October is a rewarding month for art in Sydney. The city’s programme brings together major Australian painting, contemporary drawing, ceramics, public sculpture and international contemporary art across the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and independent galleries.
Here are the exhibitions and events worth seeing this month.
Contemporary Australian painting
Nolan: Origins opens at the Art Gallery of New South Wales on October 3 and runs until February 7, 2027. The exhibition presents more than 100 major works from Sidney Nolan’s formative Australian years, before he moved to the United Kingdom in 1953.
A central highlight is the 1946–47 Ned Kelly series, one of the most recognisable bodies of work in Australian art. The exhibition is a strong starting point for understanding Nolan’s visual language and the mythology, landscape and history that shaped his early career.
Also at the Art Gallery of NSW, And Still I Rise presents 20 culturally diverse, internationally recognised women artists based in Australia. The exhibition is named after Maya Angelou’s poetry collection and highlights practices that connect personal experience, cultural memory and contemporary art.
Drawing beyond the page
Near at Hand: Dobell Australian Drawing Biennial 2026 is one of the most interesting exhibitions to see at the Art Gallery of NSW this October. Running from September 12 to March 7, 2027, it features 11 contemporary artists from across Australia.
The biennial explores drawing as an intimate and expansive practice. Artists work with materials ranging from pencil, pastel and watercolour to light and thread, extending drawing beyond paper and into sculpture and installation.
For anyone interested in process, mark-making and the quiet side of contemporary art, this is a particularly strong exhibition to visit.
Ceramics and handmade art
Sydney’s October programme also highlights ceramics, both in museum contexts and independent galleries.
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Jordan Gower: Does the moon know the well? is the first institutional exhibition by South Australian ceramic artist Jordan Gower.
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ສູ້ສູ້ Sou Sou at the Art Gallery of NSW presents around 150 works by Sydney artist Mechelle Bounpraseuth, including large-scale ceramic works connected to Lao culture, ritual and intergenerational storytelling.
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One Vessel, One Realm brings together 13 local ceramic artists in a celebration of contemporary craftsmanship and handmade objects.
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Zi Xin’s solo exhibition at CBD Gallery draws on visual language from both Eastern and Western cultures.
These exhibitions make Sydney a good destination for anyone interested in the renewed attention to craft, materiality and ceramics within contemporary art.
Contemporary art at the MCA
At the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Connections: MCA x Tate brings together contemporary art from the collections of MCA Australia and Tate Modern.
The exhibition is a useful way to see Australian and international contemporary art in dialogue. It is also a good counterpoint to the historical focus of Nolan: Origins, showing how contemporary artists work across installation, moving image, photography and social themes.
Another major MCA project is Ai Weiwei: Mushrooms, a monumental new installation calling for peace. The MCA also opens Robyn Kahukiwa: My Ancestors Are Always With Me on October 14, a survey of the artist’s work running until February 7, 2027.
Public art and sculpture
From October 16 to November 2, Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi 2026 returns to Sydney’s coastal walk. The annual exhibition places contemporary sculpture along the Bondi to Tamarama route, making it one of the city’s most accessible art experiences.
It is a good complement to the museum programme: after seeing painting, drawing and ceramics indoors, visitors can encounter large-scale sculpture against the coastline.
How to plan your visit
For a focused art day, start at the Art Gallery of New South Wales with Nolan: Origins, Near at Hand and And Still I Rise. The gallery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours until 10 p.m. on Wednesdays.
For a second visit, head to the MCA for Connections: MCA x Tate and Ai Weiwei: Mushrooms, then finish with Sculpture by the Sea if you are in Sydney after October 16. Together, these exhibitions show Sydney’s art scene at its most varied: historical Australian painting, contemporary drawing, ceramics, international contemporary art and sculpture in public space.
