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This article was published on Thursday, 3 March, 2016. The information contained within may be out of date or inaccurate. News articles and media releases older than 60 days are archived for future reference.

New SAM receives $10 million boost from State Government

In Shepparton today at the existing site of the Shepparton Art Museum, the Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford announced the Regional Development Victoria funding towards the $34.5 million project.

The project will see the Shepparton Art Museum relocated to the more visually prominent and accessible location of the Victoria Lake Park.

The project will activate Shepparton as a cultural destination, create local jobs, increase visitation, attract business investment, and boost consumer spending in the region’s retail, hospitality and accommodation sectors.

The redevelopment will deliver a new art museum with increased capacity to showcase its unique ceramics, indigenous and multi-cultural collections to Victorian, interstate and international visitors.

It will also improve the region’s cultural vibrancy, liveability, community engagement, social cohesion and cultural connectedness within its indigenous and multicultural communities.

Shepparton Council’s business case for the project forecasts it will lead to an increase in visitation to the art museum from 36,869 to over 90,000 in three years’ time and up to 100,000 in five years.

Over the construction phase, the project will inject $34.5 million in the local economy, and create 72 direct and 109 indirect jobs. Once operational, the museum will increase visitor spending in the region by $6.25 million per annum and provide 23 direct jobs by year ten.

This will have a positive impact on the annual visitor spend in the region and is likely to encourage other private investment in new business and tourism infrastructure and services to cater for the increased number of visitors to the region.

The project will deliver:

A new multi-level and energy efficient building
Studio space designed to host an ‘artists in residence program’
Studio spaces for workshops and use by community groups
A Children’s Gallery to promote exploration and learning through sensory, emotional and intellectual stimulation
A community piazza
A Grand Hall, ideal for events and functions
A permanent home for Shepparton’s Visitor Information Centre and Gallery Kaiela (an not-for-profit Aboriginal art gallery)
Display space for new art collections and acquisitions
A theatrette for screenings and performances, particularly in support the Australian National Piano Awards and the Shepparton Arts Festival.

The Victorian Government will allocate the $10 million from its $500 Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund, contingent on Australian Government funding through the National Stronger Regions Fund.

“Redeveloping the Shepparton Art Museum will greatly enhance Shepparton’s key cultural asset. It will boost the region’s liveability, cultural connectedness within its indigenous and multicultural communities, and help to attract new visitors, residents and investors,” said Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford.

“Investing in cultural assets is vital to developing culturally vibrant regional communities and diversifying the economic base. Cultural assets improve the attractiveness and liveability of regional Victoria and provide opportunities for regional and community education, and encourage engagement and community cohesion”.

Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor, Dinny Adem said the investment will have a significant positive impact on the economy of our region. “A new SAM is a game changer for Greater Shepparton. It will position our region as a strong tourism destination and will attract more visitors, entice more people to live here and investors to the area, as well as diversifying our economy,” said Cr Adem.

“We are extremely grateful for the funding and very excited by the Andrew’s Government’s $10 million investment towards making a new SAM a reality.”

“We congratulate the state government on their vision. As a significant investor they are key to bringing to fruition a unique regional art museum experience, although the new SAM will be much more than an art museum,” said Cr Adem.

“Greater Shepparton is excited to partner with all tiers of Government and we look forward to visiting our Federal counterparts in Canberra soon to talk them through the merits of our proposal.”