Lucy Stranger has been appointed as Curator and Exhibition Coordinator of the Orange Regional Gallery.

Canowindra raised and Sydney educated, Ms Stranger moved back west after spending a year working with a not-for-profit art organisation in the US.

She said her first experience with the Orange gallery was winning an art prize in primary school.

"That was the first time I tapped into the art world. Seeing our work up on the wall was a very positive experience," she said.

Through her work with the artist's collective overseas, Ms Stranger gained insight into how regional galleries are run in the States.

She said it was an exciting time for regional galleries in NSW, with state funding being made available to help develop art and culture precincts.

"There's a lot of support for regional arts across Australia at the moment," she said.

Ms Stranger will work closely with director Brad Hammond and service coordinator Cecilie Knowles to put together a program which will still be accessible during the $4 million upgrade to the gallery.

While construction was scheduled to begin early next year, Ms Stranger's first two projects in the lead up will be Ros Auld: Adventures in Ceramics and Bill Moseley: A Lake, a Forest and the Dark Voice of the Sea.

The display of ceramics works as well as the video and photography exhibition will open at the gallery on December 14.