Warhol, Lichtenstein and Hockney works bound for regional town in massive arts coup

Through the Commonwealth Government's Sharing the National Collection program, masterpieces by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and David Hockney will go on long-term display, alongside works by Willem de Kooning, Helen Frankenthaler and Frank Stella.

The first blockbuster, Icons of Pop Art: Warhol and Lichtenstein, opens on October 24 and will run until March 15, 2026.

Visitors will see Warhol's Campbell's Soup II - Cheddar Cheese (1969) from the NGA's Kenneth Tyler Collection, and six works by Lichtenstein, including Reflections on The Scream (1990).

Gallery curator Lizzy Galloway said the announcement was the result of two years of work and would put Mudgee on the cultural map.

"Securing such significant works is a coup for the region," she said.

"We have no doubt many people will travel to Mudgee to see artworks usually only available in major institutions in our capital cities."

The program's impact has already been felt nationwide, with more than one million people visiting galleries across the country since it launched in 2023.

Minister for the Arts Tony Burke said that while almost all of the national collection sits in storage, "art is meant to be seen and appreciated, not hidden away".

National Gallery director Dr Nick Mitzevich said the milestone was not only about numbers.

"The real significance lies in ensuring every Australian, no matter where they live, has the opportunity to engage with their collection, and the remarkable stories and artists that shape our cultural identity," he said.

Future exhibitions at the Mudgee Arts Precinct will include three works from Hockney's Paper Pool series, Lichtenstein's Bull series, and pieces by Willem de Kooning, Maurice Sendak, Masami Teraoka, Helen Frankenthaler and Frank Stella.

The program is backed by $11.8 million in federal funding to cover transportation, installation and insurance of the loans, which will remain in place for two years.

Mudgee Arts Precinct is open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm. Entry is free.