THE $10.5 million redevelopment of the Albury Art Gallery promises to build on the cultural heart of the city, generating new tourism business and enhanced facilities to display visiting exhibitions and locally held works.
Albury Council has lodged a development application for the project, seeking consent for the partial demolition, extension and refurbishment of the existing art gallery and adjoining Burrows House.
The project promises to be one of the most exciting for the city since the development of the new library museum, which opened in 2007.
In addition to five new gallery spaces, there are plans for a restaurant-cafe and an enlarged retail space.
Growing the gallery is a must for a city the size of Albury and will increase its potential as a cultural destination.
The existing art gallery space has put severe limitations not only on the number of visitors that can be catered to, but has also meant the city has been unable to host exhibitions with requirements related to size, security and climatic conditions.
Should the new gallery replicate the growth in patronage for the library museum, which has tripled since 2007, then it will be a worthwhile investment.
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