Bequests, National Portrait Gallery

Peter Sculthorpe, 1982 Eric Smith. © Estate of Eric Smith

By nominating the National Portrait Gallery as a beneficiary in your will, you are helping to provide opportunities for the future of portraiture and the National Portrait Collection.

Leaving a bequest is a deeply personal intention which ensures that the collection, and the Gallery’s work, will reflect the broadness and diversity of all Australians for generations to come.

For your bequest to have the greatest impact, leaving the Gallery an unrestricted gift is the most helpful. If you are considering gifting a work of art for the collection, or supporting a specific program area, please contact the Foundation for a confidential discussion. This will ensure the Gallery can fulfil the intention of your bequest.

How to make a bequest

If you are considering a bequest, we strongly recommend sharing your intention with family and friends, as well as seeking advice from your solicitor, legal and/or financial adviser.

There are many ways in which you can include the Gallery in your will, including:

Gift of Art: Work(s) of art that align with the Gallery’s Collection Development Policy. The Gallery’s definition of ‘portrait’ is considered broadly to include different cultural and conceptual artistic practices and styles used to represent the human form and/or an individual’s experience of the world we live in.
General Gift: a specific sum of money or a percentage of the residual value of an estate.
Residual Gift: the remainder of your estate after specific gifts have been disbursed.

Suggested wording

Using the correct wording in your will ensures that the Gallery can use your gift in the way it is intended. The following wording is a suggestion, but we recommend you seek the advice of a solicitor before making or revising your will.

I give [specific work(s) of art / dollar amount / percentage of estate / percentage of residual estate] to the National Portrait Gallery of Australia ABN 54 74 277 1196. The receipt of an authorised officer of the National Portrait Gallery of Australia shall be an absolute discharge to my executors.

Legal Name: National Portrait Gallery of Australia

ABN: 54 74 277 1196

Address: King Edward Terrace, PARKES ACT 2600

How we acknowledge your gift

To notify the Gallery of your generosity, please write to or email the National Portrait Gallery Foundation on the details below. Please provide a copy of the relevant extract from your will and a letter of confirmation from your solicitor.

Gifts to the Gallery are acknowledged on the website and the Honour Boards in the Gordon Darling Hall. By choosing to acknowledge your gift, you allow the Gallery to celebrate your generosity during your lifetime and will enjoy opportunities to engage with the Gallery’s work in exciting and unique ways.

Leaving a bequest is a deeply personal act and your enduring commitment to the National Portrait Gallery will be treated with sensitivity and confidentiality.