society is a co-operative gallery in East Melbourne running five exhibition spaces that put on over 50 shows each year. Set up back in 1870, it displays work by its members covering painting, drawing, printmaking and sculpture in all sorts of styles and subjects. The galleries refresh their exhibitions every couple of weeks with new pieces.
Emerging
Sydney, Sydney
Wentworth Galleries has been running for over 30 years, focusing on contemporary Australian and Aboriginal artists. They've got spaces in both Sydney and Brisbane, stocking paintings, sculptures and various other pieces. Their main areas are landscape work, figurative stuff and indigenous art.
Collingwood, Melbourne
West Space is an artist-run gallery in Collingwood, VIC 3066 that backs contemporary art through exhibitions, commissions and studio access. It sits in the Collingwood Yards creative precinct and gives emerging and established artists a place to show work across all sorts of media and ideas.
Hobart, Hobart
Wooby Lane Gallery sits in Salamanca, one of Hobart's older areas. The space focuses on art glass and watercolour paintings, with bits of ceramics, wood and leather work mixed in. You'll find artists from Tasmania, Australia and New Zealand represented here. The gallery operates out of a restored nineteenth-century sandstone building in Hobart's river arts district.
Abstract art is basically any artwork that doesn't show recognisable objects straight up, though some pieces might have hints of the real world tucked in there. Non-representational art's a bit different. It's got nothing to do with reality at all. It's just colour, form, line, and how it all fits together. All non-representational work is abstract, but plenty of abstract art still has something of the real world in it. You'll find both types in Australian galleries.
What you'll pay depends on a number of things: where the artist's at in their career, their reputation, how big the work is, what it's made from, and which gallery's selling it. Up-and-coming artists working with smaller galleries usually shift pieces for $500-$5,000. Artists who've been around the block a bit tend to charge $5,000-$30,000. Once you get to the big names, prices climb considerably. Across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and other cities, most galleries stock work at different price points so there's something for different collectors.
Most of the bigger galleries in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane keep regular opening hours, so you don't need to book ahead. Smaller specialist galleries, artist-run spaces, and boutique venues usually prefer a heads-up or appointment, especially if you're a keen collector. It's worth checking their website or giving them a call first, so you don't turn up and find the place closed or the right person unavailable to chat about the work.
{"text":"Look at what shows the artist's done, who's representing them, whether their work's in major public collections, how much people actually want it, and if they've got something original to say. Have a yarn with gallerists about how prices have moved and which new artists are worth watching. Get to know the staff at galleries who can point you toward artists likely to go up in value. At the end of the day, buying work you actually like is what makes it worth it, whether it goes up in price or not."}.
Indigenous Australian artistic traditions have deep roots in pattern and symbol. These traditions have been around for thousands of years and work with visual expression in pretty specific ways. You'll find them showing up in a lot of contemporary abstract art. Some artists directly pull from indigenous aesthetics and ideas in their own work, others are just influenced by the approach. Galleries like Aboriginal Art Co Gallery (West End), Aboriginal Dreamings Gallery (Nicholls), and Aboriginal Bush Traders (Darwin City) specialise in this stuff. But honestly, plenty of mainstream galleries stock indigenous and indigenous-influenced abstract work too these days.
{"text":"Each city's got its own feel. Sydney and Melbourne have big, commercially savvy markets with different takes on things. Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide have solid scenes with strong local artist communities. Canberra, Hobart, and Darwin have tight-knit art communities where interesting work often pops up before it gets bigger attention. If you gallery hop across a few cities, you'll see how different regions shape what artists do and you'll catch artists working outside the major commercial circuits."}.
Abstract art emerged as one of the major shifts in twentieth century visual culture. Rather than depicting recognisable objects or natural scenes, it zeroes in on colour, form, gesture, and composition. Artists began exploring emotional and spiritual territory without the constraint of making things look realistic. When you're looking at an abstract work, you're dealing directly with visual elements: lines, shapes, textures, colours. It's a fairly straightforward transaction between the artist and the person standing there looking at it.
Abstract art spans a pretty wide range. Some pieces have nothing to do with what you see in the world; others keep recognisable forms but strip them back to essentials. Geometric abstraction works with structure, symmetry, and mathematical relationships. Gestural or expressionistic abstraction focuses instead on the physical act of mark-making and the feeling behind it. Colour field painting zeros in on large expanses of luminous colour, while kinetic abstraction plays with movement and change. You see this variety on display in Australian galleries, where you'll find everything from bold minimalist pieces through to intricate, layered non-representational works.
