Sydney’s art scene is about to hit a busy spell, with new galleries, affordable fairs and headline exhibitions set to draw in crowds across the city over the next few months.
It’s winter in Sydney, and suddenly that beach day out is looking a little less appealing. Luckily for us, a new wave of art exhibitions, studio openings and art fairs are popping up to keep us entertained during the chillier months.
From a blockbuster new exhibition showcasing depictions of the Hindu deity Vishnu to an Art Fair where every piece is $100, there’s plenty to keep visitors booked and busy over the next few months.
We’ve rounded up all of the most exciting art events on our radar that will be supplying Sydney’s cultural fix these coming months.
Upcoming art exhibitions and events
Avatar: Forms of Vishnu
This ambitious new exhibition will be the largest presentation of South and Southeast Asian art shown at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in over 20 years, and the first Australian exhibition devoted to the Hindu deity Vishnu. The exhibition will bring together more than 200 works, both historical and contemporary, ranging from ancient sculptures, textiles and paintings to photography and installation.
In Hindu tradition, Vishnu preserves order in the universe and manifests to restore peace and justice. The artwork in this exhibition will explore how artists have envisioned Vishnu’s various transformations, from Matsya the fish, Kurma the tortoise, Varaha the boar and Narasimha the man-lion.
Some of the extraordinary works included in the exhibition include a sixth-century Cambodian sculpture of a horse-headed avatar of Vishu, paintings from 1594 illustrating India’s great Ramayana and Mahabharata epics, and new works made especially for the exhibition, including a pair of large paintings by Desmond Lazaro.
Where: Art Gallery of NSW, Art Gallery Rd, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: June 20-October 5, 2026.
Price: Adult tickets from $35.
Black Myth
Sydney’s White Rabbit Gallery, which showcases one of the world’s most significant collections of Chinese contemporary art, is located on a hidden backstreet in Chippendale. The gallery presents two exhibitions each year, and its next exhibition, titled Black Myth, is set to open on June 25, running until November 8.
Black Myth draws inspiration from the viral Chinese video game, Black Myth: Wukong, which is a modern retelling of the legendary novel, Journey to the West. An epic fantasy, teeming with spirits, demons, ghosts, mythical beasts, gods, and immortals, it follows the monk Tang Sanzang and his three unlikely disciples as they undertake a pilgrimage from China to India.
Black Myth will explore the concept of journey, from physical travel to time travel, delving into uniquely Chinese visions of transformation and transcendence. Bringing together more than 40 artists from the White Rabbit Collection, using mediums from photography to woodcuts and ink-painting, Black Myth is set to be a thrilling and intriguing exhibition.
The best part? Entry to White Rabbit Art Gallery is completely free.
Where: White Rabbit Art Gallery, 30 Balfour St, Chippendale NSW 2008.
When: June 25-November 8, 2026.
Price: Free.
Incognito Art Show
The Incognito Art Show will return to Sydney this June, finding a new home at Carriageworks. Offering over 20,000 original artworks for just $100 each, the fun of the Incognito Art Show is that the artist behind each piece remains anonymous. Buyers will choose art that they love and connect with, no matter who created it. You may have picked up a piece by an Archibald finalist, or from someone completely unknown!
All profits from the Incognito Art Show 2026 will help fund professional development programs for artists with disabilities, including Studio A in North Sydney, The Art Factory in Wagga Wagga and Access Arts in Brisbane.
If you’ve got your eye on a work by one of the more sought-after artists, you’ll want to arrive early. Every year, the Incognito Art Show attracts lengthy opening-day queues as eager art lovers race to uncover works by their favourite artists and secure a piece before it’s gone. Fortunately, buyers are limited to three artworks each, giving everyone a fair shot at taking home a hidden gem.
Where: Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh NSW 2015.
When: June 27-July 5.
Price: Every piece of art costs $100.
National Indigenous Art Fair
This year marks the seventh anniversary of the National Indigenous Art Fair, and for the first time ever, it will be presented at Barangaroo’s brand new cultural hub, the Cutaway. The 2026 edition of the fair will be its most expansive to date, presenting works by more than 100 artists from over 30 Indigenous Art Centres, alongside large-scale installations, live music, dance, talks, and fashion.
Shaped by a team of First Nations curators, the Fair offers an opportunity to view and purchase works from some of Australia’s most remote art centres, with 100% of profits going directly to the art centres and their communities.
This year, guests can secure tickets to a special opening night event, offering exclusive early access to the artworks alongside a program of performances from talented First Nations singers, dancers and fashionistas.
Where: The Cutaway, 1 Merriman St, Barangaroo NSW 2000.
When: July 3-5.
Price: Adult admission starts at $15.
Brett Whiteley Studio Opening
The iconic Brett Whiteley Studio has been closed while undergoing extensive upgrades, but visitors won’t have to wait much longer, with the much-anticipated reopening scheduled for July 25. Located in the celebrated artist’s final home and studio in Surry Hills, the gallery offers an intimate and unfiltered encounter with the life and practice of Brett Whiteley.
The studio will reopen with a new exhibition, titled Brett Whiteley: Coming Home, showcasing ambitious works produced by the artist in the 1970s. Offering an array of 80 paintings, drawings, sculptures, ceramics, prints, photographs and sketchbooks, the works showcase the energy and variety of Whiteley’s practice following his return to Australia after a decade of living and working abroad.
Entry to the studio is free, although visitors should note it’s only open from Thursday to Sunday, between 10am and 4pm.
Where: Brett Whiteley Studio, 2 Raper St, Surry Hills, NSW 2010.
When: Reopens July 25.
Price: Free entry.
(Cover Image: Xu Zhen ® 徐震®, _mmortals’ Trails in a Secret Land (2012))
