It was 1919 when a collection of 100 art works and art acquisition books were gifted to the people of Tamworth by renowned artist, educator and collector, John Salvana.
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The intention behind Salvana's donation was to "encourage art in the country" which ultimately led to the opening of the then-known Tamworth Art Salon and Art Library on June 1, 1919.
Following a long and rich history of art culture and practice, the now-known Tamworth Regional Gallery is marking an incredible 100-year anniversary and will be celebrating the past and future of art in the region over the coming months.
To kick-off the festivities, there will be a specialised exhibition, "The View From 1919: a century of the Tamworth Regional Gallery collection from 1 June to 28 July 2019."
We are constantly looking to enrich, energise and connect our community in Tamworth with wider artistic avenues and it's thanks to John Salvana's vision and contribution, 100 years ago, that we have been able to develop the means and ways to do this today and into the future
The exhibition will include original works from the collection gifted by John Salvana as well as supporting works loaned from the Gallery of NSW, NERAM and the National Portrait Gallery by renowned artists such as Grace Cossington-Smith, Margaret Preston, Hans Heyson and Barraba-born artist, Grace Crowley. The opening day of the exhibition will be accompanied by a theatrical production from Capitol Theatre, called "The View from 1919: Let's Go Back 100 Years..." The performance will see John Salvana come to life to take the audience on a journey focussing on the establishment and evolution of Tamworth's visual arts collection. There will be two performances held on June 1 at 2.30pm and 7.30pm with visitors required to pre-purchase tickets.
Salvana's donation of artworks included a series of unfinished works as educational tools to explore and encourage art practice. To reflect this, the Gallery will also host a series of public programs over the coming months, where people can come to learn new art skills, understand the region's art history and explore new technologies that will continue to shape the art conversation into the future.
Finally, the Gallery will launch TRANSMIT on June 1, a large-scale digital screen with technology to access live events, exhibitions, other gallery and museum programs from right here in Tamworth.
It's going to be such an exhilarating few months as we celebrate the history and future of art in Tamworth!
Call to action: To find out more or purchase tickets for the Tamworth Regional Gallery's 100-year celebrations visit tamworthregionalgallery.com.au
