The recently completed Orange Regional Gallery Extension project includes a new 270 square metre contemporary gallery with ground-breaking lighting design, a 74 seat gallery theatre, a new state-of-the art storage and conservation area and refurbishments to existing spaces.
Thanks to funding from the NSW Government’s Regional Cultural Fund ($4,052,990) and Orange City Council ($1,000,000) construction commenced in the second half of 2020 and was completed in December 2021.
The extension was designed by Sydney firm Architect Marshall whose previous projects include the extension to the Museum of Contemporary Art at Circular Quay (2012) and an extension to Campbelltown Arts Centre (2009).
Sam Marshall and his team worked closely with the Gallery and broader community to design an elegant and functional extension which has minimal impact on the original building.
Sam states that he designed the extension ‘from the inside out’, with the primary use of the spaces guiding the evolution of the design.
The extension features a new 270 square metre exhibition space, equipped with a fully adjustable lighting system. This will combine the richness of natural light with the latest in Bluetooth LED technology, presenting a full range of lighting options, from darkness to a light-filled space.
The Gallery’s smaller ground level exhibition space has been refurbished with a new entry corridor and redesigned ceiling, making this intimate space an ideal option for solo exhibitions and digital media installations.
A refurbished and expanded reception area has created a more welcoming experience on arrival, and provide a larger gathering space for groups and events.
The lobby will serve as a social gathering space for openings, school groups and functions in the gallery theatre. It also offers additional space for installations and small exhibitions.
With 75 tiered seats (including space for 3 wheelchairs), the gallery theatre is fully accessible and will be utilized extensively in the Gallery’s future education and engagement programs. It will also be available for wider use by community and corporate groups.
Having outgrown its storage capacity, the extension will enable the Gallery to care for this nationally significant Collection into the future. The development of an international standard painting store, 3D object store, conservation area, loading dock and airlock will also provide ample space for the growth of the Collection.
The Orange Regional Gallery Extension Project was officially launched by Don Harwin, NSW Minister for the Arts on 3 December 2021 to a crowd of enthusiastic supporters.
Maud Page, Deputy Director and Director of Collections, Art Gallery of NSW launched the opening suite of exhibitions:
Aida Tomescu: Unfolding Presence
Karla Dickens: A Dickensian Sideshow
Antarika Co-prosperity #5
Winhanganha Mayiny
Despite a wet winter—and a few COVID puzzles—last week saw the installation of the adjustable natural lighting system in the Extension Gallery—a moment we have been looking forward to for some time. This will be a generous and contemporary space, with the flow of natural light throughout ensuring the best possible conditions for viewing art. Artists go to great lengths to achieve particular colour and material relationships, and this design will provide an ideal space for the appreciation of their work. The elegant simplicity of Sam Marshall’s design will be a highlight of the project—which is already bringing exciting exhibition opportunities to Orange. Each recess in the ceiling will diffuse the light, creating a beautiful ambience. The system will allow us to control the amount of light ranging from a luminous environment for paintings to a darkened space for installations and multi-screen projections.
An additional highlight of the Extension will be a 73 seat Gallery Theatre. This facility will give us the flexibility to offer audiences a wide range of events such as artist talks, lectures and film screenings. The Theatre will also be available for use by community groups and for corporate hire.
All of us at the Gallery are busily developing the fit out of the new spaces and preparing our upcoming programs. Watch this space for details on our opening dates and summer exhibitions.
Our Extension Project recently passed a major milestone with over $500,000 raised for the fit out. With the support of Kathy Snowball and Maria Edwards on our Campaign Committee as well as so many generous donors we can now ensure that this exciting project will reach its full potential. Fit out elements include LED lighting, a new reception desk, collection store racking, bench seating and more.
The Orange Regional Gallery Extension project is taking shape with all the structural steel now in place. A few members of the Gallery team enjoyed a site tour just before Easter. It was thrilling to walk through the structure and get a sense of the space and proportions. We can’t wait to share the finished building in spring 2021.
Orange Regional Gallery’s Extension Project reached major milestones recently with the pouring of the 1070m2 slab, blockwork starting on the collection store, and community donations for the project reaching $415,000.
These are exciting developments and we would like to thank everyone who has contributed so generously to the project to get us to this stage.
We are almost there, but we still need your support in raising the remaining funds to complete the best possible fit out for our ground-breaking facility.
These fit out elements include:
Donations of any level are welcome and tax deductible, and can easily be made online HERE
The Extension Project has swung into full gear with the daily humming and beeping of construction machinery keeping us on track for a spring 2021 reopening.
The recent view (below) across the construction zone shows the excavators prepping the strip footings and screw piles ready for the concrete slab. In the dirt pile at the far end you’ll see some large chucks of concrete. These are pieces of the Municipal Swimming Pool which was opened in 1924. The historic image shows swimmers in the 1930’s enjoying a dip in the 100-ft-long pool.
Work is set to begin on the Gallery’s Extension Project after the official ground-breaking ceremony today.
The Hon. Don Harwin, NSW Minister for the Arts joined Cr Reg Kidd, Mayor of Orange and the Hon. Samual Farraway MLC to turn the first sods for the project.
Read the full story here
Plans to build an extension for Orange Regional Gallery reached a major milestone today with the Orange city Council meeting approving a DA for the $4.8 million project and awarding the construction tender.
Council awarded the tender to Renascent Regional Pty Ltd who have indicated that 78% of the cost of the project will be delivered by local and regional suppliers.
Orange Regional Gallery is a centre for art in the Central West of New South Wales, Australia.
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