University Galleries

University Galleries The University Galleries are located across three physical exhibition spaces.

Watt Space Gallery is situated in the NUspace city precinct in Newcastle and the University Gallery and Senta Taft Hendry Museum are located at the Callaghan campus.

On loan from our University Art Collection, artwork β€˜Banksia’ (1953) by eminent Australian artist Margaret Preston is cu...
05/09/2026

On loan from our University Art Collection, artwork β€˜Banksia’ (1953) by eminent Australian artist Margaret Preston is currently in a major retrospective exhibition at The Ian Potter Centre: National Gallery of Victoria.

Special mention to artist Dino Consalvo for the bespoke framing of this artwork. Dino researched the frames Preston used for her artworks and hand-crafted this for the exhibition.

The University of Newcastle is fortunate to have this painting by Margaret Preston in its collection - it was presented to the Newcastle College by teachers attending post-college courses in 1954.

πŸ“Έ IMAGES:

Artwork by Margaret Preston (1875-1963) from University of Newcastle Art Collection
Banksia, 1953
oil on canvas, 56 x 66 cm

Images of framed β€˜Banksia’ artwork on display at The Ian Potter Centre: National Gallery of Victoria. Photos credit: Gillean Shaw

Image of quote by Margaret Preston, sourced from NGV social media post.

Photograph of Margaret Preston in her Adelaide studio, c1909. Source: State Library of South Australia

University of Newcastle, Australia National Gallery of Victoria

The University Galleries at Callaghan are pleased to partner with Newcastle Art Space to present their 2026 Mentorship P...
02/09/2026

The University Galleries at Callaghan are pleased to partner with Newcastle Art Space to present their 2026 Mentorship Program exhibition: Synergy.

Please join the artists for the launch event at the University Gallery
6pm - 8pm this Friday 4th September 2026

The Newcastle Art Space Mentorship Program supports excellence in arts practice by connecting emerging Hunter Region artists with established, creative practitioners. Through informal, regular mentoring, cohort networking and professional development sessions, the program fosters shared learning, experimentation and professional growth.

A distinctive feature of the program is its curatorial mentorship, which pairs an emerging curator with an experienced professional. This year’s mentorship curatorial team Jo O'Toole (mentor) and Melody Suranyi (mentee) have worked collaboratively with the mentorship cohort to develop Synergy and bring together the exhibition’s diverse practices.

Derived from the Greek word synergos, meaning β€œworking together,” synergy reflects the idea that when people combine their talents, ideas and experiences, they can achieve far more together than they could alone.

Collaboration has been at the heart of this year’s mentorship journey, bringing creatives together through shared learning, support and creative exchange. The exhibition reflects the connections, conversations and discoveries made along the way. Emerging from this collaborative experience is an exhibition filled with energy, creativity and passion.

SYNERGY:
The 2026 Newcastle Art Space Mentorship Exhibition
4 September - 14 November

At University Gallery, Callaghan
GS building, University of Newcastle,
University Dr, Callaghan NSW 2308

Gallery hours:
Wed - Fri 10am - 5pm
Sat 12pm - 4pm

πŸ—“οΈ SAVE THE DATE 27 September exhibition launch at Watt Space, all welcome! We’re pleased to present a photographic exhi...
31/08/2026

πŸ—“οΈ SAVE THE DATE 27 September exhibition launch at Watt Space, all welcome! We’re pleased to present a photographic exhibition by artist Damien Frost Damien Frost - based in London, an alumni of University of Newcastle.

REPOST Repost App β€’ Damien Frost

I’m thrilled to announce that as part of the New Annual Festival New Annual I will be having a major exhibition of my photographic work Watt Space Gallery in Newcastle, Australia - the festival runs from the 25th Sept - 4th October and there will also be a Nightflowers themed party on Saturday 26th September.

πŸ“Έ Photograph features Marco Tullio Siviglia Marco Tullio Siviglia shot in London 2021

A migrant orphan from Ireland who became one of Australia’s important women leaders, Susan Casson (1871-1952) founded th...
29/08/2026

A migrant orphan from Ireland who became one of Australia’s important women leaders, Susan Casson (1871-1952) founded the Mental Hospital Aftercare & Comforts Association in Perth - one of the country’s first mental health charities. Australians today continue to benefit from the dedication and legacy of Susan’s work over a century ago.

More insightful and personal stories to delve into β€˜FINDING HOME: Life Outside Institutions’ currently showing at Watt Space.

