The city today announces the Murray Art Museum Albury, or MAMA, as the new name for the redeveloped Albury Regional Art Gallery.

Albury mayor Kevin Mack will this morning unveil the name with MAMA advisory committee chairwoman Dr Guinever Threlkeld.

“We are incredibly excited to finally be able to reveal the new name, which we think is bold, memorable and speaks volumes about what this new landmark development stands for and what it will deliver for Albury and the Murray region,” Dr Threlkeld said.

She explained the city’s decision to call the redeveloped building a museum rather than retain “gallery” in the name.

“An art museum owns a collection, commissions new work, is involved in education and the development of the community, and is a much bigger enterprise than a gallery,” Dr Threlkeld said.

“We wanted a name that included our location and connection with artists and audiences in both Albury and the wider Murray region, and could be abbreviated to a recognisable acronym.

“The Murray Art Museum Albury, MAMA, fits the brief and we believe it will be widely accepted among our local audiences, as well as visitors and the broader arts community.”

Cr Mack said the new name better reflected the positioning and vision for the new art museum as a vibrant and innovative contemporary cultural space connected with the community.

“We are no longer a regional art gallery, we are building a modern, contemporary art museum which will stand proudly among the ranks of Australia’s leading modern arts institutions,” he said.

The announcement of the building’s new name coincides with the council’s appointment of Jacqui Hemsley as MAMA’s first director.

Dr Threlkeld said Ms Hemsley had been a driving force behind the redevelopment project and stepped into the role from a position as Albury Council’s group leader of cultural services.

She said Ms Hemsley brought a wealth of experience to the position, having held director roles at galleries in Gippsland, Broken Hill and New Zealand.

Dr Threlkeld said the new name had the full backing of the advisory committee, the MAMA Art Foundation (formerly the Albury Wodonga Regional Arts Foundation) the “Friends” Group, Arts Albury as well as the Albury Council.