DANCER: A National Portrait Gallery touring exhibition

Image: Beau Dean Riley Smith, Wiradjuri and Gamilaraay nations, Bennelong 2017 (detail) from the series ‘Space in between’, Jacob Nash, Daly River © Jacob Nash
Image: Beau Dean Riley Smith, Wiradjuri and Gamilaraay nations, Bennelong 2017 (detail) from the series ‘Space in between’, Jacob Nash, Daly River © Jacob Nash

From letting loose in the lounge room to enthralling audiences on stage, this exhibition captures the experience of lives lived through dance. Drawn from the National Portrait Gallery collection and incorporating the work of contemporary photographers, Dancer reflects the freedom and joy of dance and its power to connect.

The exhibition features 52 works including works from the National Portrait Gallery’s collection of dance legends Irina Baronova, Robert Helpmann, Hélène Kirsova, Graeme Murphy, Gideon Obarzanek, Anna Pavlova, Marilyn Rowe and Janet Vernon.

Dancer will be on display from Friday 7 February to Saturday 26 April, 2025.

Opening Hours:
Monday:               Closed
Tuesday - Friday: 10am - 5pm
Saturday:             10am - 2pm
Sunday:               Closed
Closed on Public Holidays

Dancer is a National Portrait Gallery touring exhibition.

This exhibition is supported but the National Collecting Institutions Touring and Outreach Program, an Australian Government program aiming to improve access to the national collections for all Australians.

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April

Canberra: 27 Feb until 20 July 2025. The National Library has invited renowned Australian photojournalist Mike Bowers to select some of his favourite images from the Fairfax Photo Archive.

Brisbane: Until 13 July 2025. Amateur Brisbane photographer Alfred Henrie Elliott (1870-1954) extraordinary images lay dormant for decades until they were discovered only recently. This exhibition is curated by seven Brisbane photographers.

Sydney: Until 31 Dec 2025. PIX, Australia’s first pictorial news weekly, is brought to life in this exhibition, showcasing its archived images and stories for the very first time.

May

Sydney: 15 May – 19 October. Showcasing 100 incredible images, this remarkable exhibition offers a window into the astonishing variety of life on our planet – and the critical importance of preserving it.

Perth: From 31 May – 28 Sept 2025. Featuring 85 works from three major series – Deep Springs, Overpass, and Cross Country – the exhibition spans twelve years of Contis’s evolving photographic practice.

June

Sydney: Until 6 July. Presenting the results of the 2025 World Press Photo Contest, the annual exhibition showcases the best and most important photojournalism and documentary photography of the last year.

Melbourne: June 5 - 16 August 2025. The explore the history of Alan Adler's photobooths and their cultural significance, alongside visual stories told by the community.

Adelaide: 7 June – 16 August. Drawn from the National Portrait Gallery collection, this photographic exhibition captures the experience of lives lived through dance.

Melbourne: 7 June – 31 August. Protest is a Creative Act seeks to address issues around the body, sexuality, race, national identity and the environment.

Canberra; June 19 - July 12 2025. The River Report is a five-day map of when a normal Yitilal (wet season) turned into a major disaster and the local inhabitants were once again displaced.