The project to transform the former Cudgegong Shire building into Mid-Western Region’s arts and cultural centre took another step forward with the announcement of $2.3 million in funding.
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In May last year the ownership of the building at 90 Market Street, Mudgee, was transferred from the NSW Government to council. Member for Dubbo Troy Grant said that the project represents something of a missing piece in what the region offers.
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“An art gallery here will add so much to the local community to support a burgeoning, very talented and growing arts and cultural community,” he said. “Mudgee is one of the best places on earth to live, work and play, and it just didn’t seem right that we didn’t have a state-of-the-art, world class gallery and cultural centre here.
“All well and good to identify, locate and secure the building, but what do we do from here? So I want to congratulate mayor Des Kennedy, general manager Brad Cam and the whole council on their vision, working with the local community to develop master plans and an understanding of what this building can offer.
“While retaining the heritage that’s here, but also offering a modern build, complementary café and areas to hold events on this precinct. It’s got so much potential, that’s why it was such an appealing opportunity for the state government to gift this building back to the council.”
It just didn’t seem right that we didn’t have a state-of-the-art, world class gallery and cultural centre here.
- Troy Grant
The $2.3 million, secured through the NSW Government’s $100 million Regional Cultural Fund, is around half that required for the project which will be put to council at their February meeting.
“Hopefully we’ll be calling for expressions of interest and tenders in mid-year and we’ll be doing our best to start turning dirt mid to late this year,” mayor Des Kennedy said. “So within 18 months we’ll have a fantastic arts and cultural centre here.”
Deputy mayor Sam Paine said that the precinct won’t only be a gallery and that it will tie in with the nearby Lawson Park Sculpture Walk, Theatre and Library.
“More than being a gallery it will be a cultural centre, so when the final plans are put together and we’ve consulted with the arts community and the people who will be using it, it’ll have gallery space, a café space, and probably provide meeting and studio rooms for groups of artists and people in the community who need a place to use,” he said. “It will also have room on the grass where we can continue our sculpture walk, that comes along the park at the moment and will connect all of the cultural facilities in the town.”
