In November 2011, the Art Gallery of New South Wales will host Picasso: masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris – the most significant exhibition of the artist’s art ever to be held in Australia and the Gallery’s most ambitious exhibition to date.

With over 150 important works by Picasso, the sheer scale of this exhibition means it cannot fit in the Gallery’s temporary exhibition space. Thus a number of changes will be taking place at the Gallery in the lead-up to the exhibition.

• The Gallery is taking this opportunity to reconfigure and renovate the 20th century Australian galleries. These galleries, opened in 1972, have never been upgraded. Following completion of this work, the galleries will re-open, initially with the Picasso exhibition.
   
• The central gallery of the Grand Courts will be temporarily converted into a small theatre, screening an introduction for the public awaiting timed entry for the Picasso exhibition.
   
• A number of the Gallery’s most popular Australian works will be displayed in the Entrance court and the 19th century Australian + 20th century Aboriginal art gallery.
   
• Key works from the 20th century Australian collection, both familiar and lesser known, will be on show in the upper level Temporary exhibitions gallery from 17 September 2011 to 12 February 2012.
   
• The Art Gallery of NSW has organised a regional touring exhibition: Australian modern masterpieces. The exhibition includes 40 works from the Gallery’s extensive 20th century collection and is touring to Ballarat (1 October – 27 November 2011) and Newcastle Region Art Gallery (10 December 2011 – 4 March 2012). This exhibition includes the popular Grace Cossington Smith’s The curve of the bridge 1928–29, William Dobell’s Archibald prize-winning Margaret Olley 1948, and Margaret Preston’s Western Australian gum blossom 1928.
   
• The Australian collection returns to the renovated galleries in May 2012. An Open Weekend will be held 5 and 6 May, with over 50 events celebrating Australian art and culture. The new gallery design and increased floor space will enable a larger selection of the collection to be displayed, including a number of new acquisitions.