The Victorian Government has announced their commitment to fund the construction of Australia’s largest gallery of contemporary art and design, NGV Contemporary.
The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne is the oldest public art institution in Australia with one of the most significant collections of art and design in the region. After NGV International on St Kilda Road and The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square, NGV Contemporary at 77 Southbank Boulevard will be the third gallery site for NGV.
To be designed and built by an Australian architectural team, NGV Contemporary will showcase contemporary art, design, fashion and architecture of local, national and international significance from its purpose-built gallery in the heart of the reimagined Melbourne Arts Precinct. Spread across an area of more than 30,000 square metres, the gallery will provide a powerful platform for local artists and practitioners to showcase their talent to a global audience.
NGV Contemporary will build on the growing public interest in contemporary art and design to reinforce Melbourne’s reputation as a thriving cultural destination in the region.
Planned as the largest gallery of contemporary art and design in Australia, NGV Contemporary will dramatically enhance NGV’s capacity to display works from the NGV Collection and support the demands of an ambitious exhibition calendar including the recurring NGV Triennial series, major ticketed blockbuster exhibitions, major solo exhibitions of the world’s leading contemporary artists and designers, large-scale fashion exhibitions, the NGV architecture commission series, and large-scale contemporary art and design commissions.
Janet Whiting AM, president, Council of Trustees, NGV, said: “I’d like to acknowledge the incredible vision and leadership demonstrated by the Victorian Government through this commitment to build NGV Contemporary. This state-of-the-art gallery will be a major attraction for millions of visitors from across Victoria, Australia and the world. NGV Contemporary and the surrounding Melbourne Arts Precinct will be an important beacon for tourism akin to New York’s Highline.”
Tony Ellwood AM, director, National Gallery of Victoria, said: “On behalf of the people of Victoria, I’d like to thank the Victorian Government for their extraordinary commitment to creating this vital cultural asset for Victoria. NGV Contemporary will form an intrinsic part of Melbourne’s creative and cultural identity, a universal civic space where visitors can gather, socialise, learn and interpret our world through a year-round presentation of exhibitions and programs that reflect contemporary life and culture. NGV Contemporary will be a dynamic cultural hub that all Victorians will be proud to call their own and present an unrivalled opportunity to showcase Australian and international art, design and architectural practice to the world.”
Photo: The Honourable Daniel Andrews Premier of Victoria, Minister of Creative Industries Danny Pearson MP, NGV Director Tony Ellwood AM and Janet Whiting AM, President, Council of Trustees, NGV announcing funding for NGV Contemporary. Photo: Eugene Hyland.
