The Art Gallery of New South Wales has acquired an important 17th century painting Mars and the Vestal Virgin by Jacques Blanchard, who was one of the most important Parisian painters of his time.

Bill Viola is internationally recognised as one of the world’s leading contemporary artists. For over 35 years he has been at the forefront of developing the medium of video art as a vital form of contemporary art. Viola’s work focuses on universal human experiences of birth, death and the unfolding of consciousness.

Artist Martin Ball from Auckland has been awarded the Packing Room Prize in conjunction with the 2008 Archibald Prize for his portrait of Crowded House frontman, Neil Finn. Neil Finn is one of New Zealand's leading singer/songwriters.

The annual ARTEXPRESS exhibition, one of the Gallery's most popular, turns 25 this year. Beginning its life as a small display for principal and teacher conferences, the exhibition has grown to attract hundreds of thousands of people annually, it will run from 2 February to 30 March 2008.

Michael Riley (1960-2004) was one of the most important contemporary Indigenous visual artists of the past two decades and his contribution to the urban-based Indigenous visual arts industry was substantial. His emotive film and video work challenged non-Indigenous perceptions of Indigenous experience, particularly of the most disenfranchised communities in the south-eastern region of Australia.

Kitty Kantilla was one of Australia's most remarkable Indigenous artists, celebrated for her innovation, unique style and mastery of a range of mediums. The breadth and beauty of her work will be unveiled in this major retrospective exhibition, running through 20 January 2008.

This is the first major retrospective of Sidney Nolan’s paintings since his death in 1992. It presents an opportunity to unravel something of the artist’s enigma and understand his essential achievement across an entire career. The paintings will be on view through 3 February 2008.

It was announced that Nathan Hawkes from Edgecliff in Sydney is the winner of the ninth Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship for his work Icebergs 2007, oil on canvas.

Art Gallery of New South Wales announced the purchase of David Hockney's A closer winter tunnel, 2006. The painting, consisting of six canvas panels, is now on public display at the Gallery.

Art Gallery of New South Wales announced that one of the leading arts families in Australia, the Belgiorno-Nettis family, have agreed to donate $4 million to the Gallery over four years in support of its contemporary art galleries.

The Dobell Prize is the most respected award for drawing in Australia. Initiated by the trustees of the Sir William Dobell Art Foundation, the prize was first awarded in 1993. The winner receives $20,000.

Four years ago Edmund Capon flew to London to meet Professor Khalili to discuss bringing a selection of the finest and rarest pieces of his Islamic art collection to Australia. The Arts of Islam, a major exhibition consisting of more than 350 rare and beautiful pieces of Islamic art from the Khalili Collection, will open to the public at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.