Sunshine Coast Council supports plan for new Caloundra art gallery

The Sunshine Coast is a step closer to having a $33m art gallery after the region’s council backed a plan for a modern facility at Caloundra.

An artist's impression of the new Sunshine Coast Regional Gallery from the corner of Bulcock Street and Otranto Avenue. Picture: Supplied

The Sunshine Coast is a step closer to having an art gallery befitting of the region, with the region’s council backing a plan for a $33m modern facility.

It comes as the council endorsed the business case for a new modern art gallery in Caloundra at its ordinary meeting on Thursday.

The document revealed three key options for a new regional art gallery, with the preferred location for it within the existing library site, at a cost upwards of $33 million.

Approval of the plan paves the way for the council to seek external funding for the project and follows the allocation of $350,000 in the 2023/2024 financial year budget to go towards planning for the new art gallery.

In moving the motion, Councillor Terry Landsberg said the business case demonstrated the need for a modern art gallery that served the cultural and creative industries on the Sunshine Coast.

“This regional gallery will be a gamechanger for our precinct and a much-needed investment into Caloundra’s CBD,” Mr Landsberg said.

“We’ll be able to look forward to a home for our creative arts community that will attract exhibitions of regional, national, and international significance.

“I see this as Caloundra’s opportunity of coming of age, it has always been a city of beaches and always looking forward to moving towards what the community and creative hub will deliver.

“This business case aligns with that direction.”

Councillor Terry Landsberg said that a new regional art gallery would be a 'game changer' for Caloundra and the Sunshine Coast.

Councillor Peter Cox added that constructing a new art gallery could attract additional investment to the region.

“In relation to the background of the existing gallery there’s no argument that little tiny facility has served the community well over the decades, but it’s clear and evident to everyone that I speak to that it’s no longer fit for purpose,” Mr Cox said.

“Investment in cultural facilities helps transform neighbourhoods and supports regional economic development.

“A strong cultural precinct can make a neighbourhood safer with more events staged, which in turn becomes better at attracting capital investment, that’s what we’re all about.

“I’ve been a big supporter of this project since day one, I consider it to be a game changer for Caloundra, so now is not the time to be putting this on the backburner.”

Councillor Peter Cox said that a new regional art gallery would bring additional investment to the region.

The desire for a new regional art gallery was initially outlined in the Caloundra Centre Master Plan, that was endorsed by council in March 2017, with the precinct slated to be located within the Community and Creative Hub, a public space in the vicinity of The Events Centre and Bulcock Beach.

The proposed art gallery is considered “a key component of the vision for the precinct and an important cultural facility for the Sunshine Coast region”.

Artist's impression of the proposed Sunshine Coast Regional Gallery at Caloundra. Source: ARM Architecture

Anticipated to be a key fixture of the Community and Creative Hub, it is envisaged that the new modern gallery will become a central gathering point for Sunshine Coast artists, cater for the cultural needs of a growing population, as well as contribute to the liveability of Caloundra.

The new venue is also anticipated to safeguard the future of the local art industry, with the precinct set to replace the Caloundra Regional Gallery, that has showcased curated art from around the region for the past 20 years.

Artist's Impression of the proposed Sunshine Coast Regional Gallery from Felicity Park.

It is set to address issues associated with the current art gallery include space constraints and has the potential to become a major art facility to service the entire region.

Caloundra Arts Centre Association president and past president of Friends Regional Gallery Caloundra Jonathan Jones conveyed his support for a new art gallery to service the region.

“I’m fully supportive of a new regional art gallery in the vicinity of Felicity Park,” Mr Jones said.

“It is high time we had one, the art gallery in Caloundra has proven to be a vibrant drawcard for artists, residents, tourists and has serviced the vibrant art needs of local art communities.”