2026 is going to be another massive year at Wollongong Art Gallery, thanks to a diverse range of exhibitions, an engaging performance program and an exciting schedule of workshops, free artist talks and events.
The new annual program was launched by Gallery Director Dr Daniel Mudie Cunningham and reflects the continued commitment to growing the Gallery's creative reach across disciplines, communities and forms of storytelling.
"With this program, we're exploring how art holds memory, emotion and change; how it maps the complex relationships between people and place, past and future, and the real and the imagined,'' Dr Mudie Cunningham said.
Now eighteen months into his role as Director, shaping the 2026 program has been a significant milestone.
"It's really important to me that the Wollongong Art Gallery remains a civic, poetic, and dynamic space of encounter — a space that's responsive and always in motion,'' he said.
"This year's program continues to expand on what's possible and invites visitors to reflect, engage and experience the Gallery in new ways."
The 2026 lineup features a breadth of creative practices, from major curated exhibitions to multidisciplinary performances. While diverse in approach, Dr Mudie Cunningham said all the projects share a core interest in connection, emotion and transformation.
"I wanted to ensure that what was on offer was exciting, engaging and would spark conversations and encourage everyone in our community to regularly visit the gallery,'' he said.
"Wollongong is one of the largest regional art galleries in the country and it's free to visit. I believe this program, featuring contemporary artists including Michelle Cawthorn and Peter Sharp, Elvis Richardson, Georgia Banks and Raquel Caballero will be enjoyed by everyone.''
It was important to Mudie Cunningham that the Gallery provided an exhibition space for local artists, as well as nationally recognised artists.
"I'm delighted that we'll be featuring some incredible local artists in our 2026 program, Rob Howe's Transience Atlas and Nicci Bedson's Ballad of the Burbs which explore the beauty and change of suburban life and you'll see some familiar façades captured in these shows,'' he said.
