News Alert |

Ballarat City Council has approved a five-year strategic partnership grant with the Ballarat International Foto Biennale.

The partnership, which will be in place until 2024, comprises of:

$250,000 cash support In-kind support via occupancy of the Mining Exchange office for the partnership duration Provision of no-fee usage of selected City of Ballarat venues and assets for the three Biennale events over the next five years, including Alfred Deakin Place, the Art Gallery of Ballarat temporary exhibition space, the Ballarat Mining Exchange, Unicorn Lane art windows, City of Ballarat shipping containers, the Ballarat Town Hall A-Hall and Backspace Gallery

The partnership acknowledges the significant improvement and success of the 2017 Biennale, which attracted 26,000 attendees, produced an economic impact of $3.89 million and provided extensive state and national media exposure for Ballarat.

The Ballarat International Foto Biennale has received continuous Ballarat City Council funding since it first came to the town in 2009 after having its origins in Daylesford.

The current funding agreement is due to end in October, with the new partnership to supersede this original agreement, which will begin on July 1 and end on June 30, 2024.

The partnership aligns with the 2018-2028 City of Ballarat Events Strategy and the draft Creative City Strategy.

The City of Ballarat Grants Policy is for quality programs, events, products and services which bring a wide range of social, environmental and economic returns to the town.

From 2019 onward, the Biennale will change from a 30-day to a 60-day event, with a schedule of exhibition and activities throughout the year.