In 2011, long term Mosman resident and successful businessman Neil Balnaves AO donated a  million dollars worth of paintings from his personal art collection to the Mosman Art Gallery and municipality. The donation consisted of sixteen Australian Impressionist and early twentieth century artworks significant to the Mosman area. This is unquestionably the most important donation ever to be received by Mosman Council.

The Balnaves Gift includes key works by several of Australia’s most distinguished artists; Arthur Streeton, Conrad Martens, Will Ashton, Henry Fullwood, Elioth Gruner, George Halstead, James Ranalph Jackson, Matthew Charles Meere, Adelaide Elizabeth Perry, Sydney Long, Ethel Carrick Fox and Margaret Preston.

The Collection has had a massive impact on Mosman Art Gallery. It underwent a $400,000 redevelopment to house the donated works, with the newly refurbished gallery reopening in July 2012. The gallery gets about 4000 schoolchildren through each year and Gallery Director, John Cheeseman, says the Balnaves donation has been integrated into its existing education programs and become the basis of new ones.

John talks about the importance of the Balnaves Gift to the Gallery and community in the video above.

Visit the Mosman Art Gallery website for more information: www.mosmanartgallery.org.au