A new National Centre for Photography is to be established in Ballarat with the aim of attracting visitors, supporting jobs and strengthening the city’s standing as a leading cultural hub.
The new Centre is to be funded in next week’s Budget and will sit proudly alongside the Ballarat Art Gallery and Post Office Gallery in what is becoming an iconic arts precinct for the city.
Announced by the Minister for Tourism, Martin Pakula the National Centre for Photography will be designed to become Australia’s leading photographic destination, bringing to life the vision of the Ballarat International Foto Biennale, which has championed the creation of the Centre since purchasing the 1860s heritage-listed Union Bank building nearby.
According to Mr Pakula the new Centre will feature state-of-the-art gallery spaces for major temporary exhibitions, opportunities for community artists to exhibit and a dedicated photobook library.
He said that in line with Ballarat’s Creative City Strategy, the Centre will be multi-functional and allow for educational workshop spaces and an artist-in-residence program.
“It will attract local, domestic and international artists and visitors through innovative year-round programming and international networking and collaboration based on the hugely successful Ballarat International Foto Biennale event,” Mr Pakula said.
“The Ballarat International Foto Biennale is one of Victoria’s iconic regional events and the National Centre for Photography will allow it to contribute to Ballarat’s economy and jobs strength year-round,” he said.
“We want Victorians to get out and enjoy our state by taking their holidays in regional Victoria – that’s why we’re backing landmark regional institutions like this.”
