Friends of the Gallery Newsletter WInter Edition
30th April 2026
WELCOME TO YOUR WINTER NEWSLETTER
While there’s been a hint of autumn in the air lately, we’re now heading into the cooler months—and we have an exciting season ahead. The Gallery has put together a fantastic line-up of exhibitions and activities for winter. You’ll find highlights below, and even more details in our Winter Gallery Program, available via the link provided.
If you haven’t had the chance yet, there’s still time to experience ZAHALKAWORLD – an artist’s archive, the touring exhibition from the Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh). It’s a truly thought-provoking and inspiring show, well worth a visit. It closes on May 17.
The Friends Bar, open on Gallery nights, is gradually introducing a new selection of wines, beers, and non-alcoholic options. Be sure to stop by, and feel free to say hello to the committee members who run the bar—we’d love to see you there.
Behind the scenes, the Friends Committee has been busy developing policies and procedures to support all aspects of our work. This is a massive task which will ensure compliance and that we continue to operate with clarity, consistency, and transparency.
The Friends are currently looking for two new committee members. If you feel you have something to contribute to the committee and are interested in becoming involved, please call me 0408 388 624 and let’s have a chat.
Recently, 21 of us—including five Friends from Lismore—enjoyed a wonderful trip to QAGOMA for a private guided tour of Olafur Eliasson’s Presence. It was an immersive, multisensory experience that invited us to explore perception and imagine future possibilities for our city. The day also included viewing Archie Moore’s powerful Kith and Kin, which was deeply moving and unforgettable.
If you missed out on the Sydney/Archibald tour, don’t worry—another adventure is already in the works, so keep an eye on your inbox for updates.
Until then,
Janice Jones
President
GALLERY WINTER PROGRAM
Winter Opening Celebrations
Friday 29 May | 6 – 8 pm | Free
Photo: TRGMOAC Opening Celebrations 2025. Photo by Sally Singh.
Join us for the opening celebrations for Indelible: The Poetry of Decay featuring works by Michael Cook, Kirsten Coelho, Dan Elborne, Sarah Rayner, Dylan Sarra and Henri van Noordenburg; After Fugue by Antoinette O’Brien, and The Caldera by Luke Close.
Bookings essential https://events.humanitix.com/
Art Play: Baabinje’s Backyard
Wed 8, Fri 10, Wed 15 & Fri 17 Jul | 11am –1pm AEST | Free
Photo: Instagram @lifewiththeleipers
Backyard, the children’s book and accompanying exhibition by artist Bronwyn Bancroft (Bundjalung) and author Ella Noah Bancroft (Bundjalung).
This is a family-friendly activity. Children must be accompanied by an adult. All materials provided. No bookings required.
This initiative is supported by Friends of the Tweed Regional Gallery and Margaret Olley Art Centre Inc.
For more details, click the link here Tweed Regional Gallery Winter Exhibitions Program 2026
Calling All Artists – Entries Now Open for The Wollumbin Art Award
The Gallery’s $30,000 biennial Wollumbin Art Award is back and open to artists 18 years + living in the Tweed, Ballina, Byron, Kyogle and Scenic Rim Shires, as well as Richmond Valley, Lismore and Gold Coast City. Head to the Gallery website for all details. Know a young artist aged 5 to 17 years? They can enter the Wollumbin Youth Art Award (WYAA).
Entries for the WAA and WYAA close 5.00 pm Monday 1 June 2026.
For more information and to enter online,
https://gallery.tweed.nsw.gov.
INTRODUCING ELIZABETH PAGE
EDUCATION AND AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Image courtesy of TRG
It was terrific to chat with Elizabeth and get an insight into her new role with the Gallery as Education and Audience Development Officer. She generously squeezed in some time to answer a few questions as a way of introducing herself to the Friends of the Gallery. Please join us in welcoming her to the area and congratulating her on this important and exciting appointment.
Q. You recently worked at the NGA Canberra. Could you share with us a few highlights of your work there?
An absolute highlight was working on the National Gallery’s Access and Inclusion programs, developed for and with people with disability and access needs. This included onsite and online programs for people living with dementia, who are deaf or hard of hearing, who are blind or with low vision, who are neurodivergent or who are carers. Over several years I got to know these regular audiences and I’m immensely thankful for the insights and experiences shared by participants in these programs.
Q. What will your new role focus on?
I will be helping to facilitate learning at the Gallery, which takes place in many formal and informal settings. This includes programs such as Gallery Playdates for our youngest visitors, booked school or community groups, or the Dementia Care Program. I also support the incredible team of Volunteer Guides who deliver programs as well as our daily public tours. Essentially, my role is about communicating art and sharing creativity with incredibly varied audiences of all ages.
Q. What excites you most about your role with the Gallery?
Community engagement is really what I am most passionate about, so it is an exciting prospect to get to know the community up here and develop programming that responds to their needs and diversity. My role is about audience development, so my priority is to spend time getting to know different audiences in the area. I’ve really appreciated the warm welcome I have received, and all the knowledge, generosity and care received from people I’ve met so far.
