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Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery was established in 1937, making it the oldest public art gallery in regional Queensland. It is owned and operated by Toowoomba Regional Council and is located in the heart of the city, surrounded by attractive inner-city parks, cafes and vibrant street art.
Keep reading below to find out what's on at Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery or take a look at our July to September 2023 Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery booklet.
Gallery opening hours:
Usual hours
Phone: (07) 4688 6652
Email: art@tr.qld.gov.au
Instagram: @trartgalleries
Post:
Toowoomba Regional Art GalleryPO Box 3021Toowoomba QLD 4350
Bolton Reading Room (housing the Lionel Lindsay Library) - Open by appointment Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday.
Research enquiries via email art@tr.qld.gov.au or phone (07) 4688 6693.
Location: 531 Ruthven Street, Toowoomba, beside City Hall. Open in Google Maps.
Access: Parking is available on Ruthven Street and in nearby off-street car parks. Access for disabled persons is available at street level, with a lift leading to the upper floor. Toilet facilities cater for visitors using wheelchairs and guardians tending to babies and young children.
Subscribe to receive updates on upcoming Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery events, exhibitions and opportunities. We have four different mailing lists you may like to subscribe to:
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View exhibitions and events on the Toowoomba Region Events Register
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The gallery houses three permanent collections - The Fred and Lucy Gould Art Collection, the Toowoomba City Collection and The Lionel Lindsay Gallery and Library.
The Fred and Lucy Gould Art Collection is an eclectic collection of approximately 350 works. The collection was donated to the people of Toowoomba in 1950 by Mr Fred Gould, in memory of his wife Lucy. Lucy enjoyed drawing and painting, while Fred Gould served for some years as a trustee of the Queensland Art Gallery.
The result of their interests can be seen in this collection which includes:
Mostly from Europe, Asia and Australia, the pieces date from the early 1700s to the 1930s, and some of Lucy Gould's own works are included. The importance of this community asset is well realised by Toowoomba City Council which, since the late 1980s, has carried out a program of conservation to ensure that The Fred and Lucy Gould Art Collection will be preserved for future generations, as an important element of the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery.
Named in honour of Sir Lionel Lindsay, this unique collection was opened by the then Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, in 1959. It was originally assembled by Toowoomba couple, W.R.F (Bill) Bolton MBE and Marion Bolton, whose dedication has left the city with a remarkable legacy.
The art collection features over 400 artworks by members of the Lindsay family and many other significant Australian painters, including Frederick McCubbin, Arthur Streeton, Tom Roberts and Rupert Bunny.
The collection of print materials is of national importance and comprises:
The manuscripts include important documents such as letters written by explorer Ludwig Leichhardt, navigator La Perouse and writer Henry Lawson, as well as Lionel Lindsay's own papers.
The Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery – Toowoomba City Collection imparts another dimension to the other permanent collections in the gallery by focusing principally on 20th-century Australian art.
Paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, ceramics, small-scale sculpture and jewellery are all represented, with an emphasis on works by artists of significance, consistent with the perceived developments in Australian contemporary art, Queensland artists and artists who have an important connection to the Toowoomba Region and its history. The Dr Irene Amos OAM Collection - Amos Bequest is a major acquisition and forms an important part of the overall catalogue of works.
Image: Installation view Multiple Originals: Prints from the Collection, 2020.
Free guided tours for groups can be arranged for groups visiting the Gallery. Bookings are essential for all group visits and organisers are encouraged to book at least two weeks ahead.
Contact the Gallery via email or phone to discuss your visit.
Gallery spaces at Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery are dedicated to the display of our permanent collections, touring exhibitions and gallery projects. At this stage, we are not seeking applications or proposals from artists for our other Gallery spaces. Please contact the gallery via email or phone if you have a project proposal you would like to discuss.
Contemporary Wearables Biennial Jewellery Award and Exhibition is the focus of Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery's contribution to promoting excellence in contemporary adornment. The award was established in 1989, with the aid of the Toowoomba Gallery Society Inc., and is a forum for experimental and innovative contemporary jewellery and object practice.
Juried and judged by leading industry professionals, the Award showcases the work of Australia’s prominent and emerging contemporary makers. In addition, exhibited pieces are eligible for acquisition for the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection. Acquisitions from the Award have made a significant contribution to building one of Australia’s leading contemporary jewellery collections housed at Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery.
