Artworks from national collection will grace walls of Tamworth Gallery

Six artworks in total will be loaned to Tamworth Regional Gallery from the National Gallery of Australia's collection, as part of the Sharing the National Collection program set up by the Albanese government.

The first four pieces will arrive in November and the last two will come at a later date.

Tamworth Regional Gallery Director Bridget Guthrie said it's an exciting time for the gallery and local arts scene.

"It is very much about access to arts in a regional area," Ms Guthrie said.

"Arts add to liveability, because people want to move and live here. If you have access to the arts, like exhibition openings, subscription theatre, a library that is accessible, or public art that is on the trail on your morning walk, people will want to move here.

"People who are thinking of investing and moving here want to live in an environment that is available for them."

Ms Guthrie said they looked for works that had a strong connection to the region and highlighted its history.

The other three pieces that are coming from the National Gallery are by Sydney-based artist Grace Cossington-Smith.

The pieces will be on loan to Tamworth for two years and both artists will be displayed among works from the Tamworth Regional Gallery archive.

Federal Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said the display will celebrate two important Australian artists.

"At any one point in time, 98 per cent the National Gallery of Australia's collection is in storage. We're changing that with Sharing the National Collection," he said.

"This is all about getting artworks out of storage in dark rooms in Canberra and lit up on the walls of galleries across the country."

One of Grace Crowley's early works, Harrowing, was painted in Barraba in the 1920s.

"She grew up in Barraba, before she went to art school and overseas, and was part of the whole movement around Paris, before she came back," Ms Guthrie said.

"But her early beginnings were around Barraba."

Both artists were selected for the exhibition to highlight "strong female voices in that time period".

"We wanted to identify Grace Crowley and Grace Cossington-Smith as part of that process, we think they're early Australian female painters that have that connection to our region, but they will also be an attraction for people to come and visit our region," Ms Guthrie said.

Mr Burke said one of the great things about sharing the National Collection is reconnecting artists and artworks with significant places in Australia.

"Having Grace Crowley's work back in the Tamworth region is the perfect example of what we can achieve with this," he said.

"I can't wait to see both of these artists' works in their new home."

It's hoped that bringing these paintings to the North West region will also provide the opportunity to attract more visitors through cultural tourism.

"When we talk about the wider community, the arts have a very strong contribution to the economy," Ms Guthrie said.

"Cultural tourism is very much a big part of the local economy."

Tamworth Regional Council is currently revamping its cultural plan for the next five years, and Ms Guthrie said this loan will highlight the importance of the regional arts scene.

"It's about inspiring our local artists; it's about cultural tourism; and it's about our whole arts ecosystem," she said.