Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 7 : Debate on New Art Gallery and Cultural Centre, 1970-1976

for ' a 19 mai,I' ··art cent-re · an~~·Sta~e ·(½tvernm~n:t will order a f ea~.ibility study into the planning Art ,r.1rc 1 nr, pf a maJor new arts c~ntre ·to · be included in· Queensland's ~, ery and Museum com~l_ex m Brisbane. B j ~ f kee-~!m.t_er (Mr. might close highlighted m1ers on how similar nounceci la~te~je~l t 1- th e .need for an . arts centres were designed . the Co-ordinaJ;r-o~~~ cen~re. and built in their c-api- • eril (Mr. C. N. Barton) \fhe theatre, built 80 tals. \ would make the study. yea.rs ago, is the largest He aL~o saw the Cul- • , The Premier said the In Brisbane. . tural Centre 1n Mel- ' .cen t re co u l d in- <The A.M.P. Society bounie. · , to11porate a coruiert ·ha.s· bough-t the theatre He favoured the ap- l?all and raoilltl~for s i t e . T h e c u r re n t proach used in some , live theatre, baue, and · theatre . ieases expire St1tes where all sec- other performing .. art.s after 1976). tlons of the community In the gallery ancflllu~ had combined, under seum complex. • Government leadership P · OTHER STATES . to build cultural cen~ for the P. · d centre r s. · .art o~he finance t e 1'. e.'CJ)ecte to coine · Mr. Bjelke - Petersen ,"Ill Brisbane's case ,tto_ip the lnsura.nce in- sai -~ the ' n1ove for a thl! •would Include the dllstry. · , •' feasibility study follow- Queensland Govem- ' .: , , ed .d!scussiohs".he , had • ment. the Brisbane City IVl\', Bjelke~Petersen . with the .. New . South Co u n o 11, business , 'Ul~ repo11ts that Her Wales. Vlotorlan , and houses, .insurance. cotn.-. ~ a,j est t .' , heatre west ~ustrallan Pre- , panles, community or- THI COUllll-MAl,L •'MON.' ~PIUL· 29 19'74 . . :_ ganlsatlons, cultural groups and public sub– . scribers,'' he said. PUBLIC HELP •' T h e Australian Broadcasting Comm!s- 1\!0!l could be Invited to ~lcjpate. ! Experience elsewhere showed that an arts centre in which all sec– tions of the community had taken a part hail proved the most suc– cessful. · ,The State Govern– ment had plans, in hand ror a new art gal– lery and a museum to replace the Bowen Hills building. "It might b l better to combine both In one b u I I d i n g , and in– corporate other facll– !tles, than to · build them sepa.rately," he said. 1 "Alte~, the art ga.lle~1~heatre facmttee 'c uld be com– bined on tlfe.,.slte the G o v e r n ffl;tftl t h a s brOlllht in' South Bris- bane. . "This Is what Mr. Barton wllJ' examine." The P.remler. said the ~B.C. h9,d • expressed ::a ~· ,,. I Map sti , d cul- turcl ~ent / BJte, concern a,t the,Jacli of a rehea.rsal hall and a modern concert ball In Brisbane. •.. :.,:~.~ ,. _ 1 construe- . tip ' artsfcentre a.II an e p,res&ion of · Queensland's prosperity and standing," he-paid, ''It will take tlme ·,to design and ,butld, but "1 1 start has !.Q be made." · The Ooverrunent• next move would be an– nounced Whl!D ·th~ I feasibility , atudy Wai. available. ·• · Pi-emier- orders a bw& rabr · taul build Ulem 1J1 ,eparately I aepu'ately. ' .. "Al~natlvely" t'ai:e· at( gallery and theatre- facl• • lltlea could be combined .on .the llte the Ocmlmr • mait hM pu._ in 'flle ce11tre would in– corporate the Queens- 1~.d Art Gallery, the Qlleensland Museum, a poricert hall, a.nd facili– ties ror live theatre, bal– let and other per– rormlng arts. The Premier, Mr tljelke-Petersen, s a Id yesterckY he would ask the Co-Ordinator General, Mr Bar.t<Jn, to study t.he fee.slblUty or planning and financing lire oenke. , This follows dtlkms– :;lons he had ,hl Mel- feasibility s~dy bourne on Friday with the NSW, Victorian and West Australian pre– miers on 110w similar centres were designed and built In their capi– tal cities. The Premier said he ravored ithe appr011,Ch In some States where all sections of the comm• nit y had combln •· under government loout ershlp t"o build cultural centres. In Brisbane, this would Include the Queenslahd aovemment, the Bris– ba.ne C(ty Council, busi• neu hoUlllll, Insurance companies, community or gantsatlons, cultural groups and the pub.;c by subscript.Ion. COMMUNI The Awrtri..tan \Ji - casting <:omml• id . also be lnvlt,ed~ 'to 'fake 7 part. M r Bjelke-Peteraen said'· eltl)erlentie else– .tiere bad ahown Ulat an ana ·centre evolved by a11 section • of the community bad JllV'fecl the moat IUClCClllfUl, He Mid the state oovenµnent already baci plana tor a new art gal- • Jery and museum to re– place the existing build– Ing at IJOWen Hills. 1 "It nillht be be~r to oombine '"'both In one South Brlll)ane, Thill la wha«IJI' Ba~ ;W'lll' ex- aml-"' • : "'Fr • The Premier ~ reporW Uiat Her Ma– JeltY'• Thlllltre mllht I cJoae daWn b'ad hilh• llabtecl the need I« an arta centre. 1 The -theatre,~, ao 1 , yean IIO, II the t In Brlsbilne Ille only one where major overaeas productions can 1 be staged.. 'r I .- J"