Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 6 : Debate on New Art Gallery and Cultural Centre 1963-1970

..COURIER MAIL" ""t;OURIER MAIL" Brisb.ne, Q. Brisbane, Qld. .• ~~ N(JV 1961 _ No centre plans for culture THE State Govern- I ment has no ,,resent 11Iam1 for a cultural centre in Brisbane. Several schemes have ·been discussed from time to time, but lack of fin– ance has delayed any final decision. I Tue ·oovernment has , Indicated that It would be Interested In any scheme by PI'lvate enterprise for a cultural centre or an art gallery, 'Too I ~ ., IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINlfllNIIIIIIIUIII much In a special article In The Courier-Mall yester– day, Sir Leon Trout. who recently returned from a world tour, said that I ever a part of the worl desperately needed a mod em gallery, that place wa f Quee11sland, Sir Leon Is chairman 01! trustees of the Queenslan Art Gallery, 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 time llllllllfllltlllllllllll~Nllllllll1IIIIIIIIIIIIII e QUEENSLA.Ni)' '4RT GALLER}'. chairman ($i . l.;~n ,:t( Trout) aaae,:~ed 'in .· a. special ar.ti ~i,,:.r•;~~T•:~' iC 15/ 11/ 66) tliat Quee,n~tam), desperatel,;t ; ~deH_ p. i( · modern art gallery - jirt!/erably a · cull~r,a, ' en.ar ., i( to attract people o/ varying intere11t11. · ,::,-i,~: ..:; • · •· - 'i( Melbourne's Natiopal Gallery was built in le 1860's and 1870's and 'iill the other capital citles except Brisbane followed suit. D~plte the fact that these galleries have been so well established for ao long, they are now again rebulldfpg or . ext~ndlng, • Victoria's new ~atlonal Oi.llery and Cultural Cen– tre which Includes theatres and other amenities besides the gallery proper, has al– ready been tiegun. It covers 76 acres and wlll cost $16 million The cost of the gallery Itself ls estimated at $9 mllllon. The Victorian Government Is speniUng $1,600,000 eac~ year on this project, an will continue to do so ug{i1 1 It Is complete. The pulb ~ has 80 far subscr e $1,220,000, Country 1 ~•;1;t~;1:,•;h~;~•~;e, 1 ln 1 lne Provine a addition, n towns allerles In country 1 g Ith populations far esi than that of Brisbane, le alone Queensla nd , galleries Many , of th'J:~d some are are as g&od 98 the existing ~-::!:~~lan~::C~v~:r1!~l'are reti{v1n~ve substantial gov• ernmental auppo~tt has given The Govemme each of up to $100,000j ty at Ham- three new pro ec s • nton Mlldur, ance a n ~d ass s I being s~o'ooo ror upkeepa:mnton, given annwvrir~, Bendig~ Mlldura, II oeelong, an castlemalne, _ soon to be warrn11mb~~epp11rton and joined bY r sale, N tlonal oallerY tfy so~r~ AJstral~ h:;i;;cenfor dded a ne t' new wing, :a4sloooi ~o~g_;t 8 of $370,~~ bull a ned In January WA~ ope veal', I 'j• ' , .. waste 11)111111111UIUII IIIIIHlll lfllllllllllllllllllllllllllll/11111 Here Mr. John Dalt()n, an executive, co',n·mittee ··man. o/ i( the Contemporary Art, Society"· -.oJ ~rutral~ : iC ( Queemland branch), points o~t how · Q.uee.,,..land' i( i11 lagging behind .other State, in Jacilitie• /or, the ·~ T · H·E neecl display o/ art and urge/J the Que,e ..n 11land. G~llery ·, £ for a new tru11tee11 to •get on , with the job o'/-, e11tabl11hang ~ .art gallery has ga(lery •• • 1111111111 .._ 111111 ,-: l' become urgent ,-4:,,.,.... , ·.~********: and pressin • uHna an Til.. 11111111 ·· · . ,. , ~eAnd~ee~ t~~ge 1 1rt'~~f 1e~~ the only State which has n1vir set out to·meet the artistic needs /.- of New south Wales. This of its community by the erection of a building designed specially . will be of ·seven storeys and I will cost $1,600,000. Ef!.ch: as an art ga lery. · · · of these new wings has been 8 made the gallery _ tnlf trUs~s a a the BI' sbar e· [ . Counc~1.. fr wm b~i!'b11~t l:,lt~ig;c~:e- look more presentable In- rh:mce~tenary Committee, 'a);;~~lf . ~~~ es~t~ihe1att!~ 1 nl e I d f' side bljt .made n,o linpres- Mr' PlilieY made a press . ,. lti i , t~ c te ry tei: tsQ~:~: ab~enm=/'t~''' slon'•pn the major' dlfffc1! 