University Cultural CollectionsTangible Evidence of Knowledge
Fine Art Collection
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The University Fine Art Collection comprises contemporary works with an emphasis on Australian artists, particularly Tasmanian, and demonstrates the University’s ongoing commitment to the patronage and advancement of the visual arts in Australia.
The collection was founded in the late 1960s after staff and students asked to have artworks for the new School of Humanities building on the Hobart campus. A collections committee was formed and set about identifying and acquiring works to be displayed across the campuses offering educational and cultural stimulation for students and faculty. The fledgling collection grew significantly after the Tasmanian School of Art joined the University in 1981, and a dedicated acquisitions budget was established.
Donations, bequests and gifts, in particular the Wharmby Bequest added some significant artworks to the collection. A discrete collection, the Carington Smith is also housed within the Fine Art Collection.
Today, the diverse collection comprises more than 3,000 objects including paintings, works on paper, ceramics, photography, glass, and sculpture.
Acquisitions are through University funding, Tasmanian Government Art in Public Buildings funding, Australian Government Cultural Gifts Program, donations and bequests. Many works from the Fine Art Collection are displayed in University buildings and offices across the three Tasmanian campuses. Works from the collection are also lent to major interstate and local museums and galleries.
Spotlight
Fine Arts Gallery Exhibitions, University Open Access Repository
Contact us
Registrar and Curator
E Finearts.collection@utas.edu.au
T +61 3 6226 2233