Perhaps one of the most recognised artists from the area is William Dobell, whose house on the Lake Macquarie waterfront at Wangi Wangi is now a museum and gallery dedicated to his life's work. Born in Newcastle in 1899, Dobell was best known for his portraits which used an expressive style to create vivid, characterful portrayals, which nonetheless saw him win the prestigious Archibald Prize for portraiture on three occasions.

The Newcastle Art Gallery curates the second-largest collection of art in NSW, with over 6,100 works including those by Dobell, Brett Whitely and Emily Kame Kngwarreye. The Lake Macquarie Museum of Art and Culture (MAC - pictured above) has recently undergone a $2.5 million renovation and showcases works from national and emerging contemporary artists at its stunning loaction on the shore of the lake.

Regional galleries as well as cultural and art spaces can be found in almost every town in the Hunter, including Maitland, Muswellbrook, Cessnock, Dungog, Morpeth, Wollombi, Murrurundi and Pokolbin.