Local Australian designers are set to benefit from a newly-announced Victorian Government investment to fund the construction of Australia’s largest gallery of contemporary art and design, NGV Contemporary.
The purpose-built gallery will be designed and built by an Australian team and will be dedicated to showcasing contemporary art, design, fashion and architecture of local, national and international significance.
Spanning 30,000sqm, the gallery will be the largest of its kind in Australia and will provide local practitioners with an unparalleled platform, showcasing the talent of Australia’s creative industries to a global audience.
NGV president, council of trustees Janet Whiting AM said that the organisation was thrilled to welcome the new investment.
"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," she said.
NGV Contemporary will significantly enhance NGV’s capacity to display contemporary art and design from the NGV Collection.
The larger gallery spaces will also meet the demands of an ambitious exhibition program 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.
"NGV Contemporary will form an intrinsic part of Melbourne’s creative and cultural identity," NGV director Tony Ellwood AM added.
"[It will be] 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," he said.
NGV Contemporary will be located at 77 Southbank Boulevard.
A bird's eye view of the Melbourne Arts Precinct from Southbank Boulevard facing north (artist impression).