Gallery’s plea for cash

PLANNING for Geelong Gallery’s proposed $114m redevelopment could begin in July if the Coalition and Labor pledge $5m to “kickstart” the design process.

Gallery director Jason Smith has made a last-ditch plea for Corio MP Richard Marles and Liberal candidate Manish Patel to commit to a staged process if their parties win government.

If funds are committed, it is hoped the expansion could be complete by the Commonwealth Games in 2026.

Mr Smith said the gallery was committed to raising some funds and hoped to secure close to $100m in other funding through all levels of government during a staged process.

“What we've been doing with the federal government is saying, ‘Perhaps you could provide a small amount of funding to kickstart the process’,” Mr Smith said.

A Labor spokeswoman said: “We get a lot of requests asking for support and unfortunately they can’t all be met”.

Mr Patel did not respond to requests for comment.

Mr Smith said the existing gallery’s growth was hampered by small exhibition spaces, with its permanent exhibition forced into storage during the Archie 100 exhibition because there was no room to display both exhibits.

“What our time-critical path has detailed is that we want to be going into design and development from July 1,” he said. “(We want to be) kickstarting building in late 2023, through 2024 and to the end of 2025.”

He said a funding commitment would help fully realise Geelong arts and cultural precinct.

“We are the last piece in the jigsaw puzzle,” he said.

City of Greater Geelong Deputy Mayor Trent Sullivan backed Mr Smith’s calls.

He said the opening of the council’s new Wurriki Nyal precinct would leave City Hall reserved for just civic and ceremonial events and the remaining space could be shared with the gallery to deliver drawcard exhibitions for the Geelong region.

“The business case delivered in December 2021 details a robust and convincing argument for the gallery’s expansion, and we now need federal and state investment to deliver this transformative project for our region,” he said.