Fair Go For The West: Powerhouse Museum relocated to Parramatta
THE Powerhouse Museum will be relocated to Parramatta as part of a new “arts and cultural precinct” in Western Sydney.
Go West
Don't miss out on the headlines from Go West. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE Powerhouse Museum will be relocated to Parramatta as part of a new “arts and cultural precinct” in Western Sydney under a re-elected Baird government.
NSW Premier Mike Baird and Deputy Premier Troy Grant will today announce that, if re-elected on March 28, the government will inject more than $30 million over the next four years to develop the arts and cultural sector in Western Sydney.
Of the funds, $10 million will go to relocating the Powerhouse Museum from Pyrmont to Parramatta, with construction to begin in the next term of government.
The government is also pledging $800,000 to attract a “resident company” for the Riverside Theatre in Parramatta but has stopped short of promising to deliver on hopes it will provide hundreds of extra seats for the theatre.
The government’s Western Sydney cultural champion and Museum of Contemporary Art director Liz Ann Macgregor said moving the Powerhouse Museum would be a “game changer for the west” and great for kids and families.
Mr Baird says the move is the “first time one of the state’s five major cultural institutions will be entirely located in Western Sydney”.
The exact site in Parramatta is yet to be decided but a government taskforce including Infrastructure NSW, UrbanGrowth and the museum will assess potential sites including in the Parramatta stadium precinct, the jail, a site on the river or integrated into the Arthur Phillip High School.
“We want to extend Sydney’s cultural ribbon ... so we will invest $10 million to relocate the Powerhouse Museum to Parramatta,” Mr Baird said.
“The $10 million will be used to develop a business case for the museum’s relocation to ensure it remains the interactive, vibrant place enjoyed by children and families.
“A design competition will be held to decide the final look of the new museum, and we’ll guarantee the proceeds from the urban renewal of the ... site in Ultimo will go toward the new museum in Parramatta.”
A key feature of the Fair Go for the West campaign by The Daily Telegraph has been to lobby for more arts funding to head west.
“Our plan also includes $800,000 to attract a resident company to the Riverside Theatre,” Mr Baird said.
| In association with our proud partners |
       |
CHAMPIONS of the West rewards ordinary people doing extraordinary things in Western Sydney to the tune of $10,000 grants in multiple categories.
The 2015 grants program is expanded this year to acknowledge the achievements of Western Sydney innovators and those making a difference in their community and respective fields.
This year’s categories include small business, education, sport, and the arts.
The Sunday Telegraph, The Daily Telegraph and NewsLocal — together with corporate partners NAB, NRMA, Crown, UWS, Origin Energy, Harvey Norman, and TAFE WSi — will reward those excelling in their fields.
Are you a Champion of the West? Click on the banner above to enter!
Nepean riverfront project boon
PENRITH Council has been handed more money to beautify an area overlooking the Nepean River — in time for its inaugural river festival.
Job growth on north-south tracks
EARLY figures commissioned by the Western Sydney Rail Alliance show nearly 165,000 Western Sydney jobs could be created by a north-south rail link to the future Badgerys Creek airport.