The gallery's collection was first housed in the former Bendigo Volunteer Rifle's room, converted into an exhibition space by Bendigo architect William Charles Vahland (1828–1915) in 1890 and renamed Bolton Court. In 1897 it was extended with Drury Court, designed by local architect William Beebe. In 1962 the gallery was again extended with office space and additional exhibition spaces, as well as a new entrance.[2]
From 1998 to 2001 the gallery was refurbished and expanded with a new sculpture gallery designed by Fender Katsalidis Architects.[3]
The gallery's collection has a strong emphasis on British and European Continental 19th-century painting, with works by Ernest Waterlow and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes among others. Australian work from the 19th century onwards is also well represented, including Charles Conder and Arthur Streeton.
The gallery hosts Australia's richest open painting prize, the Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize worth A$50,000, which was launched in 2003.[3] It was then Australia's richest open painting prize, worth A$50,000.[5] It was initiated by Allen Guy CBE in honour of his elder and only brother Arthur Guy (24 November 1914 – 14 February 1945), who died in World War II near Lae, Papua New Guinea, while serving with the RAAF. Arthur was educated at Camp Hill State School in Bendigo, and then at Ballarat Grammar School.[6]
The Paul Guest Prize is a non-acquisitive biennial art prize and exhibition focused on contemporary Australian drawing practice. It was founded by former Family Court judge and Olympic rower, Paul GuestOAMQC in 2010. It comprises a cash award of A$15,000.[10]
Karen Quinlan was director of Bendigo Art Gallery from around 2000 to 2018, and curator for three years before that.[11] She was also Professor of Practice at the La Trobe Art Institute at Bendigo. She took up the post of leading the National Portrait GalleryinCanberra in December 2018.[12][13] During her tenure at Bendigo, Quinlan worked with international institutions to bring large exhibitions to Bendigo, which boosted the regional economy and encouraged cultural tourism.[14] She was made a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2019 Australia Day Honours list, "for her significant service to the visual arts and to higher education".[11]
The gallery's logo is an image of Ettore Cadorin's statue Venus tying her sandals (1913).[15] Cadorin was an Italian-born American, but was married to an Australian contralto, Erna Mueller, who trained at the Bendigo Conservatory.[16] He sold the statue to the gallery after visiting it in 1913.[15]
