The Broken Hill City Art Gallery was opened by the Governor-General of Australia, Lord Northcote in October 1904, and is the oldest regional gallery in New South Wales. The beautifully restored emporium displays a selection of works from the City of Broken Hill's art collection and a quality program of temporary exhibitions by local, State and national artists along with touring exhibitions. The exhibition program also includes the Gallery's annual acquisitive award, the 'Pro Hart Outback Art Prize'.
The now-renovated Emporium building was originally associated with two well-known Broken Hill families, the Sullys (1885 -1925) and the Sweetapples (1924 - 1985) and had its own livery stable and blacksmiths in the yard at the rear of the buildings. Sully’s Emporium operated from 1885 – 1985 and was the longest surviving commercial business in Broken Hill. It provided a wide range of materials to mines, properties and local residents – you could get it all at Sullys!
In 1998 Broken Hill City Council purchased the building to provide a permanent home for Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery and the City’s art collection. The architect for the renovation project was Elizabeth Vines. Many of the building’s original features have been preserved, enhancing the experience of visitors to the Gallery. The building has attracted numerous heritage awards, including the 2005 Energy Australia National/Trust Award for Conservation of the Built Heritage; 2005 Australian Property Institute Savills Heritage Award; and 2006 Tidy Towns Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation.
The Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery was first housed in the Broken Hill’s principal cultural venue, the Technical College, together with the Technical College Museum Collection, where it remained until 1970, when the Gallery relocated to the Entertainment Centre (now known as the Civic Centre).
As a part of Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery’s centenary celebrations, it relocated in October 2004 to Sully’s Emporium (exterior pictured in 1911), in Argent Street, in the heart of Broken Hill. The extensive renovation and refurbishment of this historic building has provided Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery with a superb venue offering multiple exhibition spaces to present an exciting and diverse annual program of exhibitions by local, regional, state, national and international artists, touring exhibitions, floor talks, lectures, workshops, guided tours and educational activities; gallery shop; dedicated public programs area; and improved public access. The Gallery is wheelchair-accessible.
In 2022, the gallery name was changed to Broken Hill City Art Gallery. The name change coincided with Creative Capital funding received from the NSW Government to upgrade the exhibition spaces and allow the institution to integrate with its architectural boundary, the Sully's Emporium.
The Gallery provides an annual program of locally curated exhibitions along with touring exhibitions from major cultural institutions. A selection of works from the collection is on permanent display in the upstairs gallery. The annual program proudly includes works by established and emerging Aboriginal artists from around the Far West region of New South Wales.