Art for the People: Bendigo Art Gallery 1887 - 2013

Introduction
Art for the people: Bendigo Art Gallery
1887 – 2013, reflects upon the origin
and evolution of Bendigo Art Gallery,
coinciding with a pivotal moment in
its contemporary history: the 2013
redevelopment. Delving into the
archives, selected historical artefacts
and materials bring to life the stories
surrounding architectural developments,
the founders and their motivation,
and highlights the individuals who
have given so generously from their
own collections to create our ‘people’s
gallery’.
Bendigo Art Gallery was established
in 1887 by the citizens of Sandhurst,
as Bendigo was known until 1891, to
encourage an appreciation of artistic
culture within the formative years of
the city’s development. The township
of Bendigo had already earned its
reputation as a colonial success story
with the discovery of gold, quickly
displaying the hallmarks of an elegant
Victorian city.
The Sandhurst School of Mines in
McCrae Street (now Bendigo Regional
Institute of TAFE) was the first location
for the Gallery. It subsequently relocated
to the Bendigo Volunteer Rifle orderly
room on View Street in 1890, and from
this modest beginning the Gallery has
evolved through a series of extensions
and redevelopments to its current form.
For at least the first two decades of
Bendigo Art Gallery’s existence, British
and European academic pictures were
the cornerstone of the collection. More
than a century later, the collection is
recognised for its diverse contemporary
representation including a selection
of work by the very best artists in the
country.
Bendigo Art Gallery’s collection
including paintings, sculpture, works
on paper, new media and decorative
art objects. The current redevelopment,
designed by Karl Fender of Fender
Katsalidis Architects and funded by
state and local government, symbolises
the bright future ahead for Bendigo
Art Gallery. Its growing contemporary
collection, innovative programming,
inspirational education and public
programming, and the establishment of
an international exhibition schedule that
links Bendigo with the world reinforces
its capacity and reputation as the largest
and most progressive museum of art
within regional Australia.
Bendigo Art Gallery’s lenders,
volunteers and supporters are an integral
part of our success. For their generous
contribution to the exhibition Art for
the people: Bendigo Art Gallery 1887 –
2013, my sincere thanks to the Bendigo
branch of the National Trust of Australia
(Victoria), Margaret Bowden, Helen and
Leo Bruinier, Rod Fyffe, Merle Hall,
John Higgs, Dorothy Houlden, Erma
Little, Peter and Dale Little, Stan Liacos,
Jan Monro, Dennis O’Hoy, and Geoff
Paynter. Thank you also to Melinda
Mockridge for her invaluable assistance
with research.
I’d like to thank Simone Bloomfield
for curating this exhibition, and the
technical team of Bendigo Art Gallery
for their ongoing support. A special
acknowledgment must also be made
of the significant contribution of our
wonderful team of Post Office Gallery
volunteers who assist in bringing the
exhibitions at this venue to life through
their interactions with visitors.
Unknown artist
Sandhurst Fine Art
Gallery when housed
at Bendigo School
of Mines, McCrae
Street (detail)
c1887
Karen Quinlan
engraving
DIRECTOR, BENDIGO ART GALLERY
Bendigo Art
Gallery archives now comprises close to 5000 works,
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