Exhibition continues to 12 September.

Plan your visitπŸ“WATT SPACE
OPENING HOURS Wed-Fri 10-5 | Sat 12-4

πŸ“Έ IMAGES / VIDEO: Exhibition details in Gallery 3, Watt Space. Portrait of Susan Casson (nee Holmes) - image courtesy State Library of Western Australia

This exhibition presents research that was fully supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council’s Discovery Projects funding scheme - Life Outside Institutions: histories of mental health aftercare 1900-1960.

Stride Mental Health University of Newcastle Galleries University of Newcastle, Australia

22/08/2026

Step into past lives and reflect on the personal stories presented at β€˜FINDING HOME: Life Outside Institutions’ - now showing at Watt Space.

Exploring the history of mental health aftercare in Australia, archival footage, images and true tales bring this fascinating research to life in this exhibition.

Plan your visit todayπŸ“WATT SPACE
OPENING HOURS Wed-Fri 10-5 | Sat 12-4

πŸŽ₯ VIDEO: Details of exhibition installation in Gallery 3, Watt Space.

This exhibition presents research that was fully supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council’s Discovery Projects funding scheme - Life Outside Institutions: histories of mental health aftercare 1900-1960.

University of Newcastle Galleries University of Newcastle, Australia

We’re pleased to share the extraordinary β€˜Multiverse’ major survey exhibition by Cairns-based Torres Strait Island artis...
14/08/2026

We’re pleased to share the extraordinary β€˜Multiverse’ major survey exhibition by Cairns-based Torres Strait Island artistΒ Brian Robinson currently at Newcastle Art Gallery.

This project received support from the University of Newcastle and the University Galleries through the Artist in Residence Program where Brian was able to access the University’s significant ethnographic collection of Oceanic and Torres Strait artefacts and objects.

β€˜Multiverse’ by Brian Robinson exhibition continues to 30 August.

πŸ“Plan your visit to Newcastle CBD and enjoy gallery hopping across our partner galleries newcastleartgallery to Watt Space Gallery to The Lock-Up - as well as independent galleries across the city ЛЕДА Wester Gallery CSTUDIOS ART GALLERY Lighthouse Arts, Newcastle Newcastle Studio Potters & Back to Back Galleries

IMAGES / VIDEOS:
1. Brian Robinson, Maluyligal/Wuthathi/Dayak peoples, β€˜Urban oasis’, 2017 - Newcastle Art Gallery, purchased through the Gil Docking Bequest 2017
Brian Robinson, Maluyligal/Wuthathi/Dayak peoples, β€˜Bedhan Lag: Land of the Kaiwalagal’, 2019 - Newcastle Art Gallery, gift of the Newcastle Art Gallery Society 2019
- sourced from Art Guide Australia
2. Portrait of Brian Robinson, sourced from newcastleartgallery
3. Street flags for Multiverse exhibition on Laman Street, Newcastle Art Gallery
4. Street flag and entrance on Auckland Street into Watt Space Gallery
5. Front of building of The Lock Up Art Space, Hunter Street - sourced from The Lock-Up

wattspacegallery University of Newcastle Galleries University of Newcastle, Australia contemporaryart creativenewcastle whatsonnewcastle

08/08/2026

Cast your thoughts to the future as you reflect on the historical and personal stories presented in β€˜FINDING HOME: Life Outside Institutions’ exhibition - continues to 12 September.

Plan your visitπŸ“WATT SPACE
OPENING HOURS Wed-Fri 10-5 | Sat 12-4

πŸ“Έ IMAGES: Detail of archival images depicting different worlds of asylums and institutions in Australia before 1920, video projection in Media Space - Watt Space Gallery.

This exhibition presents research that was fully supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council’s Discovery Projects funding scheme - Life Outside Institutions: histories of mental health aftercare 1900-1960.

University of Newcastle Galleries University of Newcastle, Australia

πŸ“£ 𝗣𝗦𝗔! NEW ANNUAL program and tickets is LIVE today Monday 3 August - Watt Space is pleased to be part this exciting an...
05/08/2026

πŸ“£ 𝗣𝗦𝗔! NEW ANNUAL program and tickets is LIVE today Monday 3 August - Watt Space is pleased to be part this exciting annual festival. Hit the links!

