Presented by Robert Clark MP		www.robertclark.net

A diversity of funding for the arts

The Museum of Modern Art at Heide, the State Library, the Australian Ballet and Museum Victoria receive significant funding in the arts Budget.

$3 million will be spent at the Museum of Modern Art at Heide at Bulleen to restore John and Sunday Reed’s house and build a new gallery to tell the story of modern art in Australia. The Reeds encouraged some of Australia’s leading artists including Albert Tucker and Sidney Nolan.

The State Library of Victoria will receive $91.4 million to redevelop the Barry Wing and Queen’s Hall by 2003. The works will complement the State Government-funded upgrade of the octagonal reading room currently underway.

The library will also receive an extra $4.6 million per year to ensure it remained the state’s leading public information and research centre.

The Melbourne-based Australian Ballet will receive $1.2 million over four years.

The Ballet’s $300,000 funding in the first year will allow the company to exhibit Australian ballet in Shanghai, Singapore and New York.

$1.5 million will also be spent to create a virtual museum site on the Internet. The program, called Museum Victoria Online 2001, will allow online access to the latest exhibitions and research material at Victoria’s museums.

Further upgrades in backstage technology at many regional performing arts centres will enable arts companies to tour more extensively in regional Victoria.

The Victorian Arts Centre will also receive $6.6 million to improve its technical equipment and capacity.

Significant funds allocations for the development or upgrade of other major Victorian assets include:

• $3.2 million towards the new museum at Carlton Gardens.
• $1.6 million to complete restoration of the facade of the Royal Exhibition Buildings.
• An extra $1 million to improve visitor comfort and backstage facilities at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. The extra funding follows last year's $14.5 million commitment to upgrade the bowl.
• $1.3 million for improved disabled access to cultural venues across the state.

(News Release, Office of the Premier and Minister for the Arts, May 4, 1999)