Major infrastructure investment to boost Art Gallery of Ballarat’s reputation

A significant project that will enhance the Art Gallery of Ballarat’s ability to attract the best exhibitions and loans from around the world will soon be underway.

The Art Gallery of Ballarat Interior Upgrades project is in its early stages, with the major component to be the installation of a new Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system.

The $5.5 million project, funded by the City of Ballarat, will replace and upgrade the existing HVAC system at the gallery which is at end of life. This will ensure the facility meets required international museum standards to exhibit and store art.

Included in the project is an upgrade to interior walls, enabling artworks to be fixed directly to the wall and allowing more works from the nationally significant collection to be displayed. Refurbishment of both lifts on site will also occur, including accessibility compliance upgrades to the passenger lift.

Funded separately by the State Government’s Regional Collections Access Program, a $536,707 upgrade of the building's skylights to energy efficient LED panels will take place at the same time.

This investment comes on the back of the recent announcement of State Government funding of $388,850 to complete a Master Plan for the Gallery to guide its future development as a key visitor economy attraction for Victoria and one of the preeminent galleries in Australia.

A lead architect has now been appointed to design and coordinate the works, with a further construction tender process expected late in 2024.

The Art Gallery of Ballarat boasts the largest and most significant collection of artworks in regional Australia.

The upgrade is essential to ensure the gallery can continue to attract the best exhibitions from around the world and adequately maintain and protect the collection of over 11,500 artworks owned by the gallery.

A closure will be required for a period of time commencing in the first quarter of 2025. Offsite events and public programming is planned during the upgrade period to ensure Ballarat remains a true arts destination and continues to provide an attractive cultural program for locals and tourists alike.

City of Ballarat Councillor and Art Gallery of Ballarat Board representative Mark Harris said the works were necessary and would ultimately boost the gallery’s reputation in the future.

“The upgraded HVAC system will greatly enhance the gallery’s ability to attract major loans and exhibitions as well as maintain its own collection, with the additional upgrades of the project further enhancing the visitor experience at the Art Gallery of Ballarat,” Cr Harris said.

“Once complete, it will ensure continuity for us to deliver international shows and access significant loans from other major institutions.

“We expect that by the end of the current financial year we will see nearly 140,000 people through the doors of the gallery, a number that will only increase once this project is complete.”

Founded in 1884, the Art Gallery of Ballarat is the oldest and largest regional gallery in Australia. The Gallery is housed in a heritage-listed purpose-built gallery building, opened in 1890 by Alfred Deakin after three years of construction.