Unrepresented Artists

Artbank shares artworks that represent a high standard of artistic achievement in Australian contemporary art with the public. We collect across a wide range of media including painting, photography, works on paper, sculpture, textile, glass, ceramics and video. Through acquisition, Artbank supports new art and ideas that capture our times.

The program has come to be recognised for the important role it plays in acquiring works by early career practitioners, offering support and validation when it is needed most.

Artbank acquires work by emerging, mid-career and established artists. We are committed to acquiring artists in the early stages of their career, before they have found representation. We recognise that there are finite opportunities for artists to be represented by a commercial gallery or dealer. We also respect that commercial representation is not always the preferred way for an artist to carry out their practice.

Each year, Artbank visit exhibitions across the country to identify artists whose work represents a high standard of artistic achievement and meet our Acquisition Criteria. Unrepresented artists are considered for acquisition through visits to non-commercial galleries, studio visits and the and Artbank Unpacked, an informal information session about the Artbank program, where artists are encourgaged to attend and introduce themselves and their practice to Artbank staff.