Express thoughts for proposed Toowoomba Art Museum via digital Ideas Board

Residents with creative ideas and suggestions about revitalising the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery or a potential new facility and its operations are encouraged to share information via an interactive Ideas Board until Sunday, January 5, 2025.

Toowoomba Regional Council Library and Cultural Services portfolio spokesperson Cr Melissa Taylor said interested people could offer their views and comments by visiting, https://ideas.smatourism.com/

Cr Taylor said the business case looking at the proposed facility had started and now residents were welcome to submit their ideas to contribute to its development.

Cr Taylor said the Ideas Board was divided into five categories, to aid the collation of feedback, which are: • the essence of an art gallery, • connecting people and art, • exhibitions and experiences, • experiencing the collections, and • art museum and surrounds. • “We are keen for anyone interested in the project to list their creative suggestions on the Ideas Board, view other comments and vote on their favourite ideas,” Cr Taylor said.

“The subject areas prompt respondents to consider what would inspire them to visit a gallery or aspects of other facilities that left an impression on them; how they connect with art and the modes of communication they prefer; the types of exhibitions they would visit or which would be popular; how much of the Gallery Collection they expect to see displayed; whether they would like to learn about curating and caring for the Collection; and ideas about the building’s physical appearance and how it projects our Region’s character or what distinguishing features would make the facility an appealing drawcard for residents and visitors.

“The feedback will be reviewed to inform relevant sections of the business case for the proposed Toowoomba Art Museum.

“The project team is investigating the options, costs and benefits of delivering a revitalised art museum to update or replace the existing Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery (TRAG). Council approved this motion at its October 2023 Ordinary Meeting and in October 2024 awarded Simon McArthur and Associates Pty Ltd T/A SMA Tourism the contract to develop a business case for the project.

“The business case will assess TRAG’s current limitations and explore options for a new or upgraded facility that meets the required standards to attract touring exhibitions and larger installations.”

Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery, which opened in 1937, is the oldest public art gallery in regional Queensland)

For more details, including a survey seeking comments about ways to improve the visitor experience at Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery, please visit Improving Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery