newy.com.au – City of Newcastle has received a $500,000 donation from the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation as final preparations continue ahead of the full reopening of the expanded Newcastle Art Gallery at Cooks Hill on Saturday 28 February 2026.
The gift follows the signing of a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) between City of Newcastle and the Foundation, as the $48 million expansion project nears completion and the Gallery prepares a reopening weekend program later this month.
City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath said the Foundation had supported the Gallery since it was established in 1977 through “advocacy, fundraising and contributions to its nationally significant collection”. “This $500,000 donation follows $12.5 million raised over many years for the Gallery’s expansion and demonstrates the Foundation’s ongoing dedication to its success,” Bath said.
Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation deputy chair Ian Andrews said the community contribution, including the Valerie and John Ryan Bequest, helped underpin government support for the expansion. “The initial $10 million commitment in 2020 was made possible through the Valerie and John Ryan Bequest, together with community fundraising over many years,” Andrews said, adding the Foundation had raised more than $2.5 million since launching its campaign in early 2022.
Andrews said the extra $500,000 was enabled by investment of donor funds and meant the Foundation could “honour its $13 million goal”. The elected council and the Foundation’s board unanimously endorsed the new MoU at meetings in December 2025.
City of Newcastle said the MoU recognised the Gallery’s place as custodian of “the most valuable public art collection in Australia outside of a capital city”, valued at $145 million and spanning more than 200 years of Australian art. It also outlines shared priorities including ongoing financial support for exhibitions and programming and the long-term sustainability of the Gallery.
Gallery director Lauretta Morton OAM said the Foundation’s backing had helped expand the collection, including funding the acquisition of more than 335 works. “Their support for the expansion project and their ongoing contributions to the future success of the Gallery are essential,” Morton said.
Reopening celebrations will run from Friday 27 February to Sunday 1 March, including an opening night street party in Laman Street and the launch of the major collection exhibition, Iconic Loved Unexpected, on 28 February. The expansion has been supported by $5 million from the Australian Government under the Regional Recovery Partnerships and $5 million from the NSW Government under the Regional Recovery Package, alongside the Foundation’s $13 million contribution.