Q. Will there be a focus on local and regional artists in your plans?
Alongside my colleagues at the Gallery, I am looking forward to creating opportunities for regional artists to connect with local and national audiences. Public programs, events and exhibitions often provide valuable learning for both artists and visitors. In the past, several artists have told me how much they learnt from working directly with audiences who may otherwise experience barriers to engaging with their work. Programming can also help local audiences to experience the art created by people in their region and highlight the creative opportunities that are available.
Q. Canberra to Northern NSW is a big change. How are you settling in?
Now that autumn has arrived – much better! I am not used to the humidity yet and some people have told me you never get used to it. I am otherwise really enjoying the unbelievable beauty of Bundjalung Country and working with the great team at the Gallery.
RAFFLE NEWS
Image courtesy of Contemporary Editions. © the artist.
This limited-edition fine art print, Peonies and Bottle 2017 by John Honeywill is our current raffle prize and is on display in the Gallery shop. The prize will be drawn on May 31. This print, on hahnemuhle etching paper, 310gsm, is 70 x 70 cm. It is signed and numbered by the artist (from an edition of 25) and is beautifully framed and ready for display. To view more of John Honeywill’s work and many other artists available at Contemporary Editions, visit the website: www.
VOLUNTEERING WITH THE FRIENDS
Many of our members know, Martin Sullivan has been supporting the Friends of the Gallery for over 10 years. His contribution of time and effort is dedicated to selling raffle tickets for the Friends, in the Gallery Foyer.
Martin recently received the Seniors Festival Local Achievers Award in recognition of his dedication to the Friends of the Gallery and the many other selfless activities that he has fervently dedicated himself to over the years. Please join us all in congratulating and thanking Martin, who is an inspiration to all of us.
Martin has generously put pen to paper, (so to speak) to share his thoughts on volunteering and its rewards.
On Being A Volunteer
“The Tweed Regional Gallery and Margaret Olley Arts Centre has many volunteers who help the public enjoy and enhance their visit. For over ten years my role as a volunteer has been a particular one, as I sell raffle tickets on behalf of the Friends of the Gallery. This is important because the Friends offer the proceeds of the raffle to the Gallery, which contributes to the Gallery’s acquisitions program. So often visitors tell me how much they appreciate the Gallery’s many and frequently changing exhibitions, and new purchases support that capability, and it reaffirms the importance of the raffle.
Selling raffle tickets offers me satisfaction and enjoyment: the one feeds the other. I like welcoming visitors to the Gallery. Every day that I am at the Gallery, I see families and children of all ages enjoying their first visit to the Gallery; and that is wonderful.
I enjoy meeting people, and I've noticed the visitor numbers have increased since the installation of the Rail Trail. Some people come every week, some for every change of exhibition, some five or six times a year, always regretting that they don’t come more regularly. Without exaggeration, six or eight people a week tell me that it’s the ‘best gallery I’ve ever visited’.
Regularly, I meet people who knew Margaret Olley. Many visitors visit specifically to see her works and, emphatically, only her works. I think Margaret might be surprised to know how many people come away from the permanent exhibition laughing and saying, “I’ll never vacuum or tidy up again.”
“Another area of enjoyment and satisfaction of volunteering comes from contacting each raffle winner. Since my days in primary school I have enjoyed maps and atlases, so you can imagine the joy I get from seeing that the winners come from far and wide, including Murwillumbah, Brisbane, Ballina, Myocum, Stanthorpe, Innisfail, Sydney, Green Beach, (ten miles south-east of Hobart), Pottsville, Tweed Heads and as far away as Denham, on Shark Bay, on the Indian Ocean and hundreds of miles north of Perth. And capping them all, we even had a raffle winner from Northern Ireland! The many and varied places that people travel from reflects the importance of the Gallery for so many visiting the area. And I like to think about all those towns and cities that have become home to our raffle prizes, and their journey began with a ticket purchased from The Friends of the Gallery.
I look forward to adding South Australia, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and the Northern Territory to our “Winners” map, before I depart from my perch.”
Sincerely,
Martin Sullivan
If you would like to help sell raffle tickets or discuss volunteering with The Friends of The Gallery, we would love to hear from you. Get in touch via email and start the conversation about the many ways you can support the Gallery and get involved. galleryfriends2484@gmail.com
CAFÉ NEWS
Image courtesy of Apex Dining
A glass of wine or cuppa, a snack or delicious meal – taking in the panoramic views of the Tweed River and Wollumbin (Mt Warning) at Apex Dining Café in the Gallery is always a perfect addition to any visit.
The Autumn/Winter menu is now available together with a delicious array of sweet treats that are baked onsite.
Did you know that Friends of the Gallery receive a 10% discount off the tables' total bill for up to 4 people? Just another reason to start planning your next visit.
And it’s easy to claim; simply provide your membership details to one of the café team when making your reservation or and when the bill is paid in full by that member, (no split bills) the discount is applied to the tables account.
To find your membership details download the Friends of the Gallery app on your phone and a digital version of this card will be displayed. Alternatively, you can log in to your account through the Friends website, take a photo of your membership card details to use at the cafe.
You can make a reservation through the Gallery website, https://gallery.
We hope you enjoyed this update and look forward to seeing you at the Gallery soon. If you would like to share any feedback, ideas or have any questions, please email galleryfriends2484@gmail.com
Linsey Bamping,
Communications Officer