Art gallery gives site new lease of life

• Published date: 08 November 2021

In 2019, the council granted the Woodville Art and History Society Inc access for two years to the old library and i-SITE to convert it into art galleries. Since then the society has raised $74,000 in grants which has allowed it to extensively renovate the buildings, using mostly volunteer labour, and to shape them into amazing spaces to display art and items of historical interest.

With the two-year lease expiring, the society applied to council at the September monthly meeting for an extension for five years, with the first being rent free to enable it to open its facility.

Councillors unanimously agreed, praising the work of the group and Mayor Tracey Collis saying they deserved heartfelt congratulations for their efforts.

Society spokesman Kevin McIntyre said they were delighted to have the lease, saying it provides security because the society can now seek more funding for further developments.

On October 30, the first major exhibition was formally opened when the work of recently deceased local artist Suze Phillips was put on display for sale in the major gallery for a period of a month.

The policy of the society is to...