Australia's abstract art scene has taken shape over the last seventy years through a blend of global influences and local thinking. Being stuck out on the other side of the world meant artists could experiment more freely, moving away from what Europe and America were doing. Indigenous Australian art practices, which have used pattern, symbol, and colour to communicate stories across thousands of years, have left a mark on what contemporary abstract artists do now. Put those two things together and you get a visual language that's started attracting attention from collectors and audiences overseas. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, and Darwin all developed their own artistic directions and movements, building something properly national rather than concentrated in one city.
Collectors buy Australian abstract art for solid reasons. The work itself covers plenty of ground, from strict geometric stuff coming out of Sydney's modernist tradition to more loose and expressive pieces you see in Melbourne and other places. There's generally something that speaks to different tastes. A lot of Australian artists tap into the unique light, landscape, and space of this part of the world in ways that feel new to both local and international people looking at their work. You can actually get your hands on Australian pieces without the crazy prices you'd pay for comparable American or European work, which means serious collectors can actually buy something real without breaking the bank. What really sets the local scene apart these days is how indigenous perspectives sit within contemporary abstract practice. You can see this at galleries like APY Gallery Sydney in Redfern, Aboriginal Art Co Gallery in West End, and Aboriginal Bush Traders in Darwin City.
Abstract artists use pretty much every medium you can think of, and each one gives them something different to work with. Oil and acrylic painting let them either nail down precise geometry or go loose and gestural. Watercolour and gouache give you transparency and light, which works well if you want to play with colour relationships and create a certain mood. Mixed media and collage are popular because you can build up layers of material and texture and get visual complexity happening. This is especially common in Australian art, where artists routinely throw in paper, textiles, found bits and pieces, even three-dimensional stuff into what started as a flat work. Then you've got sculpture and installation work that plays with space, light, and how people actually move around the piece.
Australian galleries these days show abstract work in all sorts of formats. You'll find digital pieces, photography-based abstraction, prints (whether woodblock, lithography, or screen printing), and textile work across the 173 galleries in the major cultural hubs. The medium matters practically when you're thinking about buying something and looking after it, since an oil painting needs different conditions than an acrylic or a digital print. What artists charge depends on their reputation, how big the work is, how much effort went into it, and what the materials cost. A large-scale mixed media piece will generally run you more than a smaller watercolour, though the smaller one might be just as clever conceptually. When you're in galleries around Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, or anywhere else, asking about how the artist made it, what they used, and how it needs to be displayed shows you're serious and helps the gallery staff suggest pieces that suit what you're after and what you want in your collection.
You'll find Australian abstract art at pretty much any price point. Emerging artists selling through smaller galleries in places like Newtown (where you'll find 16albermarle Project Space), Nicholls, Dickson, and Fremantle typically charge $500 to $5,000, which is a good way for newer collectors to get their eye in without too much financial risk. Mid-career artists with solid exhibition track records, working with galleries across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide, usually ask between $5,000 and $30,000, though you'll occasionally find standout pieces that go well beyond that. Senior artists who've shown internationally and built serious credentials will want considerably more, especially for large works, those made with expensive materials, or pieces with good documentation of where they've been and who's owned them.
Smart collecting means thinking about more than just what looks good on your wall. It helps to figure out what actually interests you: whether that's certain colours, geometric work over expressive stuff, artists from particular parts of Australia, or people working in specific techniques. If you keep going back to the same galleries, you'll get to know the people there, and they're genuinely useful once you build that relationship. They can tip you off to artists before prices climb. Gallerists across the eight major cities, from Sydney's forty-seven galleries to the ten in both Canberra and Darwin, will help you sort out provenance, look after conservation issues, and give you a sense of where prices are heading. A lot of collectors find that buying several smaller or mid-range works rather than dropping serious money on one piece gives you more room to experiment and takes the pressure off trying to pick winners straight up.
To develop a proper eye for abstract art, you need to get past your gut reaction and actually think about what's in front of you. Look at how the composition sits together: do all the pieces work as one thing, or do they feel scattered? Watch the colour at work. Some hues jump forward while others sit back. Some colour choices create a nice sense of balance, others deliberately clash. Think about how the artist used their medium. Are the marks and gestures deliberate and considered, or messy in a way that undermines what they were trying to do? Look for real choices, not accidents. With geometric work, check the precision and proportions. With looser, more expressive stuff, ask whether the energy of the mark-making actually says something or if it's just become a habit. Get some distance from the work, then get close. Abstract pieces often look different depending on how far away you stand.
