Toowoomba Regional Council has awarded Simon McArthur and Associates Pty Ltd T/A SMA Tourism the contract to develop a business case for the proposed Toowoomba Art Museum.
Council Property Services portfolio spokesperson, Councillor Trevor Manteufel said the firm would progress investigations into the options, costs and benefits of delivering a revitalised art museum to replace or update the existing Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery (TRAG).
Council approved this motion at its October 2023 Ordinary Meeting.
“The business case will assess TRAG’s current limitations, including its size and environmental control issues, and explore options for a new or upgraded facility that meets the required standards to attract touring exhibitions and larger installations,” Cr Manteufel said.
“The current Gallery, which opened at its present site in 1994, is not adequately functioning as a modern, regional facility. Contemporary art museums servicing half the Toowoomba Region’s population, and with half the art collection of the current Gallery, are on average 5,000m².”
TRAG, which is 750m², houses three separate collections of unique cultural heritage that number more than 8,000 items. The facility, which opened in 1937, is the oldest public art gallery in regional Queensland.
“The existing facility is too small to comfortably accommodate touring exhibitions from state and national galleries, and other exhibitions that are toured by Museum and Gallery Services Queensland,” said Cr Manteufel.
“These touring exhibitions are the core of the contemporary exhibition programming at TRAG. In addition, TRAG is no longer large enough to appropriately showcase the Toowoomba Region’s growing art collection.”
Cr Manteufel said Simon McArthur and Associates Pty Ltd T/A SMA Tourism had specialist experience in this field, having previously worked on the Shepparton Art Museum project in Victoria.
He said the business case work would align with opportunities that were identified in Council’s Cultural Strategy (Connecting through Creativity – Toowoomba Region Cultural Strategy 2023 – 2028).
“Following Council’s endorsement of the business case and its recommendations, the project will focus on implementing the chosen solution.”
“This will cover site selection, design, governance, and funding models that are designed to enhance our Region’s standing as an arts and cultural centre and increase the capabilities of the cultural community to create works which reflect our history and comment on contemporary life.
“Apart from showcasing the talents of our local artists, a new facility will allow Council to appropriately care for our significant art collections so they can be shared with residents and visitors,” Cr Manteufel said.
