The State Government has committed $400,000 towards developing an art gallery, which has been welcomed heartily by Mayor Jim Pollock and Member for Giles Lyn Breuer.
“This is great news for our community,’’ Ms Breuer said.
“We have an enthusiastic and passionate art community in Whyalla.
“A dedicated art gallery will provide a focus for that community, as well as be a major tourism drawcard for Whyalla.
“The Whyalla Art Gallery will compliment the Middleback Theatre and the Whyalla Cinema, setting up a cultural hub in our community.”
Ms Breuer said the community already strongly supported the arts through the Whyalla Art Prize, established in 1972 and worth $25,000, which is one of the richest acquisitive visual arts awards in Australia.
The foyer of the Middleback Theatre has served as the city’s art gallery since it was built in 1984, but this area is not large enough for hanging and displaying touring exhibitions and the Whyalla Art Prize exhibition.
The City of Whyalla and Country Arts SA, in consultation with the Spencer Institute of TAFE College in Whyalla, has developed a feasibility plan for the development of vacant space in the college into a high quality art gallery space.
The State Government has allocated $400,000 to the council to be used towards this project.
Mayor Jim Pollock said the council has been pushing for the funding for a very long time and he was happy that it had been approved.