2015-11-10 Infrastructure & Services Committee Agenda

INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT                             10 NOVEMBER 2015


2.    Customers

Gallery1 attendance has been strong with a 13% increase in the July–Sep 2015 period compared
to the same quarter last year. The popularity of the Floating Land retrospective exhibition has
been a major factor in this increase.


                            Gallery Attendance
             14,000

             12,000

             10,000

               8,000

               6,000

               4,000

               2,000

                  -
                                  Noosa Regional Gallery
     1st Quarter 14/15                   10,456
     1st Quarter 15/16                   11,908


The Gallery held 8 exhibitions over the three months to 30 September including two touring
exhibitions. These exhibitions have been of a very high standard with Wax and Wabi Sabi and
the Floating Land Retrospective receiving very favourable feedback. The 2014 Biosphere Art
Prize Residency held in conjunction with Floating Land contributed to an increased focus on
younger people during this period.

Event and workshop participation remains high with 1,787 people attending 52 programs during
the Jul–Sep 2015 quarter. Of particular note were the high numbers of school attendees
throughout the Floating Land exhibition.

3.    People

The current fulltime staffing equivalence for Galleries is 3.4 permanent establishment staff plus
an FTE of 2.3 in casual staffing. In addition they are supported by the two staff in Libraries &
Galleries management.

The Gallery has a current vacancy in the Gallery Programs Officer role. Two casual gallery
assistants have been appointed. They bring considerable exhibition and programming skills
which will assist resourcing shortages and improve the Gallery’s ability to undertake marketing
and audience development.
Three prominent local artists have passed away in recent months: Emma Freeman, Lyn McCrea
and Shirley Strano. The gallery has enjoyed a long relationship with each and gallery staff have
paid a respectful tribute to each artist.




1 Attendance figures are only for the Noosa Regional Gallery as the door counters at the Cooroy Butter

Factory have been faulty.

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