Today approximately 1,000 paintings, works on paper, sculpture, and decorative arts comprise Sweet Briar's holdings. Special strengths of the Collection include European works on paper from the 13th through the 19th centuries, 20th-century American paintings, and Japanese woodblock prints.

Subsequent acquisitions were supplemented with gifts from many generous donors, including the French artist Fernand Leger, who presented the drawing Les Plongeurs when he visited the campus as a guest lecturer.

Vital to the success of the Art Gallery and its programs and service to the community is the Sweet Briar College's Friends of Art organization. Membership in this organization includes alumnae, students, and others interested in fostering the visual arts at Sweet Briar.

Since its inception, Friends of Art has supported the educational mission of Sweet Briar College through the continuing purchase of superior works of art for the Permanent Collection.

Friends of Art also sponsors visiting lectures, conservation projects, exhibition catalogues, and a biannual newsletter. Their publications present research in individual works of art in the Collection and Art Gallery news.

The college art faculty has worked in collaboration with Friends of Art to select works of merit for the collection. The focus of recent acquisitions has been on collecting works by contemporary women artists.