Geelong Gallery annual report 2014 –2015 The year at a glance Estimated visitors Hours donated by volunteers to support One of Australia’s leading and oldest regional the Gallery, its staff and meet public galleries, Geelong Gallery is also home to a * renowned collection that includes Australian demand for services and programs and international paintings, works on paper, 57,270 sculpture, decorative arts and new media. Each year we offer inspiring and rewarding experiences through a vibrant program of temporary 4,470 exhibitions along with a diverse range of artist talks, Exhibitions created and presented tours, workshops, lectures, family-friendly activities and learn programs. Gallery members Our strategic directions are focused in three broad areas: artistic and cultural advancement to enhance Geelong as a liveable city; tourism 24 and economic benefit; and lifelong and inclusive 663 learning opportunities. Additional student exhibitions Government Partners Foundation members 2 2014 –2015 223 Geelong Gallery is supported by People participated in public the Victorian Government through and learn programs Creative Victoria. Founding members of the 7,761 Hitchcock Society 11 Gallery staff (EFT) Geelong Gallery Geelong Donated to the Geelong Art Gallery 8.4 Foundation annual giving appeal Gallery volunteers (not including Board $44,000 members and key support groups) 42 operating budget (million) $1.7 annual reportannual *Visitation during the year in review COVER Victoria Reichelt was significantly impacted by frequent Flood 2014 road closures associated with the adjacent oil on canvas Purchased with funds generously construction site of a new Geelong Library provided by the Robert Salzer Foundation Art Purchase Program and visitor donations and Heritage Centre. 2014 From the President The single most significant initiative This past year, the Gallery reviewed the fees and Geelong Gallery Board benefits associated with Gallery Membership and of the past year was the completion introduced a new fee schedule to better reflect the The Gallery Board met 11 times between July 2014 of a Business Case to examine options actual and rising costs of the activities and benefits and June 2015. for the long overdue redevelopment provided for the enjoyment of Members: our core and valued support group. We are deeply appreciative The attendance figure of each Board member of the Gallery’s handsome and historic of the loyalty and commitment of our Members as is outlined below. but spatially inadequate building. indeed we are of the magnificent work done by the Gallery’s Foundation, the Geelong Gallery Grasshoppers committee, the Friends committee, our Voluntary Guides and the larger corps of general volunteers— Board member attendance to all of whom l once again extend the grateful thanks of your Board. President— Terry Wills Cooke 11 Similarly, l place on record my indebtedness to fellow Board members for their support and Vice President— commitment during the past year and, in saying so, Andrew Balaam 10 l warmly acknowledge the contributions made by Hon Treasurer— three new Board members Ed Paton, Sally McLaine Barry Fagg 10 and Diana Taylor. Hon Secretary— To the Director and staff of the Gallery, l place Gerard Mullaly 8 Terry Wills Cooke on record the Board’s gratitude for their continued President Geelong Gallery loyalty, professionalism and their enthusiastic efforts Alan Currie* 2 to make Geelong Australia’s premier regional gallery. Robyn Everist 9 It is my pleasure to present the Geelong Gallery’s Details of the preferred option were subject to Finally, l would like to make a particular Annual Report 2014–2015 for the information of our a period of community consultation and we were acknowledgement of the generous annual Matthew Fisher 8 members, government partners, sponsors and all greatly encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive operating grant provided by our Principal Government stakeholders without whose collective and generous response received in respect of this process. Bolstered partner, the City of Greater Geelong, and for the Cameron Granger 8 engagement we could not have presented the by this response, and again in partnership with the similarly extremely welcome annual program programs outlined elsewhere in this document. City, we continue to actively progress the case grant received from the Victorian Government Maria Hamilton 11 for redevelopment funding. through Creative Victoria. The single most significant initiative of the past year Sally McLaine** 9 was the completion of a Business Case to examine Additionally, over the past year, the Gallery worked Peter McMullin* 3 options for the long overdue redevelopment of the closely with the Geelong Library and Heritage Terry Wills Cooke Gallery’s