ART GALLERY HISTORY
The new Shire of Carnarvon Library and Art Gallery opened on 25th October 2013 to provide regional library services and resources throughout the Gascoyne.
The $5.6 million upgrade, refurbishment and conversion of the old squash courts building in Carnarvon into the Library and Art Gallery was made possible with $4.64 million of Royalties for Regions funding and support from the Shire of Carnarvon.
The building is now an educational, social and cultural hub for residents and incorporates dedicated areas for children and adults, a community lounge space, a meeting room and a public computer zone. The inclusion of the art gallery also creates excellent opportunities for tourism and cultural development.
The art gallery space was designed to accommodate both local and touring exhibitions. The official opening provided the opportunity to host the first exhibition, which showcased previous winning pieces from the Gascoyne Biennial Art Shows over the past 30 years. Many of the pieces on show were acquisitive prizes which now form part of the Shire of Carnarvon Art Collection.
The façade of the building reflects a style associated with Dutch painter Piet Mondrian with bold colours and geometric shapes.
The Carnarvon Library and Art Gallery was a priority project as part of the Gascoyne Revitalisation Plan with funding from:
- Gascoyne Revitalisation Plan - $2.357million
- Country Local Government Fund - $0.519million
- Gascoyne Regional Grants Scheme -$1.768million
The Shire of Carnarvon provided the remaining $979,000 to complete the project.
