Del Kathryn Barton announced as Museum of Art's next major commission
Published on 22 September 2026
Rockhampton Museum of Art (RMOA) has named two-time Archibald Prize winner Del Kathryn Barton as the artist behind its next Long Gallery Commission, launching a major fundraising campaign that invites the community to help bring the ambitious project to life.
The Museum of Art is now seeking supporters to join its 2028 Commissioning Collective, a philanthropic initiative that funds significant new contemporary artworks for the museum's collection. Limited tickets are also now on sale for the campaign launch event on 1 October 2026, where Barton will visit Rockhampton to unveil the concept for the commission and discuss the project with audiences.
The commission will be realised through the museum's Commissioning Collective, which pools donations from individuals and businesses to support the creation of major new artworks. Donors contribute collectively to commission an artist, with the completed work entering the public collection and remaining on display for years to come.
The Commissioning Collective is limited, with donors contributing $5,000 each towards the creation of the new work. The campaign aims to raise $100,000 to fund the artist's commissioning fee. Previous supporters will be offered first right of refusal before remaining places are opened more broadly.
Barton, one of Australia's most recognised contemporary artists, is expected to create a large-scale work for the museum's Long Gallery, with installation planned for late 2028. Following its exhibition, the commission will become a permanent part of the museum's collection.
The project represents the third Long Gallery Commission funded through community-backed philanthropy at RMOA, following successful campaigns supporting works by d Harding and Sally Smart. Smart's The Artists Ballet is currently installed at the museum.
The selection of Barton brings one of Australia's most influential contemporary practitioners to regional Queensland. Working across painting, drawing, collage, sculpture, textiles and film, she is renowned for her richly layered visual language that combines human forms with botanical, animal and cosmic imagery.
A two-time winner of the Archibald Prize in 2008 and 2013, Barton has exhibited nationally and internationally, with works held in major public collections including the National Gallery of Australia, Art Gallery of New South Wales and Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. Her practice has also extended into filmmaking, including the animated adaptation of Oscar Wilde's The Nightingale and the Rose and the feature film Blaze.
The commission also builds on Barton's existing connection with Rockhampton. Her painting sapling entered the museum's collection in 2014 following a successful community fundraising campaign involving local donors, Friends of Rockhampton Art Gallery and public contributions. The artist's work was also featured in the gallery's The Gold Award exhibition that year, while the touring ACMI exhibition The Nightingale and the Rose was presented in Rockhampton in 2018.
While details of the new commission remain under wraps, Barton will reveal the concept at a public launch event on 1 October. The evening will feature an 'In Conversation' with RMOA Director Peter Denham and Del Kathryn Barton, offering attendees a first look at the ambitious project and an opportunity to hear directly from the artist.
The Long Gallery has become one of RMOA's signature commissioning spaces, designed to accommodate immersive contemporary works of significant scale. The museum expects Barton's commission to remain on display from late 2028 until late 2031, creating opportunities for learning programs, public events and community engagement across a three-year period.
For regional institutions seeking new models of support, the Commissioning Collective demonstrates how philanthropy can do more than acquire existing artworks. By funding new commissions, donors become active participants in the creation of cultural assets that enter public collections and contribute to the long-term artistic identity of a region.
Support the Commission. Attend the Launch.
The community is invited to attend the launch of the 2028 Commissioning Collective campaign on 1 October 2026 and hear from Del Kathryn Barton in person.
The Rockhampton Museum of Art is also inviting expressions of interest from individuals, businesses and philanthropists interested in joining the 2028 Commissioning Collective and helping bring this significant new commission to life.
Donor Enquiries
Event Details
2028 Commissioning Collective | Del Kathryn Barton
Campaign Launch
Date: Thursday 1 October 2026
Time: 6pm to 8pm
Location: Rockhampton Museum of Art, 220 Quay Street, Rockhampton
Cost: $25 | Bookings Required
Book Tickets
IMAGE CAPTION | Installation view (Welcome Home, RMOA 2022) Del Kathryn Barton, sapling 2014, acrylic on linen. Acquired with funds from Rockhampton Art Gallery Trust, Rockhampton Regional Council, Friends of Rockhampton Art Gallery and public donations 2014-2015.