Everything visitors need to know about the Sydney Royal Easter Show starting this week.<\/p>\n
“Showgoers come for the nostalgia \u2014 the food, the show bags, the traditions, and then they find themselves spending real time in the arts and crafts pavilion, which is consistently among the most visited areas of the show,” he says.<\/p>\n
“It’s where they discover original Australian work they can actually afford. There’s no intimidation or pressure.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“It’s relaxed, welcoming and democratic, and people often arrive without any intention of buying art and leave having found something that genuinely resonates with them.”<\/p>\n
The price of artworks sold at the show varies from $100 to $30,000. More than $350,000 worth were sold last year.<\/p>\n
“A painting re-imagining famous Australian figures like Paul Hogan, Dame Edna and more in a dinner scene surprised us when it sold for $12,000,” Dorahy says.<\/p>\n
Creating new collectors<\/p>\n
With the cost-of-living crisis affecting our hip pockets, indulging in art collecting may seem like a fantasy, but first-time buyers tend to begin by purchasing one affordable artwork and build their collections from there.<\/p>\n
“First-time buyers [at the show] regularly tell us this is the first artwork they’ve ever purchased,” Dorahy says. “And many artists say it’s the broadest and most diverse audience they’ve ever reached.”<\/p>\n
One long-term exhibitor is regional NSW artist Sonja Bowden, who produces hyper-realist pencil drawings of horses. She has been exhibiting her work at the show for more than 20 years and is a former winner of the drawing category in the arts and crafts competition.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/14ad8097b6e857a2ef40956ff1d33519.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Sonja Bowden, an illustrator based in the Southern Highlands town of Bundanoon, loves horses. (Supplied: Royal Agricultural Society of NSW)<\/p>\n
“She delivers them herself in a custom horse-float trailer, wearing jeans and a cowboy hat \u2014 and her work consistently resonates with show audiences,” Dorahy says.<\/p>\n
Bowden continues to sell works that vary from miniature pieces to large drawings all thanks to being noticed at the show.<\/p>\n
“The show offers an opportunity to experience an incredible range of Australian-made, original work all in one place,” she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“It helps demystify art collecting and makes it feel welcoming and accessible, while still celebrating quality, skill, and craftsmanship.”Learning artists’ back stories<\/p>\n
An artist who has been exhibiting at the show for several years is Michelle Carr.<\/p>\n
![\"Michelle](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/6adb4ff61dff54aa9b4f731fb6dfaea5.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Last year, Michelle Carr was a finalist in the Bowral Sculpture Prize, worth $5,000. (Supplied: Royal Agricultural Society of NSW)<\/p>\n
The war widow turned to pottery-making after losing her husband Matthew at the age of 38 in 2015.<\/p>\n
Her new art practice gives her space to reflect on her grief as she creates circular vessels of hope and clarity. She’s fast becoming one to collect for her poignant pieces. This year, she’s exhibiting a selection of marbled slip-cast porcelain works, including a genie bottle, an atmospheric fired vessel and a series of smaller sculptural pieces.<\/p>\n
“Each year my kids help me choose which pieces to enter [in the show], and it’s turned into a lovely family tradition that we all genuinely enjoy,” she says.<\/p>\n
The show is a forum for curious art collectors to stop and see what artists are up to and hear their stories.<\/p>\n
![\"Three](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/7dc84aff1c5c1c00d2306dc91f44782e.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Last year, Michelle Carr was highly commended in both the atmospheric firing and miniature sculpture categories at the show. (Supplied: Greg Piper)<\/p>\n
“Traditional galleries may feel intimidating or out of reach but the show removes those barriers,” Dorahy says. “You can meet the maker, understand the process, and support Australian creativity in a more casual space.”<\/p>\n
‘Admired and discovered’<\/p>\n
More than 850,000 people visit the Sydney Royal Easter Show each April. In September last year, more than 400,000 attended the Melbourne Royal Show, with many drawn to the Spotlight Makers Pavilion, where more than 4,000 works were exhibited, by artists ranging from school-age to established.<\/p>\n