GALLERY DELAY
FIND OUT WHEN IT OPENS
THE opening of the HOTA art gallery will be delayed for two months as builders fix defects and finish off work, sparking concerns about rising costs in the Gold Coast’s cultural precinct.
A report to council reveals the gallery’s opening will occur in May, and not the original timeline of March.
Outstanding works include the pavements and landscaping on the groundfloor entrance, canopy cladding, final interior finishings and fixing floors.
The Bulletin understands HOTA is creating division among councillors with some strongly supportive of the tourism potential of the gallery while others want answers to the ongoing operational costs.
The council report to be considered at a committee meeting on Tuesday said the contractor expected the food and beverage areas of the gallery to be completed by February 20.
Council has been unable to source an operator for the ground-floor cafe and levelfive roof-top area leading to ratepayers funding the fit-out.
A council source told the Bulletin: “The concern of some councillors is the ongoing costs. They have been trying to ascertain any planning on how much it is going to cost (into the future) and where that money is coming from.
“Councillors have been told that COVID has changed everything. It is pretty clear what the establishment costs are. But if it is running at a loss, where is that money going to come from?”
But another council source said some councillors believed the gallery, which
would exclusively host the Contemporary Masters from New York later this year, should attract high-spending interstate tourists.
“The unique circumstances right now with domestic tourists being the only source, it positions the Gold Coast at great advantage to see the HOTA gallery open with blockbuster exhibitions,” the source said.
HOTA has $6.6m in council-funded capital works, including
$1.7 million provided by the 2019-20 budget.
The capital budget approved for 2020-21 is $4.4 million plus $499,400 for the food and beverage fit out.
A breakdown in the financial reporting shows that, under “reprovisions”, more than $1.7 million has been spent to replace theatrical lighting, review finance systems, obtain a food truck, buy gallery furniture and improve the scenery around the lakes.
In its biannual report for January to June 2020, HOTA said its financial “modelling and scenario testing” predicted revenue would be reduced by up to $5 million due to COVID.
HOTA was the first operator in Queensland to resume performing arts programming, opening its cinema in June last year before other venues and had 90 per cent of its workforce returned by August.
About 73 per cent of sponsors
remained committed to the cultural precinct and 91 per cent of benefactors continued their support.
The financial reporting showed earned revenue was down by $3.1m from the first half of last year due to closure of the venue.
The report predicted “equivalent operating expense reductions in the second half due to staff stand down and reduced performances,” the report said.