Archibald Prize, Facing Modernity & Mitchelton Gallery: MPRG Art Tour

Join Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery for an unforgettable cultural journey to Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) to experience two of Australia's most celebrated exhibitions: the 2026 Archibald Prize & Facing Modernity: From Degas to Picasso.

This special day trip offers much more than a gallery visit. Travelling with us is Rye-based artist Vicki Sullivan, who has achieved the remarkable honour of being selected as a finalist in the 2026 Archibald Prize after many years of entering. It is a thrilling moment in Vicki's artistic career, and we are delighted to celebrate this achievement alongside her.

Following the viewing of the Archibald Prize exhibition & adding to the occasion, former MPRG Director Danny Lacy, now Artistic Director of SAM, will join Vicki Sullivan & Jane German (MPRG) for a special in-conversation. Together they will explore Vicki's contemporary portraiture practice, her Archibald journey & her insights into the prestigious prize.

Participants will also be introduced to Facing Modernity: From Degas to Picasso, an exceptional exhibition featuring some of the most influential artists of the modern era.

As if that weren't enough, the day continues with a truly special visit to the Mitchelton Winery in Nagambie. This stop breaks our trip home.

Guests will be welcomed with a glass of wine & a late lunch of shared platters before enjoying a guided visit to the Mitchelton Gallery of Aboriginal Art, home to one of Australia's most significant private collections of First Nations art. Our visit will be hosted by renowned gallerist and collector Adam Knight, offering rare insight into this remarkable collection.

This is an extraordinary opportunity to connect with artists, curators & art professionals while experiencing some of Australia's finest exhibitions and collections, all in the comfort of a fully hosted MPRG day trip.

Ticket Includes

• Return coach travel from MPRG to Shepparton Art Museum and Mitchelton Winery
• Entry to the 2026 Archibald Prize & Facing Modernity: From Degas to Picasso
• Exclusive in-conversation with Archibald finalist Vicki Sullivan, Creative Director Danny Lacy, and Jane German (MPRG)
• Morning tea served on the bus en route (ribbon sandwiches & sweet)
• Glass of wine & shared (late) lunch platters at Mitchelton Winery
• Guided visit to the Mitchelton Gallery of Aboriginal Art with Adam Knight

Itinerary (times are approximate)

7.00am
Depart MPRG

9.30am
Morning coffee stop (20 minutes)

10.00am
Morning tea (ribbon sandwiches & sweet treat) served on bus.

10.30am
Arrive at Shepparton Art Museum (SAM)

10.40am - 11.40am
Viewing of the 2026 Archibald Prize

11.45am - 12.30pm
In-conversation: Vicki Sullivan, Danny Lacy & Jane German, including introduction of Facing Modernity: From Degas to Picasso by Danny Lacy.

12.40pm - 1.40pm
Viewing of Facing Modernity: From Degas to Picasso.

1.45pm
Depart SAM for Mitchelton Winery

2.30pm (approx.) - 3.45pm
Late lunch, glass of wine & visit to the Mitchelton Gallery of Aboriginal Art with Adam Knight

6.00pm (approx.)
Return to MPRG

Accessibility & Travel Information
This is a full-day bus trip with a capacity of 24 guests. Participants should be comfortable spending extended periods on a bus & walking through gallery spaces. Please advise MPRG of any accessibility requirements when booking. Note also that we are having a late lunch at approx. 2.30pm. You are welcome to take an additional sit-down snack break during the hour allocated to the Facing Modernity, which will be from approx. 12.40 - 1.40pm.

Artist Bio – Vicki Sullivan
Vicki Sullivan is an Award winning Australian Contemporary Realist painter based on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria. An Art Renewal Centre (ARC) Living Master, her oil paintings are celebrated for their emotional depth and technical mastery. Vicki’s work is held in collections worldwide, including the Collection of the Art Renewal Centre and the permanent collection of the State Library of New South Wales, and several Universities. Vicki is an Archibald prize finalist & has exhibited internationally at venues such as the European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM) in Barcelona and Sotheby’s in New York. Trained at the Angel Academy of Art in Florence, her practice blends Renaissance tradition with modern sensibility.

Adam Knight is a specialist in Indigenous Australian art, with more than three decades of experience as a curator, gallerist, consultant and advocate for Aboriginal artists. As Director of the Mitchelton Gallery of Aboriginal Art, which he established with Gerry Ryan OAM, Knight has helped create one of Victoria's most significant destinations for First Nations art, showcasing works from leading artists and art centres from across Australia.

Image credit: Photographer Claire Armstrong

When

Location

Meet at MPRG for return travel to Shepparton by 24 seater mini bus

MPRG, Civic Reserve, Dunns Rd, Mornington, 3199, View Map