A scoping study will be undertaken for the National Gallery for Aboriginal Art and Cultures, to be established on the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site at Lot Fourteen; another step towards the Marshall Liberal Government delivering on a key election commitment.
The study, to be undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers, will engage in discussions with the South Australian Aboriginal community, the South Australian Museum, the Art Gallery of South Australia, the State Library and other key stakeholders, to develop a clear vision and key recommendations to allow the project to progress to the next phase.
$200,000 was allocated to the scoping study in 2018/19 state budget, along with a further $60 million to commence construction of the Gallery after the demolition on the site of the old Royal Adelaide Hospital is complete.
Premier Steven Marshall says the consultations will allow the government to deliver a gallery which proudly showcases Indigenous art from both local and national Aboriginal artists.
"This engagement with the South Australian Aboriginal community and other key stakeholders will allow our government to deliver a gallery which will make Adelaide the centre for Indigenous art and culture nation-wide", said Premier Marshall.
"We've already engaged in discussions with the relevant parties since the announcement of the policy and this scoping study will progress those to the next level.
"At the end of this, we will have a clear vision of the scope and size of the project, and how we as a government can best collaborate with the Indigenous community after the completion of the gallery, to ensure its ongoing success.
"The process will bring together all primary stakeholders for a workshop to ensure the recommendations encompass all viewpoints.
"This gallery will be the first of its kind in Australia and will allow us to properly recognise and celebrate the oldest living cultural history, which will attract both national and international attention.
"Artists from many remote Indigenous communities have been enjoying international acclaim for much of their work. The National Gallery will bring this art and culture together for all to see, and turn Lot Fourteen into a hub for art and culture, as well as entrepreneurship and innovation".
The gallery will also provide employment opportunities for Indigenous South Australians, and partner with other institutions to allow the facility to become a centre for research into the teaching of Aboriginal culture, language and history.
