TWO exhibitions at the National Gallery contributed $33 million to the Canberra economy in 2022, according to a new report.

Conducted by Neilsen Sport, the report on the economic and community impact of exhibitions “Jeffrey Smart” and the 4th National Indigenous Art Triennial, “Ceremony”, delivered a combined $33 million to the Canberra economy, with the biggest impact coming from overnight visitors, who spent more than 184,000 nights in the capital, averaging 2.3 nights per head.

Two thirds of the 170,000 visitors travelled from interstate, including 80 per cent who said they visited specifically to see the exhibitions. Ninety-six per cent of visitors reported “loving” the exhibitions and 88.5 per cent of interstate guests wanted to come back to see more of Canberra.

Ninety per cent of Canberrans gave the exhibitions the thumbs-up, agreeing that they had created “a real buzz in the capital”.