The fundraising exhibition provides an opportunity for local arts enthusiasts and collectors to purchase works by leading artists from around Australia with the funds raised going towards supporting the New England Regional Art Museum.

“The Packsaddle exhibition is one of our major fundraisers of the year,” said Robert Heather, Art Museum Director. “The funds raised from the sale of artworks provide us with opportunities to purchase significant works for the collection, key pieces of equipment or to support new programs and initiatives.”

He said Packsaddle was one of the most successful and long lasting fundraising activities run by any regional gallery in Australia.

“Over the past 32 years the funds raised by the Packsaddle exhibitions have supported the purchase of paintings, prints, sculptures and other artworks for NERAM’s collections  including the magnificent Margaret Olley painting The Yellow Room as well as projects such as lighting equipment and the fitting out of the Packsaddle Artist Studio and art classroom.

“Anyone can collect art, and the huge number of works on display means that there is always something for every taste where you can pick up works to suit every budget, and it is a great opportunity for people who are interested in starting their own art collection.”

Mr Heather said he recommended prospective buyers get in early on Friday evening as there were some great works in this year’s show which would be sure to send buyers into a frenzy of purchases, including paintings by artists Ross Laurie, Angus Nivison, Elisabeth Cummings, Amanda Penrose-Hart, John Gleeson and Chris O’Doherty (aka Reg Mombassa).

“Packsaddle is also an opportunity for collectors to select  from the range of reasonably priced works on paper including prints and drawings by artists like Arthur Boyd, John Olsen, Charles Blackman, Pro Hart, Judy Casab, Tony Tuckson and Rew Hanks,” he said.

This year’s guest speaker at the exhibition opening will be award winning artist Amanda Penrose-Hart who has held over twenty solo exhibitions and has shown in many more group exhibitions.

She regularly has work selected in prizes such as the Portia Geach Memorial Award (2011, 2008, 2007, 2006) and the En Plein Air Art Prize. In 2017 her painting 'The Sphinx, Perpetual Peace' won the Gallipoli Art Prize. 

This year the public program for the Packsaddle exhibition will include a talk by Amanda Penrose-Hart at 10.30am on Saturday as well as talks by printmaker Basil Hall, painter Rowan Matthews and water colourist James White.

The 32nd  Packsaddle fundraising exhibition is on display at NERAM from Friday until Sunday, November 5.