Vew from the chair: Speeches of Richard WL Austin

3 The role of a State Gallery (IV) The educational and social role of the Gallery As Chairman of Trustees, Richard Austin took the opportunity on many occasions to define the Gallery's wider educational role in the Queensland community and to inform the community about the Gallery and its functions. As well, in addition to its acquisitions, exhibitions, and educational functions, the Gallery took on a wide range of outside activities during Richard Austin's chairmanship. This included-for the first time-making its premises available for community events such as book launchings and hiring the Gallery to corporate groups for functions. The latter reflected Director Doug Hall's emphasis on a new entrepreneurial role for the Gallery. I The Gallery Today. Speech to the Brisbane Club Fine Arts Group, 26 May 1988 Let me say at the outset that I am both pleased and flattered to be here this afternoon-pleased because I always like talking about the Gallery, and flattered that such a distinguished group of men should be prepared to listen to me. Just three months ago, Barry Johnson of your Fine Arts Committee was kind enough to invite me to your lunch meeting to enable me, as they say in racing, 'to walk the course' and see what I was in for. On that occasion, I was lucky enough to hear a very interesting, individual and 'from the heart' talk by Rick Everingham about an artist's attitude to art. I can't promise the same sort of thing. The subject I have been given, 'The Gallery Today', is a bit drier than that-more like a lecture than an after lunch speech. So please bear with me. I propose to say a few words about the history of the Gallery, give you a few facts about the present situation, add a few ideas of a general nature and finish up, before you have all gone to sleep, with a few slides. 1 The earliest move to establish a State Art Gallery in Queensland was made in 1883. In October of that year, Isaac Walter Jenner, an artist and recent immigrant from England, wrote to the Government proposing the setting up of an art gallery. Though his initial suggestion did not meet with immediate success, he continued to work for the establishment of a gallery in Brisbane and, in 1887, founded the Queensland Art Society. 99