East Gippsland Art Gallery

East Gippsland Art Gallery (EGAG) is a public art gallery located in Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia, serving as the centre for visual arts in the East Gippsland region. Established in 1992, it operates as an independent not-for-profit organisation with principal funding from East Gippsland Shire and support from the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria. The gallery occupies the historic former Bairnsdale Shire Council Chambers, a building constructed in 1868, and presents approximately 22 exhibitions annually alongside community programs, artist talks, workshops, and art prizes. Its mission centres on celebrating the unique artistic spirit of the Gippsland region while championing bold ideas and engaging the next generation of art lovers.

The gallery was founded in 1992 after local residents approached the then-City of Bairnsdale with concerns that East Gippsland lacked a public gallery. Establishment was supported by funding from both the City of Bairnsdale and Arts Victoria. Initially, the gallery occupied a single room within the former shire council chambers at 2 Nicholson Street before expanding to use the entire building as exhibition space. Renovations in 2003 improved exhibition facilities, opened the foyer, and created space for a gallery shop stocking fine art and craft by local makers. The gallery is a member of the Public Galleries Association of Victoria, and its exhibition calendar is typically booked 12 to 18 months in advance. Governance is provided by a Board of Management elected annually from the community at an advertised AGM, with day-to-day administration handled by six part-time staff. The Board oversees gallery policy and strategic planning.

The gallery's exhibition program spans painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, photography, textile, ceramics, and three-dimensional works. Each exhibition season generally opens on a Friday evening and runs for approximately five to six weeks, with multiple concurrent shows running across the gallery's different spaces. The program features both local East Gippsland artists and artists from interstate and internationally, reflecting a commitment to regional engagement alongside broader artistic connections. The gallery shop stocks books, fine art, and craft items produced by local artists, and staff provide visitors with information about arts venues, artists, and cultural activities across the region. Through its acquisitive prizes, the gallery actively builds a permanent collection of contemporary works.

The gallery's permanent collection has been developed primarily through its three annual art prizes. The EGAG WRAP, an open-entry small artwork prize accepting any subject and medium from living artists worldwide, saw its 2023 first prize of $8,000 acquired into the permanent collection. The 2021 iteration attracted over 300 entries from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. The Michael Beazer Works on Paper Prize, a $3,000 acquisitive award celebrating excellence in works on paper and paper-based sculpture, also contributes to the collection. The 2026 prize was won by Melbourne-based artist Trudy Clutterbok for her monotype print Document of Death, Jong Ah Sing. 25th of October 1900, Sunbury Lunatic Asylum. The gallery additionally partners with East Gippsland Shire Council on the annual Youth Art Prize for emerging creatives aged 12-25, with winners' works exhibited at the gallery. East Gippsland Art Gallery has also served as the founding and launch venue for the International Art Textile portals Biennale, organised by Fibre Arts Australia and curated by its founder Glenys Mann; the second Biennale opened in January 2023 and featured 35 artists from nine countries, with the major prize awarded to East Gippsland artist Josephine Jakobi for her work The Huntsman and I.

The gallery occupies the former Bairnsdale Shire Council Chambers at 2 Nicholson Street, a building constructed in 1868 and described by the gallery as the original shire offices for the area. It is situated in the heart of Bairnsdale's central business district, adjacent to the Bairnsdale Court House. The building provides four distinct exhibition spaces: the West Gallery, the East Gallery, the Side-Show Gallery, and the Vault, a smaller intimate space used to showcase individual artists or focused bodies of work. The site is accessible via Bairnsdale station.

East Gippsland Art Gallery is located at 2 Nicholson Street, Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia. Admission is free, with public hours Tuesday to Friday 10 am, 4 pm and Saturday 10 am, 2 pm, closed on public holidays. The gallery is owned by East Gippsland Art Gallery Inc. and operates under the directorship of Crystal Stubbs. Visitors can access information about exhibitions, workshops, and events through the gallery's website, Facebook, or Instagram pages. The gallery participates in the National Gallery of Victoria's annual Kids on Tour program, hosting free hands-on art workshops for children and families. It also marks National Threatened Species Day each September with a community education program in which students from East Gippsland schools create artworks responding to the region's endangered wildlife, with works installed as a public trail in Bairnsdale's main street gardens. The Gallery Shop stocks a diverse range of works by local artists, and staff can provide information about other arts venues and cultural activities in the region.