AusLeisure

Cairns Regional Council has begun the search for an innovative design for a new gallery to enhance the existing Cairns Gallery Precinct, with Council looking to attract design ideas from across Australia that will deliver a “wow” experience for visitors to the precinct.

The new gallery will connect three heritage listed buildings – the Cairns Art Gallery, the Court House and the former Mulgrave Shire Council office – and the site of the former Council administration building at 51 The Esplanade.

Expressions of Interest (EOI) open tomorrow (23rd July) for the project, which also includes a master plan outlining how the four exhibition spaces will work together to create a unique cultural experience that will be heralded as a destination showcasing First Nations artwork as well as exhibitions from across Australia and internationally.

Suitably qualified firms are invited to outline their experience and ideas showing how the precinct can best be used to create a world-class cultural experience, and a destination showcasing First Nations and internationally acclaimed art.

The EOI will allow Council to short list candidates for a Request for Tender process that will provide $10,000 in funding per firm to further develop their idea into a design concept. The overall process will include robust detailed costings to ensure the new gallery building is progressed to a ‘shovel ready state’.

Cairns Acting Mayor, Terry James said the two-stage process was designed to attract the best ideas from across the country and advised Mayor James advised “we want Australia’s best minds working on this project and will be searching far and wide to develop a vision that will truly wow visitors.

“The requirements in the EOI are deliberately loosely defined to encourage innovation and creativity to develop a unique precinct that supports our ambition to be the arts and culture capital of Northern Australia.”

Funding for the Precinct Master Plan and design of the new gallery is part of an agreement with the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning for $10 million as part of the Regional Recovery Partnerships Program.

The EOI will be available on Tenderlink via Council’s website from 9am on Saturday 23rd July and close at 4.30pm on Friday 19th August.

The Request for Tender process is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Stages of the Cairns Gallery Precinct
Stage 1 (complete): Court House heritage upgrade and restoration.
Stage 2 (mostly completed): Demolition of the “L Shape” 51 The Esplanade building (former Council administration offices)
Stage 3 (underway): Restoration of the former Mulgrave Shire Offices
Stages 4 & 5A (Two-Stage Tender Process July – December 2022): Concept and detailed design for the proposed new gallery including wider precinct integration and connectivity.
Stage 5B (subject to funding): New gallery construction and final precinct integration.

Related Articles

25th November 2021 - Cairns Gallery Precinct project receives $10 million Federal Government contribution

23rd June 2022 - Cairns Indigenous Art Fair and Cairns Airport announce new three-year partnership

3rd May 2022 - Australian Indigenous Tourism Conference to be held in Cairns in 2022

9th November 2021 - Cairns Indigenous Art Fair showcases First Nations creativity

9th July 2021 - Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2021 captures culture of First Nation Peoples

28th June 2021 - Cairns Performing Arts Centre wins State award for Public Architecture

7th June 2021 - Cairns Performing Arts Centre secures prestigious architectural award

8th January 2021 - Vibrant public artworks sought for Cairns Esplanade Dining Precinct

12th March 2020 - Cairns Performing Arts Precinct secures urban design award

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.