Gallery construction workers began the first major concrete pour for the new fit-for-purpose art gallery being built in the town centre of Collie, Western Australia, today.
The concrete pour formed the pad for the gallery’s storage and handling area, which will be used to house the town of Collie’s artwork collection and take delivery of travelling exhibitions from around the country.
The gallery will be the first purpose-built gallery in Western Australia since the State Art Gallery was constructed in Perth in the 1970s.
When it is complete, it will provide great benefits to the Collie district through education, inspiration, participation and access to artistic and cultural processes.
The Collie Art Gallery is being built as part of the Shire of Collie’s SuperTowns program and has been made possible with funding from the Shire of Collie, Royalty for Regions, Lotterywest and the Collie & Districts Community Bank Branch of the Bendigo Bank.
The design includes 150 square metres of gallery space, a 50-square-metre studio and adequate storage and working space, which will allow it to host exhibitions of national and international significance.
Construction is expected to be complete early in 2015.