A much-needed upgrade to the ageing lighting system inside the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery is illuminating a bright new future for the city's cultural centrepiece.
The 20-year-old system, installed when the gallery was initially established, has meant some travelling collections have been unable to come the Riverina, denying the region's art enthusiasts access to premier exhibits.
"Unfortunately, there were a handful of galleries that could not bring certain exhibitions to the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery out of fear the old, UV lighting system would potentially damage the pieces in their collection," Council's Project Manager Thomas Lemerle said.
"This major, lighting upgrade means the gallery will now meet the stringent requirements needed to host those travelling exhibitions down the track."
The exciting upgrade will involve the installation of new LED lighting, purchased and imported from Germany, across both the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery and the National Art Glass Gallery.
It's all part of the overall Civic Centre LED Lighting Upgrade, one of five Energy Saving Projects funded through Wagga Wagga City Council's $1.7M commitment to a greener future.
"Implementing a standardised, LED lighting system across all of Council's cultural assets will not only result in a major reduction in energy usage and significant cost savings, but also offer enormous operational benefits," Mr Lemerle said.
"This new system is extremely flexible and will require far less maintenance. Fittings won't need to be replaced as often."
Mr Lemerle believes the premier lighting system will greatly enhance the gallery's ambience, improving the experience for its many visitors.
"The new lighting will be much brighter, and offer exhibition curators much more versatility," Mr Lemerle said.
"Curators will have so many more options to explore when setting up their exhibitions."
All of the new track lighting now installed in the National Art Glass Gallery and work started in the main gallery on Monday. The final materials are expected to arrive from Germany before the end of the week, with the project on track for completion next month.
The lighting upgrade will see 355 new LED lights installed across the arts and glass galleries, along with 411 metres of new track.
