At Sydney’s Royal Easter Show, new collectors are finding affordable Australian art

The Sydney Royal Easter Show has emerged as an unexpected hunting ground for affordable art, drawing new collectors to a space far from the white walls of commercial galleries. Organisers say the arts and crafts pavilion is helping emerging makers find homes for their work — and giving galleries a quiet run for their money — by offering a more democratic, approachable way to collect.

Tucked inside the pavilion is a pop-up where artists meet buyers they might never encounter in a traditional gallery. The show curates a broad mix of painters, ceramicists and sculptors, and, according to Royal Agricultural Society of NSW arts and crafts committee chair James Dorahy, the “democratisation” of collecting there has been a natural evolution.

“Showgoers come for the nostalgia — the food, the show bags, the traditions — and then they find themselves spending real time in the arts and crafts pavilion, which is consistently among the most visited areas of the show,” he says. “It’s where they discover original Australian work they can actually afford.

There’s no intimidation or pressure.” Prices span from $100 to $30,000, and organisers say more than $350,000 worth of art sold last year. One surprise, Dorahy notes, was a painting reimagining famous Australian figures — including Paul Hogan and Dame Edna — in a dinner scene that sold for $12,000.

With the cost-of-living crisis squeezing budgets, buying art might seem out of reach, but Dorahy says first-time buyers often start with a single affordable piece and build from there. “First-time buyers regularly tell us this is the first artwork they’ve ever purchased,” he says, adding that many artists report the pavilion offers the broadest and most diverse audience they have reached.

Among the long-term exhibitors is regional NSW artist Sonja Bowden, based in the Southern Highlands town of Bundanoon, known for hyper-realistic pencil drawings of horses. She has shown at the event for more than 20 years and is a former winner of the drawing category in the arts and crafts competition.

Dorahy says she even delivers works herself in a custom horse-float trailer, wearing jeans and a cowboy hat — a detail that resonates with show audiences. Bowden continues to sell pieces ranging from miniatures to large drawings after being noticed at the show.

“The show offers an opportunity to experience an incredible range of Australian-made, original work all in one place,” she says. Other regulars include artist Michelle Carr. As the pavilion’s profile grows, organisers say the format is fast becoming a place to discover new Australian artists, expanding access for buyers while widening exposure for makers.