The Portland Art Society Inc. hold an art exhibition every year the first weekend in March and have done so since 1976. In 2010 the 34th exhibition was held and an outstanding number of paintings were sold. The exhibition, which is highly rated in NSW allows a great diversification of artists to present and show their work.

A voluntary committee of approximately 14 people organise the exhibition which attracts enormous crowds to our small village. Every year we have record sales and attendance and are possibly the 3rd top selling exhibition in the State attracting artists from all over New South Wales.

The Society has donated two-thirds of the exhibition's profit back into the community for the past 34 years. Due to outstanding sales in recent years, large donations have gone to worthwhile charities, 6 local schools, aged care hostels, Ronald MacDonald House, Children's Far West, SES, VRA, local pool, Bush Fire Brigade, Careflight, Childflight, The Crystal Theatre Restoration Fund and Daffodil House (Cancer support), breast cancer and this year "mental illness"

In 2006 the committee invested in new frames in order to hang more paintings than ever, but still managed to give away $6,500 to a number of local charities.

The Art Society has been fortunate to receive many awards:

• The Lithgow City Council's community Event of the Year,
• Finalist in The Lithgow Business Awards,
• Lithgow Tourism Awards,
• Century of Federation Award,
• Arts Council Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Community,
• Australia Day Awards,
• The Delta Electricity Lithgow and District Art Council Awards for Outstanding Promotion of the Arts 2003 as well as the quarterly winner for this same award, 2004.