A BLANK canvas will soon be filled with bold and bright concepts, imaginations and dreams, when Swan Hill Council holds focus group sessions on a new art gallery building.
Director of community and cultural services Bruce Myers said he was delighted to start developing concepts for the Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery redevelopment and was looking forward to getting ideas from the community.
“Members of the community are invited to provide feedback on building design ideas, prior to initial building concept designs being prepared,” Mr Myers said.
“We’ll be holding three focus sessions, scheduled at a variety of times to ensure that we are able to capture everyone interested in this exciting new building.”
Art gallery director Ian Tully recently spoke to The Guardian about progressing the redevelopment after Swan Hill Council received approval from funding partners for two new single-storey buildings – the gallery project and the Swan Hill tourism and cultural hub at Pioneer Settlement.
Mr Tully said a dedicated education space was “critically” required on top of storage and exhibition space.
“We need to have the appropriate space and space built to appropriate standards, so that we can put our hands up for whatever exhibition may be available,” he said.
“An exhibition that comes to mind is the Archibald Prize. It’s very competitive to secure, but we don’t have a big enough space to put such an exhibition to even consider it.”
The redevelopment plans follow the demise of the controversial all-in-one $10.9 million Our Place project within the Pioneer Settlement grounds, which was dumped last year after the Pioneer Settlement was heritage-listed.
The Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery was established in 1966. It opened in its current building, designed by Australian architect Ian Douglas, in 1987.
Mr Tully said the exhibition space was also inadequate for what’s expected of a recognised museum or gallery.
“Which we are – and to maintain that accreditation, it’s crucial we are able to house visiting collections and display as well,” he said.
The gallery is a member of the Public Galleries Association of Victoria.
“With the permanent collection, we might not always be able to display because a touring exhibition, for example, may require the entire gallery footprint,” Mr Tully said.
“We are compromised with what we can display and we want to be able to share the permanent collection as it grows and have that on a rotating display so when people come from Melbourne to see our collection, they aren’t disappointed and can enjoy that space.
“We need the extra space because we have a growing program and got more participatory programs that we are running.”
Mr Myers encouraged all interested members of the community to get involved.
“I encourage residents to get involved and help to shape the future of this great facility,” he said.
Bookings are essential, as focus group session places are limited.
All sessions will be held at the William Garden Room at Swan Hill Club.
Alternatively, Mr Myers said community members could submit their ideas online, through council’s Let’s Talk page at letstalk.swanhill.vic.gov.au
To book into a focus session, or for more information, visit letstalk.swanhill.vic.gov.au, or call 5036 2333.
Focus group sessions
Session 1: Thursday, February 2, 2pm-3.30pm
Session 2: Thursday, February 2, 6pm-7.30pm
Session 3: Saturday, February 4, 11am-12.30am
