About Gayndah Art Gallery

The Gayndah Art Gallery is situated upstairs in the Gayndah Arts & Cultural Centre. The building was previously the Catholic Convent in Gayndah and is adjacent to the St Joseph’s Primary School.
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The Gayndah Art Gallery has been operational upstairs in the Gayndah Arts & Cultural Centre since March, 2012. The Gallery space has been admired by many visiting art exhibitors. The Gallery has a reputation for exhibitions of high standard in a rural area.
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The Gallery provides opportunities for artists working in all genres, to display their artistic skills as well as showcasing the region’s art and culture to visiting public, bringing long term benefits to individuals and the community at large.
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The Gallery Offers:
A new exhibition every two months (6 per year)
Friends of Gayndah Gallery memberships (FROGGS)
Workshops and art classes for adults and children
Opportunities for local artisans to display their work in Gallery C
To keep up to date with the latest Gayndah Gallery news visit us on Facebook
History
The Gayndah Art Gallery is housed in an historical part of Gayndah’s past. Originally a Catholic Convent, the building was first opened in 1919 to accommodate the Sisters of the Good Samaritan teaching staff and boarding students of
St Joseph’s Primary School.
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The Convent stopped taking students in 1969. The last remaining Nuns moved to smaller premises in 1995.
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After a decade of minimal use, a plan was formed to reinvent this community landmark into a contemporary arts and cultural educational centre.
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St Joseph’s then Principal, Liam Dougherty, was instrumental in acquiring the use of building and forming the partnership with the schools, Council and the community. Liam, with Gayndah State Primary School Principal Kelly Jeppesen, with support of Mayor Joy Jensen, North Burnett Regional Council and BIEDO (Burnett Inland Economic Development Organisation) and community members, formed an application for funding from ‘Rural School Partners: Working Together for Excellence and Equity in Education.’ The application was successful and they received funding of $2.37M to makeover and reinvent the building to become the Gayndah Arts and Cultural Centre, retaining as much of its characteristic appearance as possible.
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The new interior floor plans for the lower floor are devoted to an arts room and stage, music tuition, rehearsal and performance areas, storage spaces, office, lift, teachers offices and toilet facilities. Upstairs houses the Gayndah Art Gallery, Performing Arts/Conference Room with change room and stage, storage, kitchen and toilet facilities.
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The newly refurbished building was officially opened in March 2012 with Bishop Brian V Finnigan and Father John Khoai, Good Samaritan Sisters Sr Una McGarry, Sr Marie Jones and Sr Mary Roche attending the occasion.


Original Building - Opened 1919
Present Day
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