National Gallery Act 1975

Subject to this Act, the Gallery has power to do all things necessary or convenient to be done for or in connexion with the performance of its functions.

Without limiting the generality of subsection (1), the powers of the Gallery referred to in that subsection include power:

to purchase or take on hire, to commission or produce, or to accept as a gift or on deposit or loan, works of art;

to make available (whether by hire, loan, sale or otherwise) works of art;

to accept gifts, devises, bequests or assignments made to the Gallery, whether on trust or otherwise, and whether unconditionally or subject to a condition and, if a gift, devise, bequest or assignment is accepted by the Gallery on trust or subject to a condition, to act as trustee or to comply with the condition, as the case may be;

to collect, and make available (whether by hire, loan, sale or otherwise), information on the visual arts;

to make available (whether for reward or otherwise) services in relation to the visual arts (whether with or without the supply of goods), including the carrying out of investigations and the giving of advice;

to make available (whether by hire, loan, sale or otherwise) reproductions of works of art;

to arrange for, or to assist in, research into matters pertaining to the visual arts;

to erect buildings;

to grant (whether for reward or otherwise) rights to use any land or building owned by, or under the control of, the Gallery;

to fix charges for entry onto any land, or into any building, owned by, or under the control of the Gallery, being charges that:

are in addition to the charges fixed by the regulations; and

relate to special exhibitions or other special events;

to purchase or take on hire, or to accept as a gift or on deposit or loan, and to dispose of or otherwise deal with, furnishings, equipment and other goods;

to act on behalf of the Commonwealth or of an authority of the Commonwealth in the administration of a trust relating to works of art or related matters.

The Gallery shall not dispose of a work of art in the national collection except in accordance with sections 9, 10 or 11.

Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, but subject to section 36 of this Act and subsection 59(1) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (which deals with investment by corporate Commonwealth entities), any money or other property held by the Gallery upon trust or accepted by the Gallery subject to a condition shall not be dealt with except in accordance with the obligations of the Gallery as trustee of the trust or as the person who has accepted the money or other property subject to the condition, as the case may be.