Further Information
Dr Harold Schenberg once described himself as being ‘addicted’ to collecting art, and said he bought for love, never for investment purposes.
As well as being an avid art collector, he was also an extremely passionate art benefactor.
Dr Schenberg viewed the pieces in his collection as ‘fun friends’, and he wanted to share that pleasure with other people.
In addition to donating his treasured art works, he also made significant monetary contributions to benefit the Arts sector in Western Australia.
Generous donor
The Art Gallery of Western Australia (AGWA) and the University of Western Australia (UWA) are two of the main beneficiaries of Dr Schenberg’s generosity.
He was the first Patron of AGWA, and a gallery within the Perth Cultural Centre venue is named in his honour.
His significant contribution to The University of Western Australia led to the establishment of the Dr Harold Schenberg Arts Centre, and two annual fellowships in the fields of Art and Composition (Music).
The Dr Harold Schenberg Arts Centre now houses the:
When asked what motivated him to donate to UWA, Dr Schenberg said the University is where he had his beginnings: “It’s like giving back to where it came from.”
Lasting impact
In June 2000, Ms Diana Warnock (then Member for Perth), paid tribute to Dr Schenberg in an address to State Parliament.
His generous donations to the public collections at our major state gallery and our oldest university will enhance the lives of Western Australians who love art for generations to come.
University information
CRICOS Code: 00126G
