Art Gallery of New South Wales expansion gets green light. Construction will commence in early 2019
The NSW Minister for the Arts the Hon. Don Harwin today announced the Gallery’s State Significant Development Application (SSDA) had been approved.
The new building, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects, SANAA, will close to double current exhibition space. This will enable the Gallery to show more of its outstanding art collection and host more of the best exhibitions from around the world, increasing visitation to an expected two million people a year.
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The $344 million Sydney Modern Project is the largest public-private partnerships of its kind in the Australian arts. The NSW Government has funded $244 million, and the Gallery has attracted unprecedented philanthropic support. The Capital Campaign, under the chairmanship of Gallery trustee Mark Nelson, is on the cusp of reaching its $100 million target.
The expanded Gallery will include a prominent destination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art; a large gallery for major exhibitions; a spectacular contemporary art space repurposed from a decommissioned WWII oil tank; and spaces for family, learning and educational programming to double student and teacher visits to 200,000 annually. A public Art Garden will link the new and existing buildings, for all visitors to the Gallery, the Domain and adjacent Royal Botanic Garden to enjoy.
The Gallery’s State Significant Development Application was submitted in November 2017 after more than three years of community consultation underpinned by a Master Plan and an international design competition with a world-renowned jury, who continue to be involved in the project.
The building’s final design has been unveiled as part of the SSDA approval. Construction is expected to commence in early 2019 for completion in 2021. The Gallery, which provides free admission, will remain open during this time.
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