The Benalla Art Gallery is set to undergo significant upgrades and enhancements.

Funded by Victorian and Australian government grants from the Regional Cultural Infrastructure Program and the Growing Regions Program, the project will deliver state-of-the-art facilities while preserving the heritage-listed Munro and Sargeant building.

Work is scheduled to begin in mid-2025, with the gallery expected to temporarily close from mid-2025 to mid-2026 to allow for construction.

Rural City of Benalla Mayor Bernie Hearn said the redevelopment represented a significant enhancement to Benalla and the gallery.

“The Benalla Art Gallery is one of our most treasured cultural assets, drawing tens of thousands of visitors every year,” Cr Hearn said.

“This redevelopment will not only enhance its capacity to host national exhibitions but also support our local economy and community.”

The project will occur in two stages, which will be delivered in parallel:

Stage 1A, funded by the state government Regional Cultural Infrastructure Program, includes the construction of modern art storage facilities, upgrades to staff areas, relocation and improvements to the café, and enhancements to the gallery lobby and display areas.

Stage 1B, supported by the Federal Government Growing Regions Program, will focus on modernising climate control systems, renovating existing gallery spaces and integrating environmentally sustainable design features.

Key upgrades include the separation of the restaurant and gallery, and upgrade of climate control systems to meet Triple A sector standards.

“This redevelopment not only respects the gallery’s heritage but allows us to deliver an improved experience to visitors and expand our capacity to host national and international exhibitions,” Benalla Art Gallery director Eric Nash said.

“It’s a milestone achievement, underpinned by a rigorous feasibility study and business case completed in 2020.

“This critical project will address major issues that could be expected of a building of this age, and enable the gallery to achieve its stated mission to ‘deliver transformational social, cultural and economic benefit’ for our community.”

Council has engaged extensively with key stakeholders during the project’s planning phase to ensure the designs meet heritage requirements and community needs.

This redevelopment has been made possible thanks to $3 million funding for Stage 1A through the the Victorian Government’s Regional Cultural Infrastructure Program (Creative Victoria, Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry, and Regions).

Along with $2,965,000 for Stage 1B through the Growing Regions Program by the Australian Government (Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts), with both stages managed by Regional Development Victoria.

Council said it understood the inconvenience these works may cause and appreciated the community’s patience while these much-needed improvements were delivered.

For more information about the Benalla Art Gallery redevelopment and to view the design plans, visit benalla.vic.gov.au/council/current-projects

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