The announced closure of the contemporary art space of one of Australia's most important cultural institutions will place greater importance on the role of regional galleries.
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Bega Valley Regional Gallery curator Iain Dawson made the comment after Canberra’s National Gallery of Australia (NGA) Contemporary – the region’s closest and most important contemporary art space – announced it was set to close after its current exhibition ends this weekend, less than two years after its opening.
“While it’s a disappointing development it gives the Bega Valley Regional Gallery the impetus to continue to showcase and support excellence in the creation of culture in the area,” Mr Dawson said.
“Obviously the NGA is an incredible resource for all of Australia, but particularly relevant to regional communities in the surrounding South East.”
Mr Dawson said funding cuts to the arts is difficult for the government to justify as creative activity contributed more to Australia’s Gross Domestic Product on a national accounts basis in 2008-09 than agriculture, fisheries, forestry, food services, water, electricity, gas and waste combined.
Despite the cuts and the government’s efficiency dividends forcing of the National Gallery, the National Library and the National Museum to collectively find $14.7million of savings by 2018-19, Mr Dawson thinks other factors are also at play in the closure decision.
“I think the NGA’s decision to close the contemporary arm is a wise one,” he said.
“It is a difficult gallery to get to, wasn’t purpose built for the task and separated ‘contemporary’ from historic and Indigenous art, so I think the role of the National Gallery is to present all of its collection as a cohesive, and informative narrative.
“Communities that value the visual arts and culture in this country need to be as vocal as possible in communicating it to their governments,” he said.
Bombala Shire Council Economic Development Manager Karen Cash said that she found the decision to close the Contemporary Art Space at the National Gallery of Australia astonishing.
“International flights will be coming into Canberra Airport in September this year and I can’t believe that they are closing part of the gallery, one of the main attractions in Canberra and definitely a highlight for visitors.
“Contemporary art is an important part of the art scene in Australia,” Ms Cash said.