Operation Art
Operation Art is an initiative of The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in association with the New South Wales Department of Education. The program includes exhibitions, workshops and professional learning opportunities in visual arts for teachers and students from all schools in NSW.
2025 applications now open for the 2026 exhibition
- Applications close Friday 30 May 2025.
- Each urban school can enter up to 2 artworks.
- Each regional, rural and remote school can enter up to 6 artworks.
- Each artwork can be created by an individual student or be a collaboration by up to 4 students in Kindergarten to Year 10.
What's new for 2025?
Operation Art will be moving into an exciting new model for our exhibition program!
We look forward to receiving your artwork entries this year for display in a gallery near you in 2026.
2025 exhibition locations and dates
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Exhibition: 19 March to 1 April 2025
Address: Art Gallery Road The Domain Sydney
Telephone: 1800 679 278
Opening times: Daily 10 am to 5 pm and Wednesdays until 10 pm.
Cowra Regional Art Gallery
Exhibition: 11 April to 4 May 2025
Address: 77 Darling Street Cowra
Telephone: 02 6340 2190
Opening times: Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday 2 pm to 4 pm
Ngununggula Regional Art Gallery
Exhibition: 6 April to 15 June 2025
Address: 1 Art Gallery Lane, Bowral
Telephone: 02 4861 5348
Opening times: Monday to Sunday 10 am to 4 pm
Fairfield City Museum and Gallery
Exhibition: 24 May to 19 July 2025
Address: 634 The Horsley Dr, Smithfield
Telephone: 02 9725 0190
Opening times: Tuesday to Friday 10 am to 4 pm and Saturday 10 am to 3 pm
Singleton Arts and Culture Centre
Exhibition: 16 August to 2 November 2025
Address: 23 Maitland Road, Singleton
Telephone: 02 6578 7290
Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday 9:30 am to 4:30 pm
Tamworth Regional Gallery
Exhibition: 30 August to 19 October 2025
Address: 466 Peel Street, Tamworth
Telephone: 02 6767 5247
Opening times: Tuesday to Friday 10 am to 5 pm and Saturday to Sunday 10 am to 4 pm
Why participate in Operation Art?
- All student artworks are framed and exhibited in a NSW gallery.
- More than 10,000 visitors from across the state view the exhibitions.
- At least 120 works are selected for further exhibition opportunities.
- 50 works are given to the Children's Hospital at Westmead.
- Students discover purpose in artmaking by creating art to help children in hospital.
- You can start your own gallery at school when the framed works are returned.
- All students are recognised with printed certificates, invitations and catalogues.
Programs
All Arts Units programs are inclusive. If support is required to participate in Operation Art, please email opart.artsunit@det.nsw.edu.au so we can assist.
