Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) has awarded Simon McArthur and Associates Pty Ltd T/A SMA Tourism the contract to develop a business case for the proposed Toowoomba Art Museum.
TRC Property Services portfolio spokesperson Cr Trevor Manteufel said the firm would progress investigations into the options, costs and benefits of delivering a revitalised art museum to replace or update the existing Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery (TRAG). Council approved this motion at its October 2023 Ordinary Meeting.
"The business case will assess TRAG's current limitations, including its size and environmental control issues, and explore options for a new or upgraded facility that meets the required standards to attract touring exhibitions and larger installations," Cr Manteufel said.
"The current Gallery, which opened at its present site in 1994, is not adequately functioning as a modern, regional facility. Contemporary art museums servicing half the Toowoomba Region's population, and with half the art collection of the current Gallery, are on average 5,000m². TRAG, which is 750m², houses three separate collections of unique cultural heritage that number more than 8,000 items. (TRAG, which opened in 1937, is the oldest public art gallery in regional Queensland)
"The existing facility is too small to comfortably accommodate touring exhibitions from state and national galleries, and other exhibitions that are toured by Museum and Gallery Services Queensland.
