Announcement: The Gunnery redevelopment project and Artspace’s relocation to the National Art School

Announcement: The Gunnery redevelopment project and Artspace’s relocation to the National Art School

The Gunnery redevelopment project and Artspace’s relocation to the National Art School

‘In November 2020 the NSW Government announced a $5 million investment to transform The Gunnery into a state-of-the-art facility. The redevelopment is now progressing and we would like to update you on Artspace’s news.

Artspace has now temporarily vacated The Gunnery to make way for the redevelopment project with a vision to reopen the entire building to the public in late 2022. Our revitalised facilities will include expanded galleries; additional free artist studios, increasing our support to more than 100 artists over the next 10 years; universal access for our community through upgraded amenities; public access to our 35-year program archive; and a new flexible learning space for education and local outreach programs.

Our temporary offsite home will be at the National Art School (NAS) campus in Darlinghurst and we look forward to furthering the strong relationship between our two institutions. Artspace will collaborate with NAS faculty to support professional development programs and mentorships for students, and present several flagship exhibitions on campus, including the next NSW Visual Arts Emerging Fellowship. This partnership is an exciting opportunity for NAS and Artspace to share advocacy and programs to support practising and upcoming Australian artists into the future.

COVID-19 has impacted our arts community in many ways, but Artspace remains committed to providing opportunities that support artists and audiences even in the most challenging times.

We hope everyone is staying safe and we look forward to sharing more news about The Gunnery redevelopment and future programming over the coming months.’

– Alexie Glass-Kantor, Executive Director and Andrew Cameron, Chair

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Art Club is our high school student program for 15-17 year olds, designed to enhance and extend students’ technical, conceptual, and intellectual skills, through intensive practical study in the disciplines offered at NAS as well as engaging in an experience of our studios and campus, under the expert direction of experienced artists.

Set your child on a creative path with Art Club. 

Learn more at the link in bio.
Thank you to everyone who attended the opening night of the 24th Dobell Drawing Prize and congratulations again to the prize winner NAS alumna Rosemary Lee.

The 24th Dobell Drawing Prize is now open until Saturday 21 June 2025
11am – 5pm Monday to Saturday 
NAS Gallery 
Free admission, all welcome

Learn more about the exhibition at the link in bio.
We are delighted to announce NAS alumna Rosemary Lee as the winner of the 24th Dobell Drawing Prize, Australia’s leading prize for drawing, worth $30,000.

Selected from 56 nationwide finalists, and 965 entries, Rosemary’s work will become part of the National Art School’s significant collection, built over the past 120 years. Rosemary, in her winning work 24-1 (2024), observes tonal and compositional profundity in everyday life.

The judging panel comprising acclaimed First Nations artist Vernon Ah Kee, Paula Latos-Valier AM, Trustee and Art Director of the Sir William Dobell Art Foundation, and Dr Yolunda Hickman, Head of Postgraduate Studies, National Art School, commented of Rosemary’s work: “The decision to award the 24th Dobell Drawing Prize to Rosemary Lee for the work ‘24-1’ was unanimous. We were most impressed by the level of visual intensity the artist has achieved in this work both through its vibrant colour and in the extraordinary detail of the composition. The artwork’s exploration of the urban landscape and gentrification of the Sydney suburbs of Ashfield and Summer Hill, has produced an image capturing a broader sense of transience and the omnipresence of construction sites in our cities today. It questions the cultural and historical value of place, through the lens of the artist’s personal connection.” 

See Lee’s work alongside the work of the other finalists in the 24th Dobell Drawing Prize, 11 April – 21 June 2025, NAS Gallery
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Left to right: NAS Director and CEO, Dr Kristen Sharp with artist Rosemary Lee, featuring winning artwork 24–1, 2024, pencil on paper, image courtesy the artist and National Art School Gallery © the artist, photograph: Peter Morgan
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