π—–π—’π— π—œπ—‘π—š 𝗦𝗒𝗒𝗑! We're thrilled to announce an incredible photography exhibition 'π‘΅π’Šπ’ˆπ’‰π’• π‘­π’π’π’˜π’†π’“π’”' by Damien Frost, π’π’‚π’–π’π’„π’‰π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒐𝒏 25 π‘Ίπ’†π’‘π’•π’†π’Žπ’ƒπ’†π’“ - presented at Watt Space by the University Galleries for New Annual. This project is supported by The Lock Up's Artist in Residence Program.

π‘«π’†π’‡π’Šπ’‚π’π’•. π‘½π’Šπ’”π’„π’†π’“π’‚π’. π‘¬π’π’†π’„π’•π’“π’Šπ’‡π’šπ’Šπ’π’ˆ. 𝑨𝒏 π’‚π’„π’„π’π’‚π’Šπ’Žπ’†π’… π’‘π’‰π’π’•π’π’ˆπ’“π’‚π’‘π’‰π’Šπ’„ π’†π’™π’‰π’Šπ’ƒπ’Šπ’•π’Šπ’π’.
~ New Annual

π‘«π’‚π’Žπ’Šπ’†π’ 𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒕’𝒔 π’†π’™π’•π’†π’π’”π’Šπ’—π’† π’†π’™π’‰π’Šπ’ƒπ’Šπ’•π’Šπ’π’ 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 π’Žπ’π’“π’† 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒂 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒅 π’‘π’π’“π’•π’“π’‚π’Šπ’•π’” 𝒐𝒇 β€˜π’†π’π’–π’”π’Šπ’—π’† 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’†π’™π’π’•π’Šπ’„ 𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇-π’”π’•π’šπ’π’†π’… π’˜π’‚π’π’Œπ’Šπ’π’ˆ π’˜π’π’“π’Œπ’” 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒓𝒕.
~ City of Newcastle

πŸ“WATT SPACE is also host to Artist Talk, Photography Workshop and Grumble Boogie as part of New Annual, tickets on sale now.

πŸ“Έ IMAGES: Courtesy of New Annual and artists.

University of Newcastle is a proud Presenting Partner of New Annual, Newcastle’s flagship 10-day festival of art, culture, and creativity. From beachside gigs to immersive theatre, live music and ideas, the festival transforms our city into a vibrant celebration of contemporary culture.

Emily Darvall Paterson, a talented composer and pianist, would invite women patients from the Gladesville Mental Hospita...
03/08/2026

Emily Darvall Paterson, a talented composer and pianist, would invite women patients from the Gladesville Mental Hospital for the insane into her home for concerts and tea. It really wasn't the done thing in 1905, especially from a blind woman.

These vintage posters exhibited in 'FINDING HOME: Life Outside Institutions' tell the inspiring story of Emily D. Paterson whose creativity and compassion founded the After Care Association of NSW. Started in 1907, Aftercare NSW has evolved into Stride Mental Health which employs 800 staff and provides services across five states and territories across Australia today.

Exhibition continues to 12 September.
Plan your visitπŸ“WATT SPACE
OPENING HOURS Wed-Fri 10-5 | Sat 12-4

πŸ“Έ IMAGES: Emily D. Paterson as a young woman from a pencil sketch, 1880s. Image courtesy of Stride. Archival images of sheet music for Emily D. Paterson's compositions - Cradle Song and Black Swans courtesy of Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW MLMSS6021/Item 1X.

This exhibition presents research that was fully supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council’s Discovery Projects funding scheme - Life Outside Institutions: histories of mental health aftercare 1900-1960.

01/08/2026

Step into past lives and reflect on the personal stories presented at β€˜FINDING HOME: Life Outside Institutions’ - now showing at Watt Space.

Exploring the history of mental health aftercare in Australia, archival footage, images and true tales bring this fascinating research to life in this exhibition.

Plan your visit todayπŸ“WATT SPACE
OPENING HOURS Wed-Fri 10-5 | Sat 12-4

πŸŽ₯ VIDEO: Details of exhibition installation in Gallery 1, Watt Space.

This exhibition presents research that was fully supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council’s Discovery Projects funding scheme - Life Outside Institutions: histories of mental health aftercare 1900-1960.

University of Newcastle Galleries University of Newcastle, Australia

Address

University Drive
Newcastle, NSW
2308

Opening Hours

Wednesday 11am - 5pm
Thursday 11am - 5pm
Friday 11am - 5pm
Saturday 12pm - 4pm

Telephone

+61249218733

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