A New Art Gallery for the Sunshine Coast

> THE CONTEXT

To meet the needs of a rapidly growing population, Sunshine Coast Council has embarked on a suite of planning and development projects to provide high quality arts and cultural facilities. As part of the future plans for the Caloundra CBD district, the Sunshine Coast Council has emphasised the need for the redevelopment of the Caloundra Regional Gallery. Positive Solutions has led and contributed to key projects over several stages of this redevelopment, including a Business Plan for the current Gallery, and a Scoping Brief and Route Map for delivery of the new Gallery.

> OUR APPROACH 

Positive Solutions gathered existing information and knowledge through consultation, interviews and workshops.

This information was reviewed and further scoping of existing local cultural and regional cultural facilities undertaken to illustrate the role of the Gallery within the cultural/educational sector and wider community. Traditional Owners were consulted to consider Indigenous cultural integration. Benchmarking of recent regional gallery developments was undertaken to inform an updated urban design analysis with indicative massing and spatial requirements.

Positive Solutions provided further support through reviewing existing plans and policies along with undertaking interviews with key stakeholders, to inform recommendations for a Route Map.

> THE BRIEF 

Positive Solutions was contracted by the Sunshine Coast Council to work alongside the Sunshine Coast Regional Gallery Curator and representatives from the Council’s Community Programs and Events Team to develop the Regional Gallery Business Plan and Development Plan.

Sunshine Coast Council then engaged Diecke Richards with the support of Positive Solutions to identify the requirements for a new, purpose-built Regional Art Gallery at Caloundra. Positive Solutions was further asked to develop the Sunshine Coast Gallery delivery Route Map, providing Council with an understanding of the activities needed to progress the development of the future Caloundra Regional Gallery, considering infrastructure, staffing, governance, and programmatic activities.

> THE RESULT

This body of work Positive Solutions provided culminated in a findings report that was accepted by Sunshine Coast Council as a basis for providing direction for the future Caloundra Regional Gallery. As one of Australia’s largest and fastest growing local government areas, a new Caloundra Regional Gallery will contribute to the Council’s aspirations to be Australia’s most sustainable region, and a creative, dynamic, and vibrant place where arts are experienced as part of everyday life.