Geelong Gallery launches landmark Impressionists exhibition

FOR 130 years Geelong Gallery has delivered an incredible program of exhibitions to our region, and this year is no exception.

This week, the gallery launches its most ambitious exhibition to date: Discovering the Impressionists: Paul Durand-Ruel, Art Dealer Among the Artists.

This exhibition brings more than 70 paintings from across two generations of impressionists to our shores, the majority of which come from a private collection in France, never before seen in Australia.

The mastery of famed painters like Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Berthe Morisot and Camille Pissarro is showcased alongside a second generation of artists who championed the 19th-century movement, including Albert André and Gustave Loiseau.

As council’s deputy chair of Arts & Culture, Hospitality & Live Entertainment, I am so proud of the high calibre of events and exhibitions on offer in our region, especially the quality programming at Geelong Gallery.

This exhibition is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the gallery’s curators who have done a tremendous job bringing these prolific works to Geelong.

The City of Greater Geelong is proud to support this event alongside the state and federal governments with funding from the Geelong Major Events Committee, demonstrating our commitment to attracting world-class art exhibitions to Greater Geelong.

At the city, we deeply value the economic and cultural injection that such exhibitions deliver, and to realise our region’s potential, we must look to the future.

That is why we are working alongside all levels of government to actively advocate for the funding of two priority projects at the gallery ahead of the state election in November.

While Geelong Gallery has positioned itself as one of the state’s most significant cultural institutions, it is severely restricted by space and infrastructure.

Current limitations on exhibition areas and inadequate storage prevent it from hosting more major ticketed events.

To solve this, we are asking for a major commitment to undertake a transformative redevelopment.

A redeveloped gallery would have the capacity to deliver more attractions, bolstering our regional visitor economy and our reputation as a cultural hub.

The upgraded facility would draw an additional 9,000 program attendees, 19,000 education visitors and 30,000 learning space users annually.

Beyond supporting 304 construction jobs and 21 full-time roles, the redevelopment would be an enormous driver of tourism spend.

Over 30 years, it is projected to drive an additional $766m to $802m in operating revenue, while injecting an extra $132m to $145m in direct tourism spend into our local businesses, hotels, and restaurants.

As Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design, our major arts venue deserves a development of this size to drive growth. It also deserves an increased footprint for events.

That’s why we’re seeking additional funding to create the Johnstone Park Café and Event Space.

Designed by internationally acclaimed architectural agency March Studio, this innovative project would boldly introduce new visitors to the arts precinct.

The gallery currently lacks a dedicated event space, and this commission would transform its hosting capacity while delivering on our aspiration to celebrate design.

By securing these investments, we can ensure Geelong Gallery continues to inspire, connect and elevate our community for generations to come.

I look forward to working alongside state and federal governments to champion these projects ahead of the November state election.

Cr Elise Wilkinson

Connewarre ward,

City of Greater Geelong