Yvette Coppersmith’s ‘Self-portrait after George Lambert’ was the 2018 Archibald Prize winner, and is on tour with 56 other entries of the prestigious competition from the Art Gallery of NSW.

Orange Regional Gallery director Bradley Hammond said the Archibald exhibition draws a big crowd because people are interested in people and they’re interested in celebrities. 

He said there are a lot of self-portraits in the 2018 prize and even those which aren’t strictly self-portraits reveal a lot about the artist.

“A portrait is always a portrait of the artist even when it’s of someone else. The way the subject is portrayed says a lot about the artist and the way they see people,” he said.

Mr Hammond said he expects the show to create a buzz at the gallery and if past tours are anything to go by, attract visitors who might not frequent art exhibitions.

Orange mayor Reg Kidd said the “prestigious and controversial” competition is one of the few times every year when art makes the front page of national newspapers.

“It’s tremendous that this high-profile show is coming to Orange,” he said.

The regional tour returns for the first time since 2012, having done the rounds at Bathurst, Cowra and Dubbo galleries more recently.

Friday night’s official opening will feature a question and answer style conversation with former ABC TV newsreader Richard Morecroft and Ms Coppersmith – the 2018 winner and five time finalist.

The official opening is at 6.30pm on Friday and will also include the gallery’s first Young Archie Central West Portrait exhibition, with children’s activities from 5.30pm.