J.A.V. Nisbitt, Proposed public library and cultural centre, 1939 Lismore Regional Gallery collection

WEATHERING CHANGE?Weathering:Inertia, Politics, Funding Shifts & Madness

Left: Hal Missingham, Director, Art Gallery of NSW opening LRG, 1954; Right: LRG, 1987

Northern Star, 1902

Left: Northern Star, 1970; Right: Northern Star, 1976

Four (sad) Gallery Directors and Northern Star articles

1989 - 2013

Background to Gallery redevelopmentPlanning for the development of a Regional Gallery within a cultural precinct on the former Lismore High School site has been ongoing since the site was purchased by Council in 1999.

Plans have included:1. An initial business feasibility study (2001);2. Master Plan for the Lismore Cultural Precinct (2004);3. Lismore Cultural Precinct Concept Master Plan – Land Use Plan (2005);4. Lismore Cultural Precinct Business Plan – Ideas and Recommendations (2006);5. The Margaret Olley Arts Centre Briefing Paper (2007);6. The Margaret Olley Arts Centre (Architect’s) Sketch Plan (2009), and Architectural

Plans (2010);7. Lismore Quadrangle Briefing Paper (including the re use of C Block) 2013;‐ ‐8. C Block Building Inspection Report (2014).‐

Discussion Paper, 2006

Discussion Paper, 2006

Margaret Olley Arts Centre, Phil McMaster + Riddel Architecture, 2007

Margaret Olley Arts Centre, Phil McMaster + Riddel Architecture, 2008

Margaret Olley Arts Centre, Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects, 2010

Margaret Olley Arts Centre, Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects, 2010

Northern Star, 2011

“Mr Adlington believes now is the time for the community to go back to the drawing board and ‘re-imagine’ the type of gallery they want and hopes people will be galvanised into action.”

''There were some dark moments, I kept telling myself, 'It doesn't matter. We're still running a great museum. Visitor numbers are going up. We're putting on some great shows.'''I have never been someone who believes you have to get bigger to succeed. A good museum is judged on its programs, not its buildings.'‘ Elizabeth Ann Macgregor, 2012‘Shock of the new’, Sydney Morning Herald, March 24, 2012

Tom Borgas, Post Digital Ruins, Splendour in the Grass, 2015

Roland Harvey exhibition, and Peggy Popart, 2012

Not Quite Square: the story of Northern Rivers architecture, 2013

National Stronger Regions Fund application (Business Case), 2015

National Stronger Regions Fund application (Business Case), 2015

National Stronger Regions Fund application (Business Case), 2015

Economic Research Report, 2015

Lismore Prospectus, Lismore City Council, 2015

Lismore Quadrangle

Charles MeereBrickworks at Bexhill, Lismore 1958

Art Gallery NSW Collection

VISION

Dallas Museum of ArtCentre for Creative Connections Workshop program

Newcastle Art Gallery Permanent collection tours

Walker Arts CenterOpen Field Program

The Lismore Quadrangle will be the Northern Rivers premier cultural space, and will include the Northern Rivers Conservatorium, Lismore Library and a redeveloped C-Block. The central ‘Piazza’ will be a major gathering site for Lismore, seeing a range of activities take place. C-Block will contain:1. Lismore Regional Gallery2. Arts Northern Rivers3. Café/Bookshop

ABOUT

Increased visitation to Lismore Regional Gallery is conservatively estimated to increase to 55,000 annually, and will have a significant impact on the Lismore CBD. A commissioned Economic Research Report identified the following:

• The economic impact on the local economy would grow from $2.2m to $4m annually

• Construction would lead to $13.47m added to Australia’s Output

ECONOMIC IMPACT

Economic figures based on current visitation patterns. This breakdown changes markedly with ability to present major exhibitions, which this facility will allow.

As witnessed by the recent 2014 Archibald Prize, ‘Local Day Trippers’ dropped to 27%.

JOB CREATION

• Construction impact is estimated to be an additional 61 jobs.• Increased annual visitation would result in estimated impact of 33.9 FTE jobs

annually.• The new C Block facility will directly employ 1.8 new staff and 4.2 FTE relocating to ‐

the Lismore LGA. This equates to an estimated increase of 8 additional jobs located in Lismore City and 4 jobs located outside the Lismore City – a total of 12 FTE jobs.• Combined, this equals the creation of 26.9 FTE new positions.

ADDRESSING DISADVANTAGE

• 100% of building is physically accessible• 100% increase in exhibition projects for Aboriginal Artists and Artists with a Disability• Ability to use facility as a space to develop new work/hold workshops• 100% growth in providing opportunities for volunteers – boost job readiness• Stronger capacity to collaborate with Arts Northern Rivers/Youth Connections/R.E.D.

Inc. to deliver a range of new initiatives

Council has been through an Architect EOI process. Dominic Finlay Jones Architects were awarded the job, which was endorsed by Council in June 2015.

The plan allows for:• 230% increase in exhibition space• AAA rated Climate Controlled exhibition space• Provision of dedicated Permanent Collection display (The Vicky Fayle Gallery)• Event and workshop space and Artist in Residence Studio

ARCHITECT PLANS

Sale of existing building by Council (TBC) $250,000Public Donations received to date (Received) $158,700Extra Pledges (Unconfirmed) $40,000Arts NSW Capital Grant (Received) $110,000NSW Club Grant (Unconfirmed) $300,000s94 Contributions $230,000Private Trust Donation (Confirmed) $500,000 Borrowings by Council (Confirmed) $1,361,300National Stronger Regions Fund $2,850,000TOTAL $5,800,000

PROJECT BUDGET