Construction The Rockhampton Museum of Art fronts the
Fitzroy River and is situated between
Customs House at 208 Quay Street and the commercial building at 220 Quay Street which houses the studios of local radio station
4RO. The large three-storey building is six times larger than its predecessor, the former Rockhampton Art Gallery at 96 Victoria Parade which was opened in 1979. On 24 July 2019, Annastacia Palaszczuk announced local company Woollam Constructions as the successful tenderer. Prior to its construction, the two existing commercial buildings at 212 and 214 Quay Street were demolished, including the building known as the Rockhampton Enterprise Centre. Deputy Prime Minister
Michael McCormack, Capricornia MP Michelle Landry and Rockhampton Region mayor
Margaret Strelow ceremonially commenced the demolition work at the site on 14 August 2019. Demolition work was carried out at the site until December 2019 when it transitioned from a demolition site to a construction site with structural work commencing in January 2020. Construction was completed in late 2021. After the demolition of two additional buildings at 115 and 119 East Street, a pedestrian walkway was established between East Street and Quay Lane to enable access to the museum from CBD businesses located in East Street. Originally costed at $31.5 million, the $36.5 million project was jointly funded by federal, state and local governments. Other submissions included Art on Quay, Toonooba Art Gallery and Darumbal Art Space.
Official opening The official opening of the Rockhampton Museum of Art took place on the afternoon of 25 February 2022. Dignitaries in attendance included Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszcuk, her partner Dr Reza Adib, Queensland arts minister
Leeanne Enoch, Senator
Matt Canavan, federal MP Michelle Landry, state MPs
Barry O'Rourke and
Brittany Lauga,
Darumbal elder Aunty Nicky Hatfield, former Rockhampton mayor Margaret Strelow, her husband Darryl Strelow, current Rockhampton mayor Tony Williams, and Rockhampton councillors Grant Mathers, Cherie Rutherford, Neil Fisher, Ellen Smith and Drew Wickerson. Rod Pilbeam, the grandson of former mayor Rex Pilbeam was also in attendance. Entertainment at the official opening was provided by local musicians
Miiesha, The Huxley's and Brad Butcher. The Gold Award was established in 2012 as an invitational award to acquire additional contemporary artworks. The winner of the 2022 Gold Award was
Wendy Sharpe for her work entitled "Self portrait as circus banner in purple skirt 2021". This award is only open to artists, in all forms of art media, from Central Queensland. Future events at the Rockhampton Museum of Art will include tours, workshops, artist panels, pop-up artists and yoga. donated an artwork which was originally thought to be a work by
Sir Joshua Reynolds from around the 1780s but was later re-attributed to
Lemuel Francis Abbott. Between the 1930s and 1960s, there were various suggestions for Rockhampton to have its own art gallery. From 1967 until the opening of the art gallery in Victoria Parade in 1979, a small art collection was displayed at
Rockhampton City Hall.
Former Rockhampton Art Gallery (1979–2020) The former Rockhampton Art Gallery at 62 Victoria Parade was officially opened on 6 June 1979 by
Sir Zelman Cowen. The small two-storey gallery was opened after Rockhampton mayor Rex Pilbeam had established the
Rockhampton City Council Art Acquisition Committee after noticing a
Commonwealth Government scheme which had been introduced in 1973. However, with the construction of the Rockhampton Museum of Art already underway, the Rockhampton Art Gallery remained closed to enable the art collection and operations to be relocated. After its closure, the valuable art collection was carefully relocated to the new RMOA by being transported in purpose-built secure and climate controlled casing. == References ==