The Bendigo Art Gallery redevelopment, the largest-ever construction project to be led by the City of Greater Bendigo, will proceed.
A flythrough video released today highlights stage one of the redevelopment and how it will transform the Gallery and deliver on the original scope of the project, which includes a second floor blockbuster exhibition space, an innovative learning centre, theatrette and Traditional Owner Place of Keeping for Dja Dja Wurrung cultural materials.
The City is seeking to deliver stage one for $45M and will call for expressions of interest in June for a head contractor for the project.
The Gallery is expected to remain open until November this year while the procurement process takes place. Construction is expected to start in early 2026 and take approximately two years to complete, with the aim of re-opening in early 2028.
To complete the project in its entirety, the City and Gallery will continue to seek $15M from the Federal Government to deliver stage two. An application for $15M still sits with the Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program, as the process was not completed before the Federal election.
Stage two includes a dedicated gallery for Australian art (an additional 400m² of gallery space that was not part of the original project scope) and an elevated hospitality offering, featuring an improved café/restaurant incorporated into a redesigned sculpture annex and second floor function facility and terrace.
To deliver stages one and two during the planned construction period, Federal funding would need to be confirmed by the end of this year. Although any additional funding secured would always be accommodated.
The total project cost remains $54M. All funds raised to date have been put towards construction, however if Federal funding is secured it would mean some of the already committed funds can be reallocated to future programming for the new gallery spaces.
City Chief Executive Officer Andrew Cooney said the Gallery redevelopment was an investment in the cultural and economic future of the region.
"It is exciting to make this announcement today and confirm this city-defining project is going ahead. Over the past several months we have worked to refine the project scope and I am so pleased we can move forward with the budget available and deliver a fantastic outcome, with the option of a second stage should additional funding be secured," Mr Cooney said.
"Today's announcement intends to give certainty to our community, particularly the many businesses that benefit from the tourism generated by the Gallery. The project will cement the Gallery's reputation as a leading cultural institution in Australia and will trigger increased visitation to our region.
"This news is also expected to encourage greater private sector investment in our city centre. Business owners can now be confident about the project's future, factoring this into their current operations or potentially plan for other complementary business ventures."
Gallery Director Jessica Bridgfoot said a number of small changes to the design had achieved important savings for the project.
"This project will meet key objectives and realise our original vision to deliver 'The People's Gallery' - a place that empowers the Bendigo and broader Victorian community through accessibility, education, shared economic benefit and celebrating Traditional Owners. The redevelopment will establish the Gallery as an international, world-class cultural facility for future generations," Ms Bridgfoot said.
"Savings were achieved by rearranging some of the features of the redevelopment, reducing back of house areas and locating offsite storage. Other minor structural changes also helped save on material and engineering costs.
"The project was granted the necessary planning permits from the City and Heritage Victoria in 2024 to proceed, and has been reviewed favourably by the Office of the Victorian Architect."
As part of the redevelopment, the Gallery will become a trusted Place of Keeping for Dja Dja Wurrung cultural material and the façade of the building will feature a design by a Dja Dja Wurrung artist.
Dja Dja Wurrung Group Chief Executive Officer Rodney Carter said he was excited by the opportunities presented by the redevelopment.
"The Gallery's commitment to celebrating and preserving Dja Dja Wurrung culture and art is a significant benefit that supports outcomes across the Closing the Gap framework. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Gallery through a dedicated Place of Keeping, and fully support additional funding for the redevelopment to be fully realised," Mr Carter said.
It is widely recognised the Gallery is an important economic driver for Greater Bendigo and both the City and Gallery continue to plan for event attraction that will support tourism and businesses during the closure.
"In the coming months, the City and Gallery look forward to announcing a family-friendly exhibition that will be staged in partnership with the Discovery Science and Technology Centre from March to November next year, as well as sharing highlights of the 2026 major events and activation calendar," Ms Bridgfoot said.
"Gallery staff are also planning now for how they will continue to deliver a public program that allows residents, visitors and students to engage with the arts in other locations while the Gallery is closed.
"For now, it is business as usual and residents and visitors are encouraged to visit the Frida Kahlo - In her own image exhibition before it closes on Sunday July 13."
The construction budget is made up of $21M from the Victorian Government, $9M from the City of Greater Bendigo, $4M from the Gallery Board and $9.35M from philanthropic donations, and is enough for the project to proceed.
