ANU School of Art & Design Gallery

The ANU School of Art & Design Gallery brings the research and studio practice of one of Australia’s leading university art schools into a professional exhibition setting. Located in Braddon, Canberra, it presents a varied annual program shaped by the School’s studio-based disciplines and the Centre for Art History and Art Theory. The focus is contemporary art and design, with exhibitions, public programs and publications that encourage visitors to consider how creative work is made, interpreted and placed in a wider cultural context.

A key part of the Gallery’s role is presenting graduate and postgraduate work alongside exhibitions connected to the School’s broader academic and research activity. That gives the program a useful mix of emerging practice, established ideas and critical discussion, rather than limiting the space to one medium or style. Listed exhibitions include Murrudha: Sovereign walks, which tracks cultural actions through art, Country, language and music, the FUSE Glass Prize 2026 Exhibition, and Shifting Space. These titles reflect the Gallery’s interest in material practice, cultural perspectives and contemporary approaches to art and design.

The Gallery sits within the ANU School of Art & Design, which is housed in an iconic, heritage-listed Art Deco building in the centre of the national capital. The School’s work spans visual arts, contemporary craft, design, art history and curatorship, combining traditional media with new technologies and interdisciplinary research. Its connection with the Centre for Art History and Art Theory also gives the Gallery a strong relationship with artists, scholars, curators and object-based research across visual and material culture.

This is a worthwhile stop for visitors who enjoy university galleries, contemporary practice and exhibitions with an analytical or research-led foundation. It suits solo visits, small groups and students looking to spend time with new work in a considered gallery environment. The program’s emphasis on graduate and postgraduate practice also makes it a place to discover developing artists and designers, while its public programs and publications offer further ways into the ideas behind the exhibitions. The Gallery has a 4.6 Google rating from 32 reviews.