The Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA) is a leading cultural institution that attracts more than 700,000 visitors each year. Founded in 1881, AGSA is home to one of Australia’s great art collections, with more than 47,000 works across diverse media in Australian, international and Asian art.
Since 2012, The Balnaves Foundation has been the Principal Donor of the Adelaide Biennia of Australian Art, the longest running survey of contemporary Australian art and a critically important platform for artists to realise ambitious, large-scale projects within an institutional context. Free to the general public, the Biennial embraces broad audiences through a stimulating calendar of exhibitions, public programming and education.
The 2026 Biennial: Yield Strength reveals how materials, selfhood and society are tested, and transformed, under pressure. Yield Strength will reflect the diversity of artistic practice across the continent, encompassing photo-realist paintings, large-scale sculptures constructed from found objects, delicately crafted ceramics, video animation and fine paintings on bark.
The partnership between The Balnaves Foundation and the Art Gallery of South Australia began with the development and delivery of Start at the Gallery (Start) in 2009. Aimed for children aged 3-12, Start at the Gallery, is a free family-fun day held monthly to introduce children and their families to AGSA. Including art activities, tours, live performances and entertainment Start sets the groundwork for a life-long love of the arts.
In 2015, with Start well established, the Foundation partnered with AGSA to launch a new program for teenagers aged 13-17. From there, Neo was born, a free after-hours event for teenagers created in consultation with teenagers through the Neo Ambassadors program. Events range from twice yearly ‘Teen Takeovers’ across the whole gallery to focused events which activate the latest temporary exhibition spaces. Young people at Neo can explore the exhibitions, participate in creative labs, listen to live music (all performed by local teenagers), meet artists and socialise with peers.
Image: Young people participating in Neo ‘In Colour’; photo: Sam Roberts
Image: Young people participating in Neo ‘Adobe’; photo: Nat Rogers
Find out more about the Art Gallery of South Australia here.