The City of Ballarat is undertaking a series of works that will enable the Art Gallery of Ballarat to better manage the building, display more works from its permanent collection and secure international exhibitions.
Several aspects of the project are already underway, as well as the ongoing development of the Art Gallery of Ballarat Masterplan, façade maintenance and cleaning works.
When the building closed its doors to the public in March, collection management commenced across the almost 12,000 artworks in the permanent collection. All were assessed and catalogued. Some works were moved to off-site storage in accordance with safety and security procedures.
Broader site preparation, planning and procurement was also required ahead of the following structural upgrades:
- Refurbishment of people and freight lifts
- Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system renewal that will meet international standards
- Switchboard and generator upgrades
- Upgrades to skylight and LED lighting, allowing more works on paper to be shown
- Installation of wall lining to protect heritage walls and afford flexibility when displaying works of art.
The complex site and heritage constraints, including statutory and Heritage Victoria permits, required careful planning. The major building works are expected to commence in late 2025 to early 2026 following the appointment of a head contractor, with an anticipated completion by late 2026.
We understand many people in our community love the gallery, and we are striving to re-open as soon as possible. It is crucial that we effectively carry out all aspects of the project at one time to avoid further future delays and ensure it remains a much-loved asset for many generations to come.
There will also be artworks on loan to regional and state galleries throughout the year including: WAMA, Geelong Gallery, Gippsland Art Gallery, Tarrawarra Museum of Art, Art Gallery of South Australia, Art Gallery of New South Wales, and the National Gallery of Australia.
Our education team is travelling to schools across western Victoria and our school holiday and Early Start programs also continue off-site.
In the meantime, we encourage everyone to visit Backspace Gallery at 43 Mair Street Ballarat.
We are also planning additional off-site programming for the first half of 2026, which will be announced in the near future.
