Gertrude Contemporary opened in 1985 in a large converted warehouse in Fitzroy, Melbourne and led the way as Australia’s first combined gallery and studio complex. It is today a leading centre for the development and presentation of contemporary art. With the artist placed firmly at the centre of the community, Gertrude Contemporary fosters a culture of risk, collaboration and critical-thinking to create innovative programs that engage audiences in cultural debate. It is now the oldest, continually running contemporary art centre in Australia.

Each year Gertrude Contemporary presents around 20 exhibitions featuring work by Australian and international artists across three gallery spaces with a focus on new work, commissions and expanding practice. Running alongside the exhibition program is the Gertrude Contemporary Studio Program, which consists of sixteen non-residential studios, available to artists in the first fifteen years of their professional practice and provided for two-year tenures. Gertrude Contemporary also has a residential studio for visiting international artists, curators and writers for residencies of between two-weeks to three-months.

In addition Gertrude produces: several international touring exhibitions each year; the Emerging Writers Program in collaboration with Art and Australia magazine and the Ian Potter Foundation; Visiting International Curators Program with Arts Victoria; the Emerging Curators Program with Next Wave Festival; our flagship exhibition series Octopus (established in 2000) with Proclaim Management Solutions as well as exhibitions and projects with  Melbourne International Arts Festival, Melbourne Art Fair Foundation and numerous independent arts spaces internationally.