1 t;- · statement · which helped to · I ~~~14~~:e .. Comfuttte:r. na . . esta~llsh a gallery consist- . lesac~f display and stor, g clear the air. No..llttat ements have ]Ren ,• ent with this State's ~ · SJ)Some years later during, He said that .a cultural. -i>411Ushtld• of ~he. centenarY- portance. •centenary Yenr 1959 t,he · 1 centre would be bullt,.at the Flnanc·e Committee's pro- Various citizens an,;\ , Education Minister · (Mr, · lower end of Georite Street . '11:rei;:" nor 'lias any public groups of citizens have CQ>, · ,. Plzzey) . sp'dke .in -, the · ,alon~slde old Government appeai t be~n launched by It trlbuted conslderabl:'t' t 1 o 1 n~- ·House about the':' ·need · for House. ' · • · . sjpce t, ~r. Plzzey's .state- bullcllng up of the Oa ery ll 'a · new arr gal'lery. 7 : In .. +.1J1~t: · • 0 • collection by raising and -Queensland and through h'is s b • d y ... ~ r'· · · making funds available for >Tefforts an Act.of Parliament 'u SI J_.~i~:,: ' ' x·,·ous" the _presentation of works wa's passed to bring this of arts. about ·· , -~•••••~•••••'- · ~r: · · ,.·, ' But the housing of these . At that time a new board lt wouli:l consist of t ' i:1,1(..,.,.,. -...:.: ,. • ...... •" · ) Increasingly Important col- ' of trustees was formed , bulldlnl{s under separ!l,t , i._ Jta:tappears ,the Glh~, Iectlons has been a hl 5t ory especially empowerep under '· controls. One would be a ·Trustees are now anx1'otfs of improvisations, ' . ' . the . Act . to establ~h the Pioneers' Centenary Hall, , tQ'l,.Uke a determined effor.t In 1895 interested peoprle , gallery· on lits new site;·>,,\'.... -seatln~ up to 1500, which to. ~tlo. what the:v are en- approached the Oovernmi, t A . ~lte was chos'en•' along- would provide· facilities for trusted with dolnit under to make the beginnings · of side old ..Ooyernmen"-"Cl.,!,!CU.,0...., thea6re, music and_ ~t}:l - ,the Act-to establish a new a collection. It was housed_· ' tactng- tne Botanic ar- ~ Wi\kmdl~He· . Gallery and 'De.rhaD8 to In rooms in the Old Town dens and old Government 1 , • .... launch -their'. own apoeal Hall House Itself wBs to be 1n- ery, , providln,t ,this will be sub- , In· 1905 cramped quarters eluded In the scheme in Mr. Plzze:v said that t_he .sldlsed by' the Government, were provided on the top · order to house period turn- estimated cost of the 010- t noor of the Executive Build- lture silver, glass, ceramfos, .1ect was £600,000 an~ h odf ,.,. Contemporar.v Ar s Ing · · Bnd ' other art museum this the Government a . o of Australia, ;t· In 1930-31 ,the cpllect.lon ,, objects j agreed to con~·lbute £250,000 P ,:h~dm!~aighaol~I!,~~ was moved to Its presenJ ,_ At ti11s most promising over a five-\ear period on ;. 'the )ullciinp; ·ot·, a new Oal- .!n.. what haft been \Ille t th erection of a ne~J a £ for. £ bass, Iery and implores the~- ii. concert ha I itlJOtnmg sa,reery \ec11me confused·,• .The raising of funds •Was tee to get on with tl'i• Job, thitm~:uW,ne It was be- ~Ith other centenary pro- •J 1entrusted to 'the ICeqtenara _.;Too. much time haA! Al· lleve~ th:!p~A 1 1~~asp!n~~;. ~~~y ~r 1 t1~e t!-tsfiis~~ouf~ '.: I :~:i~~tno;:~m i~~~y ~~! t;~g;J}r~:fh~t.:.1~~ ; fg~ erection of a proper ·~;vi n;il~~!o~~e ~f 11 ~~'i1fa~; ~~~Yec[Bls:d· ~~m~1tree of forts: ·tt energltl"t' KIM gallery. t 1 1934 the buildings having little seven- two Government been.- ,r,~ely dlsslit:;tedl!.m ;' In I fac <'M n w Forgan relation to It. The director membe~s. two l(allery trtus- It -~ ·! he1,11tenlng Prem er r . · E tl I d tee representatives. wo that Sir ~on T , , ibas smith) said In the ,s • res gne · from the Centenary Finance returned ·from ove de- mates debate that a new In May, 1964, after dis- Commi.ttee and one from te1•mlned· to strive a new gallery building Wll 1 s cusslons be,tw~~n t he Gov: .. gallerv. ~ · urgently needed and n _1935 his Government prom· lsed to erect one. Di.rector . ·~; i;; ~~; ~ht~i";9~o·that a full-time dlrecti?r was appointed During his short te~m of .oft'lce . and with designs made by Professor Cummings, t he concert ha11 was renovated by putting In , n false celling and parUt19n- Jng hi! ground , floor to allow for better dlsp!~Y.•