handsome and historic but spatially Centre, and with the City of Greater Geelong, Ed Paton** 5 inadequate building. to manage and mitigate the serious interruption President to Gallery operations caused by neighbouring site Diana Taylor** 6 With a $100,000 grant from the Victorian works associated with the construction of the new Government’s Regional Development Fund, Geelong Library and Heritage Centre. Although this Penny Whitehead 8 and additional funding from the City of Greater project has undoubtedly curtailed Gallery programs Geelong as well as from the Gallery’s own resources, and community engagement for much of the year, City of Greater Geelong representative— the City and Gallery in partnership commissioned it will ultimately furnish us with a new visiting Cr Andy Richards 7 the experienced consultancy Biruu Pty Ltd to work exhibitions space on the Library’s ground floor that with us to identify and assess options for the will be entered directly from the Gallery foyer. * Resigned from the Board at the Geelong Gallery AGM, September 2014 strategic expansion of our present facility. ** Elected to the Board at the Geelong Gallery AGM, September 2014 In spite of the logistical challenge of remaining Completed in late 2014, the Business Case open for visitors throughout the new Library’s investigated some nine options both within and construction phase, and determined to explore beyond the Little Malop Street arts precinct, with new ways to increase Gallery engagement with the preferred option for redevelopment signalling the Geelong community and to attract visitors the integration of the Gallery’s existing building to our region, the Gallery ventured to mount over with a prospective multi-level structure to be built the summer period an ambitious suite of exhibitions on the footprint of the existing driveway between promoted collectively under the banner We are the Gallery and the City’s conference centre that Geelong. While details of the component exhibitions would, itself, be demolished and replaced with of this innovative project are found in the Director’s a three-level structure, one tier of which would remarks that follow, it was a source of great be retained by Council and two tiers forming part satisfaction to the Board that the narrative appeal of the Gallery redevelopment. and Geelong-focus of this major undertaking were effective in attracting new and enthusiastic audiences, not to mention excellent media coverage of the respective exhibitions. Geelong Gallery annual report 2014–2015 2 Geelong Gallery annual report 2014–2015 3 From the Director Ours is a small team delivering an unusually ambitious annual program within the constraints of very limited financial and general resources. John Phillips George Humphrey (publisher) Geoffrey Edwards New mode of military discipline Director (detail) 1829 Geelong Gallery hand coloured etching At the outset of these summary remarks, I add outstanding acquisition. Gifted under the terms painting to be finally returned to display in the in this idiom; Telling tales that drew on the my personal thanks to the many Gallery supporters of the Cultural Gifts Program by Christine Bell in 1915 revisited—a collection in residence exhibition permanent collection for works notable for their cited in the President’s report but l single out for memory of the late Christopher Bell, the felicitous that marked the centenary in 2015 of the opening narrative richness; and finally the aforementioned special mention and commendation my colleagues timing of the gift enabled the Gallery to prepare the of the oldest part of the Gallery building. 1915 revisited—a collection in residence that on the Gallery’s staff. Ours is a small team collection for special exhibition as The Iron Duke— recreated a semblance of the salon-style hang that delivering an unusually ambitious annual program soldier and statesman to mark the bicentenary In addition to this exhibition, and also to mark greeted visitors to the Gallery in its formative years. within the constraints of very limited financial and on 18 June 1815 of the Battle of Waterloo. The the building’s centenary, the Gallery commissioned general resources. Nonetheless, the various collection includes works by the foremost satirical a major installation Framework by artist Lisa Young All exhibitions were supported by public and learn component programs, as witnessed by visitors cartoonists of the period such as James Gillray, which was presented in and responded to the programs as summarised elsewhere in this Report throughout the year, are characterised by a Thomas Rowlandson, William Heath, John Doyle familiar octagonal space of the Richardson Gallery. with special holiday programs created for young consistently high degree of professionalism.