As December unfolds, Australia’s art scene brims with unmissable exhibitions and creative energy, offering something for every aesthete. From the vivid landscapes of contemporary painters to groundbreaking retrospectives that reimagine artistic legacies, galleries nationwide are alive with stories waiting to be told.
This guide takes you on a journey through the must-see exhibitions of the month, highlighting the innovators, the provocateurs, and the timeless icons reshaping the cultural conversation. Whether you’re a seasoned gallery-goer or seeking inspiration for your next outing, December 2024 promises a dazzling spectrum of artistic experiences across Australia’s creative capitals.
NSW
Art Gallery of NSW
Magritte – until 9 February 2025 and Cao Fei: My City is Yours – until 13 April 2025
A retrospective that chronicles René Magritte’s journey through surrealism, revealing his profound influence on visual culture and his subversive humour, and an exhibition that immerses audiences the surreal energy of 21st-century China with films, neon, and interactive installations, marking the acclaimed artist Cao Fei's first Australian retrospective.
Australian Museum
Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru – until 23 February 2025
Step back thousands of years in an extraordinary multi-sensory exhibition showcasing breathtaking artefacts and immersive displays that illuminate the grandeur of Peru's rich history.
Saint Cloche
Immortal –from 11 December 2024 until 25 January 2025
An immersive group exhibition curated by founder Kitty Clark, exploring timeless artistic and cultural influences through works by past, present, and future artists, showcased across its Paddington gallery and newly renovated Atelier.
Bankstown Arts Centre
3rd Bankstown Biennale: Same Same/Different – until 1 February 2025
An exhibition showcasing works by 17 prominent First Nations and artists of colour, exploring equitable multiculturalism and cultural interconnectedness through a thought-provoking curatorial lens.
QLD
QAGOMA
The 11th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art – until 27 April 2025
An exhibition featuring 70 artists, collectives, and projects from over 30 countries, including first-time contributions from Saudi Arabia, Timor-Leste, and Uzbekistan, exploring themes of cultural heritage, migration, and environmental care through diverse and community-driven art forms.
VIC
National Gallery of Victoria: Wurrdha Marra
Bark Salon – ongoing
The NGV's largest exhibition of over 150 bark paintings, showcasing works from more than 30 First Nations Communities, tracing the evolution of this rich medium across time and place in a salon-style hang at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia.
MARS Gallery
Maybe She Was There –from 6 December 2024
A solo exhibition by artist Scotty So, blending AI-generated imagery, hyper-realistic sculpture, and historical techniques to explore themes of nostalgia, immortality, and the queer struggle to preserve beauty and legacy amidst the inevitability of aging and decay.
Corner of Flinders Lane and Hosier Lane
The Outsiders Melbourne – from 12 December 2024
A ground-breaking exhibition of street art showcasing over 100 works from Australia’s largest street art collection, including pieces by Banksy, Rone, Adnate, and Shepard Fairey, offering an insider's view into the rebellious spirit of the global street art movement.
ACT
National Gallery of Australia
Ethel Carrick and Anne Dangar – from 7 December 2024
Parallel exhibitions on Ethel Carrick – a vibrant post-impressionist painter known for her luminous depictions of diverse crowds – and Anne Dangar – a cubist ceramicist, celebrate two trailblazing women artists of the early 20th century who defied convention – with Carrick's 140-piece retrospective being the most comprehensive to date.
NT
Museum and Art Gallery: Northern Territory
Cyclone Tracy – reopening from 7 December 2024
Commemorating the devastating 1974 storm that reshaped Darwin, this exhibition is closed for refurbishment until 7 December 2024, ahead of its 50th anniversary.
SA
Art Gallery of South Australia
Radical Textiles – until 30 March 2025
AGSA explores 150 years of textile innovation, showcasing over 100 artists, designers, and activists who have used fabric as a medium for social change, cultural connection, and artistic expression, from William Morris to Sonia Delaunay, through historic works and contemporary commissions.
WA
Art Gallery of Western Australia
Impossible Island – until 18 May 2025
This exhibition showcases 113 photographs spanning 40 years (1983–2023) by legendary photographer Henry Roy, capturing the beauty and richness of his artistic journey through places like Haiti, Paris, and Marrakesh, and reflecting influences from his exile, love of literature, and passion for New Wave French cinema.
