Partnerships

The Tweed Regional Gallery has a proud association with a large number of dedicated Volunteers who support the promotion and operations of the Gallery on a daily basis. The Gallery is supported by three volunteer organisations whose Committees meet regularly during the year.

The Tweed Regional Gallery Foundation Ltd. supports the Gallery by providing funds for publications, acquisitions of artworks for the Collection, education initiatives and hosting fundraising events. The Foundation also funds special projects to enhance the Gallery. For example, in 2019, the Foundation dedicated funds for the construction of the Margaret Olley Memorial Garden to be commenced in 2020.

The Foundation’s membership currently numbers 195 financial members, and offers a range of social events and newsletters to its membership. In 2019 the Foundation also launched their Business & Strategic Plan. The Plan outlines the Foundation’s objectives for the period 2019 – 2022.

The Friends of Tweed Regional Gallery

and Margaret Olley Art Centre Inc. attract a healthy subscription membership of over 900 financial members. The Friends raise funds through their memberships, a retail program and special events.

As the Gallery does not have an acquisitions budget, the Friends also assist the Gallery by purchasing works for the Gallery’s collection. The Friends also sponsor Gallery publications and the purchase of artworks from the Gallery’s $20,000 flagship award exhibition in the Olive Cotton Award for photographic portraiture. They also support awards through the biennial Border Art Prize and provide catering and service for the numerous exhibition openings and public events offered to our visitors and members each year.

In 2019, the Friends of the Gallery continued their Welcome Morning Tea and Behind-the-Scenes Tour for new subscribers, an initiative aimed to further engage members and offer an insight into the operations of the Gallery. The Tweed Regional Art Gallery Advisory Committee is appointed by resolution of Council to assist and advise Council in matters relating to the review and updating of the Gallery’s policies and plans. The Committee also advises Council on the care and future development of the Collection and, as a Committee of community representatives, encourages the enjoyment, appreciation and education in the arts in the Tweed region through advice to the Tweed Shire Council.

Volunteer Gallery Guides present two free daily tours to visitors, schools and groups. The Guides also prepare and present tours for community and special interest groups who visit the Gallery. Gallery Guides provide educational tours for primary, intermediate and secondary school groups, and assist the Education and Audience Development Officer in presenting events such as Art AfterSchool, HSC Development Days and Gallery PlayDates.

Over 80 Front of House Volunteers support staff in the Gallery’s daily operations by welcoming visitors, providing assistance in the thriving Gallery Shop, assisting with administrative tasks, maintaining the Library, and attending visitors in each of the exhibition spaces.

The Gallery relies on over 100 Volunteers acting as ambassadors across all aspects of our operations. The Gallery is indebted to our Volunteers and their enormous contribution in ensuring the Gallery remains a leading cultural institution and popular cultural tourism destination.

In collaboration with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Gallery presents interactive ‘paint’ programs on iPads in the Margaret Olley Art Centre. These allow visitors to digitally paint and draw as Olley did while listening to her favourite chamber orchestra.

The Margaret Olley Art Centre enjoys the support of flower sponsor Georgie Taylor of FLOWERISTA, MIArts Precinct, Murwillumbah. FLOWERISTA provides fresh flowers to the Centre each week to celebrate Olley’s love of flowers as subject matter for her paintings.

The Gallery also enjoys presenting programs in partnership with the Byron Writers Festival, engaging visitors and festival attendees with events which explore and combine literature, non-fiction and the visual arts through writers and artists.

In 2019 the Gallery also launched an exciting partnership with the National Art School (NAS), Sydney. The partnership was established to celebrate Olley’s legacy as a NAS Alumni and supporter of emerging artists. Each year, this partnership will award a graduate of the NAS, Masters of Fine Art the opportunity to undertake a residency in the Gallery’s Nancy Fairfax Artist in Residence Studio. One of the outcomes of the residency will be a solo exhibition at the Gallery.