Art Gallery of Ballarat’s new Backspace Gallery provides enhanced exhibition opportunities for regional artists

The Art Gallery of Ballarat will open a new dedicated Backspace Gallery at 43 Mair Street on the corner of Camp Street, to the rear of the gallery building.  

Backspace is an important program that provides a valuable pathway for early-career local artists in Ballarat and surrounding areas. Art Gallery of Ballarat staff work closely with artists to mentor and support their professional practice.  

The enlarged Backspace Gallery will open on 15 March 2025 ensuring the program will continue while the Art Gallery of Ballarat is closed throughout 2025 for interior upgrades. Backspace Gallery will remain at 43 Mair Street permanently, giving early-career artists a dedicated location to show their works.  

Committing to a new location was supported by community engagement and a survey that assessed past exhibiting artists’ satisfaction with the Backspace program. The results were overwhelmingly positive, with 100 per cent of respondents saying that they felt supported during their exhibition experience. Additionally, the exhibiting artists surveyed said that the program had helped them to gain further exposure, develop their practice, achieve new commissions and build confidence.  

Art Gallery of Ballarat Director, Louise Tegart, said the permanent location provided more space and a vibrant street frontage that would attract new audiences.  

“A permanent location for our Backspace Gallery allows us to give early-career local artists an enhanced gallery exhibition experience. We are also pleased that this space will be the dedicated home of Backspace artists when the Art Gallery of Ballarat re-opens in 2026,” she said.

“This program has been invaluable to artists located in Ballarat and the surrounding region and is an important part of the Art Gallery of Ballarat’s remit. With a permanent location, we look forward strengthening each artist’s visibility while also delivering a strong professional development experience.”

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves said that Ballarat has a thriving arts culture and initiatives delivered by the Art Gallery of Ballarat helped artists build careers, in turn enhancing employment prospects.  

“The City of Ballarat is home to so many creative people,” she said.

“We are pleased to see the Art Gallery of Ballarat working to provide practical and professional outcomes for artists who are an integral part of Ballarat’s creative fabric.”

The first exhibition in the new Backspace Gallery will be Next Gen 2025, opening 15 March 2025.

Backspace Gallery is located at 43 Mair Street, Ballarat and will be open 7 days 10am-5pm (except during exhibition change over periods). For more information about upcoming exhibitions, visit artgalleryofballarat.com.au.