Griffith residents supporting a call for a new art gallery say there's a perfect place for a purpose-built gallery - and that's next door to the visitors' centre.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
They describe putting a new art gallery on one of the few greenfield spaces in the CBD, next to the visitors' centre as the "opportunity of a lifetime".
They're asking for Griffith City Council to rescind a motion which set Ex-Servicemen's Club former bowling greens aside for a rose garden.
Griffith's Brian Sainty launched calls for a purpose-built art gallery after the 2020 Archibald Prize opened in Griffith this month.
"We've got a beautiful theatre at one end of town, why not have a gallery at the other end?" Robyn Hoare asked.
"People can walk up and down the street and it will bring more life to the town."
Allan Smith said a new gallery would help bring more people to town and support the city's future.
Mr Smith said there were many gardens in Griffith already.
"A new gallery is what we need to expand the city's cultural life," Mr Smith said.
RELATED
A lack of room available for local artists was a constraint on expression, artist Leslie McCullough said.
She said a new gallery would help encourage younger people to express themselves or experiment through art.
"Griffith is a garden city, we're already got lots of gardens in Griffith," she said.
A purpose-built gallery would have multiple exhibition spaces for exhibitions, and Noel Hicks said the current gallery missed out on opportunities afforded other regional centres.
"No philanthropist will donate artwork to the gallery, and (self-managed) superannuation funds won't exhibit art at the gallery," Mr Hicks said.
"People in Griffith have artwork in their homes, and they wouldn't be interested in exhibiting it in the current art gallery."
Eleanor Hancock said the soil composition was ideal for bowling greens with significant costs to make it work for a rose garden, as well as being unlikely to attract any tourists.
Mrs Hancock said putting the gallery next to the visitors centre would create a 'hub' for visitors which could operate seven days as week.
"It's a significant statement that Griffith is progressive and prosperous," she said.
READ MORE
Emeri De Bortoli said people travel to visit exhibitions at art galleries.
"A gallery is for the future of the town, and the people who can contribute to the town," Mrs De Bortoli said.
"The rose garden will be sticks for six months of the year, it would be at its best during mid-spring.
"If they wanted to do something with a garden, why not do something with Memorial Park, IOOF Park or the Community Gardens."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.areanews.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News