About the gallery

Inspiring the imagination and igniting critical dialogue

Tin Sheds spurred a pivotal historical movement in Australian art, nurturing cross-disciplinary experimentation and politically orientated practices for several decades.

Our history

Tin Sheds Gallery is a contemporary exhibition space located within the Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning at the University of Sydney.

Tin Sheds initially opened in 1969 as an autonomous art space within the University grounds, and was home to a wide range of workshops and events facilitated by artists, academics, activists and students. Tin Sheds spurred a pivotal historical movement in Australian art, nurturing cross-disciplinary experimentation and politically orientated practices for several decades.

The Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning was a strong support base for Tin Sheds, and in 1989 it officially joined the School delivering art workshop classes. In 2004 Tin Sheds moved its entire operation into the School with purpose-built workshops and a gallery.

Our mission

Our mission is to foster and advance public debates about the role of architecture, art, design and urbanism in contemporary society through the production of innovative exhibitions, publications and related activities. The gallery provides a public platform for projects that inspire the imagination and ignite critical dialogue – addressing the diverse forces that shape the built environment.

The Tin Sheds Gallery remains both a physical and intellectual space that contributes to the broad discourse of national and international architecture, art, design and urbanism. We are dedicated to the exploration of new ideas, the hosting of collective and critical debates, the nurturing of spatial experimentation and innovation, and the intelligent and accessible promotion of scholarly research in the field.