Philip Bacon

Philip John Bacon (born 4 February 1947) is an Australian art dealer, philanthropist and mentor to young artists. In 2019, he was inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame in recognition of his status as Australia's leading art dealer and his outstanding contributions to philanthropy.

Career After a short career in finance, which his father encouraged, Bacon became a gallery assistant at the Grand Central Gallery in Brisbane in the late 1960s under the tutelage of its owner Keith Moore.

Moore’s philosophy was to conduct the gallery operations as a trading business, adhering to the strict principles that govern successful businesses. Coupled with this was an enthusiastic commitment to hard work and customer service. Working with Moore was a career development experience for Bacon, which deeply impressed him and shaped his own business practices. Bacon also began collecting by placing selected works on lay-by until he could afford to pay them off. This was followed by him being awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001, while he was promoted to Officer of the Order of Australia for "distinguished service to the arts, to social and cultural organisations, and through support for young artists" in the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours.

Art dealing is an unregulated business in Australia. Still based in Brisbane, people come to the Philip Bacon Gallery because they trust Bacon, making him one of Australia's most respected art dealers.