New $10.5m Albury art gallery concept revealed

Plans designed by Brewster Hjorth Architects were released last week for a $10.5 million redevelopment of the Albury art gallery, in Victoria.

The local council ambitions are for the proposed venue to host international and national exhibitions on a regular basis and for more than 200 works valued at $5 million and owned by Albury Council will go on permanent display with the upgrade.

The Border Mail newspaper reports that visitor numbers to the new gallery are predicted to jump from 35,000 to 80,000 per year.

The Sydney-based architect’s designs include a restaurant-cafe to be built at the rear of the gallery, half outdoors, fronting a public square. An area dedicated to young local artists will also be created and retail spaces added.

The council’s cultural director James Jenkins told the local media that the new art gallery would be a “must-see” national attraction.

“Australia’s must visit cultural destination might sound like a high aim, but that is certainly where we are setting the bar,” he said.

The council has lodged a development application for the upgrade and is seeking funding of $3.5 million from the federal and state governments, although the council has not ruled out taking out further loans to allow the project to take place.

Images: The Border Mail