About Us

The Contemporary Art Gallery (GSW) in Opole is a non-profit, cultural institution of the local self-government. Our main goal is the presentation and propagation of contemporary art, as well as facilitating multifarious personal growth within our community. We realise these goals through art exhibitions, publications, and art education.

The GSW has organized over 3,000 exhibits over the years.

The Gallery presents exhibits of local artists from Opole-both well-established and young ones-and also puts up national exhibits. In the GSW halls one had a chance to admire works by such famous artists as: Łukasz Korolkiewicz, Władysław Hasior, Mieczysław Wajman, Antoni Fałat, Janina Kraupe-Świderska, Zofia Artymowska, Roman Artymowski, Edward Dwurnik, Jerzy Duda-Gracz, Andrzej Pągowski, Teresa Pągowska, Zbysław Maciejewski, Zbigniew Makowski, Jan Berdyszak, Zdzisław Beksiński, Andrzej Strumiłło, Leszek Mądzik, Zbigniew Dłubak, Zofia Rydet, Józef Szajna, Jerzy Grotowski, and many others.

The Gallery also presents international exhibits, such as the World Press Photo (annually since 2001), shows for the National Geographic, the International Print Triennial. We have displayed prints by such famous artist as Salvador Dali or Marc Chagall. In 2003, we initiated a cycle of exhibits titled "Art Without Borders", through which we systematically, a few times a year, organize exhibits of Opolean artists abroad and foreign artists in Opole (we work with artists from the Netherlands, Germany, France, England, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic).

We also put up exhibits outside our home base, for example cyclical shows at Opolean branches of the National Bank of Poland or Deutsche Bank. In 2006, we organized the so-called Open Air Gallery-outdoor shows displayed during summer months in the Opole Rynek (the Gallery also designs and produces open air exhibits).

We issue a wide variety of publications-we publish books, exhibit catalogues, brochures, informational materials, posters.

Art education is one of our most important goals. We organize activities for preschool children, open clubs, activities during summer vacations and winter breaks. Our staple forms of educational outreach include workshops for children and young people run by artists. We also organize lectures, developmental classes, and meetings with artists designed for young people and adults. 

Each year, a number of competitions for children and young people take place, and catalogues and calendars with children's artwork are being published.

Our rich collection includes visual arts pieces and a growing library of books, albums, and periodicals devoted to traditional and contemporary art.

About 20,000 visitors stop by the Opole Contemporary Art Gallery each year.

The GSW, as the legal successor of the Artistic Exhibition Bureau,  celebrated its 50th  anniversary in October 2008.