What kinds of art galleries are there in the Blue Mountains?

This beautiful area is well known for it's creativity. As well as inspired musicians, more heritage buildings and antiques than you can shake a stick at, and wonderful artisanry, we also have a remarkable range of art galleries. There's so much to see, from scenic paintings, to blown glass, to cast iron and crystals, to giant sculptures. Some of the galleries even host live performances and offer workshops so that you can hone your own skills. Here's a run down to show you some of the spaces you can visit. You're really spoiled for choice.

Lost Bear Gallery, Katoomba

With a giant bear sculpture outside, you can’t miss the Lost Bear Gallery. A scintillating contemporary art gallery on Lurline Street, the space was previously an old guesthouse and includes 12 rooms to explore. The gallery showcases regular exhibitions in a range of media, including paintings, sculpture, ceramics and glass art by prestigious Australian artists, such as Graham Hallet, Lotje Meijer, Warwick Fuller and more. You can also shop for limited edition prints, if you fall in love. And as an added bonus, you may or may not be greeted by the owners’ gorgeous chocolate kelpie, Nugget, when you go to visit.

Rex Livingstone Art+Objects, Katoomba

Run by a 30-year pro in the art world, this gallery works with a wide range of Australian artists, including Joshua Bullen, Jude Rose and more, and acts as an art broker too. View an interesting array of mixed media paintings and creative sculptures in the Katoomba Street location and even buy a piece if something takes your fancy.

Gallery One88 Fine Arts, Katoomba

Gallery ONE88 is a fantastic curated exhibition space in the heart of Katoomba, that displays the works of both established and emerging artists, and is directed by artists too!

You can catch upcoming exhibitions with artists including Ten Thousand Hours and Peter Shoemozzle, and displayed works ranging from surrealist landscapes in oil, to sculptures made from shoes – designed to make you smile.

You can also buy art you love which supports local artists, and even catch live music acts, including talented jazz musicians at PigeonLane, a dedicates performance space on the ground floor of the gallery.  You can read more about this on our guide to the Best Live Music in the Blue Mountains.

The food at Café One88 is certainly not an afterthought either. Think juicy steak sandwiches, mouth-watering Italian bruschetta, waffles with ice cream, and more.

Braemar House & Gallery Blue Mountains Cultural Centre, Springwood

Braemar Gallery is a community gallery set in the historic and lovely Braemar House, showcasing a wide range of highly creative contemporary artists, including Zoe Fletcher, Liz Shreeve and Laurent Rivory. Exhibitions often feature the works of 2-3 artists at a time, and depending on who is being shown, you could see mixed media insider and sculptures outside on the grounds too, as artists make creative use of the impressive heritage space.

Falls Gallery, Wentworth Falls

Falls Gallery is a lofty and stunning space, featuring creative and colourful works every time. The inside is as beautiful as the outside as the gallery is set in beautiful grounds, surrounded by manicured gardens. The gallery owners are also the artists, and intricate oil paintings, marvellous mixed media and stunning carved ceramics abound here, as well as wonderful etchings. A must-visit.

Aitken’s Australia in the Round, Glenbrook

Aitken’s Australia in the Round is a stunning panorama, featuring lifelike and beautifully rendered Australian landscapes and wildlife. The panorama is a true labour of love, conceptualised by Jim Aitken, Glenbrook’s mayor, and painted by German Australian artist Falk Kautzner. This immersive piece captures the diverse landscapes of Australia, from the sparkling blue seas and iconic cityscapes, to the red deserts, to awe-inspiring mountains and waterfalls. Well worth seeing.

Penrith Regional Gallery and Lewer’s Bequest, Penrith

Penrith Regional Gallery overlooks the Nepean River at the foot of the Blue Mountains, on Emu Plains. It’s a vibrant creative space that welcomes 100,000 visitors each year. This building also has an artistic history – it was the former home of sculptor Gerald Lewers and painter Margo Lewers.

The gallery shows a variety of mixed media and textile exhibitions, from other museums and galleries, including work from the Museum of Brisbane (MoB). They also display some of their exhibitions in interesting and unique ways, like the Window Stories Project by Penrith Performing & Visual Arts where photographers are able to share their work with the passing public on The Joan’s windows.

It’s also set in idyllic heritage gardens, filled with blossoming flowers in the Spring, and there’s a fantastic café where you can fill your boots afterwards. An ideal stop-off on the way here, or on the way home!

Norman Lindsay Gallery and Museum, Faulconbridge

Here’s your chance to visit a real-life piece of history – this wonderful sandstone cottage was once the actual home of artist and writer Norman Lindsay (1879-1969), who was quite scandalous in his time and even wrote a banned book! His works were deemed blasphemous, and his novel Redheap was banned in 1930.

The lush gardens are where you can see his fabulous sculptures and his entire former home is filled with watercolour paintings, oil paintings, drawings and model ships. You will even be able to view sketches of his famous Magic Pudding characters.

Keith Rowe Glass, Blackheath

A true master of his craft, Keith Rowe has over 40 years of glass blowing experience, and harnesses his skills to create a unique range of pieces. His creations include vases and bowls, as well as intricate sculptures, like his outdoor glass balloons. His kaleidoscopic works have been exhibited at a wide selection of galleries and some are available to buy too. You’re sure to be mesmerised.

Gang Gang Gallery, Lithgow

Inside another wonderful heritage building – in this case the Old Refreshments building in the Theatre Royal on Main Street – Gang Gang Gallery (GGG) is an artistic hub. The space is both a gallery and an events space, and hosts the work of a number of artists from across the Blue Mountains region. The art on show ranges from clay and wrought iron sculpture, to prints, canvas painting, mixed media and more. There are also painting and weaving workshops, events, live music performances and even an emerging artists program.

Talisman Gallery, Hartley (Jenolan Caves)

This mystical grotto represents the beating creative heart of the Blue Mountains. Here you’ll find the interesting and unique metal and jewellery of Ron Fitzpatrick , an artist and blacksmith. A true creator, his pieces come to him during his meditations and are hewn from iron, stained glass, precious metals and stunning natural crystals, including amethyst, rose quartz and blue obsidian.

Talisman Gallery can be found in the Hartley Historic Village, on the way to the Jenolan Caves.

We hope you have a wonderful time exploring what the creative minds of the mountains have to show you, and hopefully you'll feel inspired too!