Contemporary Wearables is proudly supported by Toowoomba Regional Council.
The 2023 Award exhibition was juried by:
The appointed judge for 2023 was Chloë Powell, Co-Founder and Director of Radiant Pavilion, Melbourne Contemporary Jewellery and Object Biennial.
Award Winners:
Two awarded works have been acquired for the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection.
The following works were also acquired for the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection:
Image: 2023 Award Winner / Zoë VENESS / Wreath 2023 / Neckpiece: archival paper, stainless-steel cable, sterling-silver tubing / 42 x 42 x 4cm / © Zoe Veness
The 2021 Award exhibition was juried by:
The appointed judge for 2021 was Barbara Heath, one of Australia’s leading contemporary jewellers.
Award winner: Sarah Rayner & Sophie Carnell / Florilegium… traversing the poetry of plants 2020 (42 brooches - details shown above and right) - Acquired
Runner-up: Kyoko Hashimoto / Coal necklace 2020 (neckpiece) - Acquired
Images: 2021 Award Winner Sarah RAYNER and Sophie CARNELL / Florilegium… traversing the poetry of plants 2020 (detail) / 42 brooches: hand carved porcelain with terra sigillata, sterling and fine silver / 26 x 375 x 8cm / Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection 2387 / Purchased from Contemporary Wearables ’21 with funds donated by Toowoomba Gallery Society 2018 / © Sarah Rayner and Sophie Carnell
The 2019 award exhibition was juried by:
The appointed judge for 2019 was Marian Hosking, Silversmith.
Award winners:
Two awarded works have been acquired for the Toowoomba City Collection.
The following works were also acquired for the Toowoomba City Collection:
Image: 2019 Award Winner Melissa CAMERON / Corporate entity / corporeal entity 2017 / Neckpiece: stainless steel, vitreous enamel titanium / 10.5 x 10.5 x 1.0cm; 76.0cm chain / Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - City Collection 2339 / Acquired from Contemporary Wearables 2019 Biennial Jewellery Award & Exhibition / © Melissa Cameron
Contemporary Wearables '17 was juried by:
The appointed judge for 2017 was Mr Phill Mason, Gem-Cutter, Goldsmith and Studio-Jeweller.
The three awarded works were acquired for the Toowoomba City Collection.
Image: 2017 Award Winner Luke ABBOT / Mandible setting 2017 / articulated ring: titanium, 925 silver, gem / 2.8 x 2.1 x 0.7cm / Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection 2207 / Acquired from Contemporary Wearables 2017 Biennial Jewellery Award & Exhibition / Reproduced by kind permission.
Contemporary Wearables '15 was juried by:
Sabine Pagan, contemporary jeweller and former Head of BA (Jewellery) at Charles Sturt University judged the award.
The following works were acquired for the Gallery’s Collection:
No student award was presented.
Image: 2015 Award Winner Christel VAN DER LAAN / Eureka 2014 / brooch – ceramic honeycomb, oxidised silver, gold, onyx, mirror, paint / 9.0 x 10.0 x 2.5cm / Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery - Toowoomba City Collection 2121 / Acquired from Contemporary Wearables 2015 Biennial Jewellery Award & Exhibition / Reproduced by kind permission.
The Gallery offers free guided tours to schools and educators Monday to Friday, 8.30am - 5:00pm. Bookings are essential and educators are encouraged to book at least two weeks ahead. We cater for students from kindergarten to tertiary level, home-schooled and school groups of any year level with a range of interests.
We encourage enquiries from educators who would like a tailored visit to suit their program. Delivery can be flexible, so if you have an idea or wish to book a tour, contact the Gallery via email or phone to discuss your needs.
The Gallery offers special access to artworks not currently on display for research and educational purposes. Schools wishing to view Collection items that are not on display as part of their Gallery visit should contact the Gallery with at least 48 hours notice to make a request. Access to items is not guaranteed but will be provided if possible.
Providing access to The Bolton Reading Room for educational purposes is a key aspect of our Gallery service.
The holdings include rare, unique and out-of-print materials relating to:
Physical access to browse and read items is by appointment only.
To make an appointment or enquiry, email art@tr.qld.gov.au or phone (07) 4688 6693.
