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Melbourne Arts Precinct facts for kids

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The Melbourne Arts Precinct is a special area in Southbank, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It's where you can find many amazing places for art and performances. Think of it as a big neighborhood for creativity! It has art galleries, theatres, and spaces for music and dance. Some famous places here are Arts Centre Melbourne, the National Gallery of Victoria, and Southbank Theatre. Many art groups also have their offices and schools here. This area has been getting a big makeover, including a new, very large art gallery called The Fox: NGV Contemporary.

History of the Arts Precinct

In 2008, the Government of Victoria announced a big plan for the precinct. They said it would get a A$128 million upgrade. A major part of this plan was to fix up Hamer Hall.

In February 2009, the Melbourne Recital Centre and MTC Theatre complex opened. This building won a top award for public buildings in Australia.

In 2014, the Victorian government shared a plan called the Melbourne Arts Precinct Blueprint. This plan cost $900,000 and aimed to set a clear vision for the area's future.

In 2018, the government announced an even bigger investment of $208 million. This money was for the first part of a huge project to improve the precinct. It included building a new contemporary art gallery, The Fox: NGV Contemporary. It also paid for important upgrades to Arts Centre Melbourne and created new public spaces. To build the new gallery, a building at 77 Southbank Boulevard was bought and taken down.

By November 2021, the total money for this project had grown to $1.7 billion.

What is the Melbourne Arts Precinct?

The Melbourne Arts Precinct is located in Southbank, mainly around St Kilda Road. It's different from other theatre areas in the city because most of its galleries and venues get money from the government. This means they are often open to everyone.

Many art groups also have their main offices, TV and radio studios, and training schools in this area.

The Big Transformation Project

The big project to transform the precinct started in 2018. A new government group called the Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation (MAP Co) is in charge of it. This group also helps look after Federation Square.

In April 2022, it was announced that the new gallery would be called The Fox: NGV Contemporary. This name honors Lindsay Fox and his wife Paula Fox, who gave a huge donation of $100 million to the gallery.

The gallery was designed by Angelo Candalepas and Associates. They led a team of 20 different companies that won a national competition to design the building.

Public Art Venues and Galleries

Here are some of the amazing public places you can visit in the Melbourne Arts Precinct:

Arts Administration and Education

Many important art organizations and schools are also located in the precinct:

See also

  • List of theatres in the Melbourne City Centre
  • Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation
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