Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery

Opened in 1904 Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery is the oldest regional gallery in New South Wales.

The beautifully restored emporium displays a selection of works from the City of Broken Hill's art collection and a quality program of temporary exhibitions by local, state and national artists along with touring exhibitions.

The exhibition program also includes the Gallery's annual acquisitive award, the 'Pro Hart Outback Art Prize'.

The Emporium was associated with two well-known Broken Hill families, the Sullys (1885 -1925) and the Sweetapples (1924 - 1985), and had its own livery stable and blacksmiths in the yard at the rear of the buildings. The gallery building is wheelchair accessible.

In 1998 Broken Hill City Council purchased the building to provide a permanent home for Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery and the City's art collection. The architect for the project was Elizabeth Vines. Many of the building's original features have been preserved in the refurbishment process, enhancing the experience of visitors to the Gallery.

Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery has won numerous heritage awards for the restoration and refurbishment of the former Sully's Emporium. These include the 2005 Energy Australia National/Trust Award for Conservation of the Built Heritage for Projects over $500,000 in the Corporate/Government section; 2005 Australian Property Institute Savills Heritage Award; and 2006 Tidy Towns Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery is the oldest regional art gallery in New South Wales. It was established in 1904 following the bequest of three major artworks by Mr George McCulloch, one of the founders of Broken Hill Propriety Limited (BHP). The bequest included Lynmouth, North Devon, 1867 by James Webb, After the Bath, 1890, by Harriette Sutcliffe and Memories, 1891 by John William Godward RBA.

Officially opened by the Governor-General of Australia, Lord Northcote, in October 1904, the Broken Hill City Art Gallery was first housed in the Broken Hill's principal cultural venue, the Technical College, together with the Technical College Museum Collection, where it remained until 1970, when the Gallery relocated to the Entertainment Centre (now known as the Civic Centre).

Broken Hill City Art Gallery was renamed Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery in 2002 to reflect its important cultural position and role in the broader western New South Wales region, and historical significance as the oldest regional gallery in the State.

As a part of Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery's centenary celebrations, it relocated in October 2004, to Sully's Emporium (exterior pictured in 1911), in Argent Street, in the heart of Broken Hill. The extensive renovation and refurbishment of this historic building has provided Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery with a superb venue offering multiple exhibition spaces to present an exciting and diverse annual program of exhibitions by local, regional, state, national and international artists, touring exhibitions, floor talks, lectures, workshops, guided tours and educational activities; gallery shop; dedicated public programs area; and improved public access.

The Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery provides an annual program of locally curated exhibitions along with touring exhibitions from major cultural institutions. A selection of works from the collection is on permanent display in the upstairs gallery. The annual program endeavours to include work by established and emerging Aboriginal artists from around the Far West region of New South Wales.

The Gallery is housed in the historic Sully's Emporium. Operating from 1885 - 1985, Sully's Emporium was the longest surviving commercial business in Broken Hill providing much of the heavy machinery and equipment for the development and exploration of Broken Hill's mineral fields.