The painting's actual physical presence matters just as much as what you see in it. Scale changes everything. A small work pulls you in, intimate-like, while a massive piece demands you engage with your whole body and can take over a room. Look at the surface. Is it polished and careful, or rough and raw? That tells you something about what the artist cares about. Pay attention to whether the work feels genuinely original or if it's basically copying styles you've seen before. The longer you collect, the more this distinction matters. If you're spending time at Melbourne's forty-six venues, Brisbane's twenty, or the smaller but lively scenes in Hobart and Darwin, don't skip the pieces that baffle or unsettle you at first glance. Some of the best abstract art only opens up after you've spent proper time with it.
Australian galleries come in all shapes and sizes, from serious commercial operations to experimental spaces willing to back unknown artists. Some stick to a specific area, like Aboriginal Art Co Gallery in West End and Aboriginal Dreamings Gallery in Nicholls, which focus on indigenous work. Others cast a wider net with mixed programming. The big cities are spoilt for choice. Sydney has forty-seven galleries ranging from major commercial players to tiny artist-run spots like 16albermarle in Newtown and boutique operations tucked away in the suburbs. Melbourne counts forty-six, Brisbane twenty, and both Perth and Adelaide have fourteen each.
The smaller capitals work differently. Canberra's ten galleries, Darwin's ten, and Hobart's twelve operate in tighter artistic communities where everyone knows each other and local concerns shape programming alongside national and international work. You'll often find genuinely sophisticated work in these regional spaces that might get lost in the bigger commercial markets. Figuring out which galleries are worth your time comes down to your taste. Read reviews, check which artists they represent, look at past exhibitions, and see which artists have made it into public collections. Most galleries these days have decent websites and social media, so you can scope out what's on before you visit. Specialist galleries with a clear focus tend to offer sharper advice, while generalist spaces give you variety but maybe less depth. Neither's better, really. Just pick galleries that align with what you're actually trying to collect.
Do your homework before heading to an abstract art gallery. Look up what's on at the moment and see if there are artists whose work speaks to you or fits with what you already own. Check the opening hours too, since smaller specialist galleries often have limited hours or want you to book ahead if you're a serious buyer. When you're there, don't hold back with questions. Gallerists genuinely want to talk about their artists' work, price points, what's available, and whether something will suit your place. If you're unsure what you like, ask them to explain the differences between artists or tell you why one bloke's work costs more than another doing something similar. Just remember to ask about photos before you start snapping away.
When you're thinking about buying something, get your hands on the paperwork: artist's CV, exhibition history, bio, and provenance details. Find out what the gallery's return and exchange situation is like. Most will let you send something back if it doesn't work out, or swap it for something else if it doesn't fit your space the way you hoped. Ask them about framing too, since some galleries sell works already framed and ready to hang, while others leave that to you. Chat about how to look after the piece as well. What temperature and light does it need? Should it stay out of the sun? Does it want a particular humidity level? This stuff matters more once you're spending decent money. Most galleries across all eight major cities can sort out delivery and install it for you, and plenty of them know their way around advising on where things should go in a modern home. Getting to know the gallerists in your area usually pays off in the end, with first look at new shows, chances to see things before they hit the public, and spot-on recommendations as your collection grows.
Australia has 173 galleries focused on abstract and contemporary art, which is a serious resource if you're collecting or just keen on the work. Rather than dropping in randomly, it's worth planning how you'll move through the country's main art centres. Sydney has forty-seven galleries, so you can spend days or come back over several months and still find something new. Melbourne has forty-six venues that'll keep you busy in the same way. Brisbane's twenty, Perth's fourteen, Adelaide's fourteen, Canberra's ten, Hobart's twelve, and Darwin's ten galleries each deserve proper time, especially if you want to understand how different regions tick and what local artists are actually doing right now.
Most collectors who take this seriously visit their favourite galleries regularly, maybe four times a year, to watch new artists emerge and see how established ones are moving. Gallery emails and social media tell you what's on. Some people go to openings and artist talks to chat with the painters and sculptors and other collectors. Others just need quiet time standing in front of the work. The best approach probably uses both: you need to be around enough to know people and galleries properly, but you also need proper time to think about what you're looking at. What makes Australian abstract art work is that it's genuinely mixed. You get the polish of Sydney and Melbourne galleries sitting alongside the real individual voices coming out of Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, and Darwin. When you travel through these galleries, you're doing two things at once: covering the map, but also working out what contemporary abstraction can actually do and say.
