Telstra to sponsor National Gallery of Victoria

THE National Gallery of Victoria will develop digital platforms and in-house infrastructure in a three-year sponsorship with Telstra.

MARCH 26, 2003 : The National Gallery of Victoria building at South Bank in Melbourne, 26/03/03. Pic David Crosling. Exterior

THE National Gallery of Victoria will develop digital platforms and in-house infrastructure in a three-year sponsorship with Telstra.

The deal is described as a “creative partnership” in which Telstra-enabled technology may also be used to power digital artworks.

Gallery and telco say the arrangement is born of a shared interest in creativity and innovation. Neither would reveal the value of the deal, but a statement from the NGV says it is one of the most significant in its history.

No specific projects were announced yesterday, but NGV director Tony Ellwood says the two teams could develop things such as smartphone applications, external learning and on-site screen activity.

“I think the cultural sector has been quite reticent, where screen technology is seen as an add-on to the experience rather than something that’s integral to how we look at learning and expanding markets,” he says.

Telstra chief financial officer Andrew Penn says the partnership will help the gallery reach new audiences through technology. “(We want to) support Tony’s aspirations to give more access to the collection, help support the organisation to become more technologically savvy, and also use technology in an artistic sense as well,” Penn says.

Telstra has been a long-time supporter of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney and the Australian Ballet.

Ellwood says Telstra branding will be used in appropriate ways in those projects where Telstra is a supporter, such as a screen-based application.