• Redevelopment project

An investment in the future of the Gallery and the region.

Bendigo Art Gallery is undergoing a revolutionary transformation establishing the Gallery as an international, world-class cultural facility for future generations.

The project will deliver ‘The People’s Gallery’, a welcoming and empowering place for the Bendigo and broader Victorian community focused on accessibility, education, shared economic benefit and celebrating our Traditional Owners.

 

About the project 

The Gallery redevelopment is being delivered in two stages.  

Stage one will deliver:

  • Economic benefits - Enhanced visitor experiences including a dedicated second-floor gallery to host international exhibitions
  • Traditional Owner recognition - Placemaking landscaping and a Place of Keeping and gallery space for Dja Dja Wurrung cultural materials
  • Innovative learning centre - A purpose built learning studio, children's gallery and multipurpose theatre space for education, talks and events
  • Spaces for community - Improved accessibility, increased amenity, and expanded public spaces that connect the Gallery more strongly to the city

To visualise stage one, watch the flythrough video.

Stage two is subject to securing $15 million in Federal Government funding and would deliver:

  • Celebrating Australian artists – a dedicated second-floor gallery for Australian art, an additional 400 square metres of gallery space
  • Focus on gastronomy – an elevated hospitality offering, including an improved café and restaurant, a redesigned sculpture annex and second-floor function facility and terrace.  

 

Project update

Construction on the Bendigo Art Gallery redevelopment is underway.

A sod turning ceremony on 13 February 2026 marked the official commencement of this landmark $45 million project. Local company Fairbrother Construction is leading the redevelopment, which is expected to create hundreds of jobs across the local construction sector and broader economy.

While the building is under construction, the Gallery’s creative program continues across Bendigo. Subscribe to our eNews or follow us on social media for the latest updates, events, and exhibitions. The Gallery is scheduled to reopen in 2028.

Read the official media release here

Local construction company Fairbrother Construction will lead the redevelopment.

Read about the contractor announcement here.

Click here to see the latest progress photos

 

 

The Bendigo Art Gallery Redevelopment is being developed by City of Greater Bendigo council in partnership with the Victorian Government through Regional Development Victoria and the Community Support Fund. 

Victoria State Government

 

 
Frequently Asked Questions

Why redevelop the Gallery?

Bendigo Art Gallery has outgrown its current facilities. The continued success of our international exhibition program has caused us to outgrow our facilities, with no dedicated space for public gathering, learning and education, and during an international exhibition season there are minimal collection and free program offerings.   

The Gallery is a significant economic and cultural driver for Greater Bendigo and the wider region. Redevelopment ensures it can continue to meet community needs, attract visitors, and remain competitive as a leading cultural institution.  

For more than 20 years, the City of Greater Bendigo and the local tourism industry have built Bendigo’s identity around arts, culture and events. This project strengthens that legacy and secures the Gallery’s future as a world‑class destination.

The proposed redevelopment will enable the Gallery to stage a bigger international exhibition program whilst also offering a multitude of free exhibitions, programs and learning for the community and visitors. The Gallery will have expanded Gallery spaces but also brand-new facilities, including a dedicated Place of Keeping, a major learning centre, theatre and children's gallery, as well as an internal public street linking View Street to Rosalind Park and accessible spaces throughout. 

The Gallery redevelopment will be the largest civic infrastructure project delivered by the City of Greater Bendigo.

 

What will the redevelopment deliver? 

The project will be delivered in two stages.  

Stage one includes a second-level blockbuster exhibition space, an innovative learning centre, theatre and Traditional Owner Place of Keeping for Dja Dja Wurrung cultural materials. 

Subject to funding, stage two includes a dedicated gallery for Australian art and an elevated hospitality offering, featuring an improved café/restaurant incorporated into a redesigned sculpture annex and second-floor function facility and terrace.

 

Why develop in two stages? 

Stage two is subject to securing a Federal Government grant of $15M. An application was made to the Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program in late 2024 and the Gallery and City are awaiting the outcome of the application.   

 

Who designed the redevelopment? 

Architecture firms Jackson Clements Burrows and Clare Design have designed a contemporary, two-storey extension of the Gallery, with the white exterior referencing the white clay of the Bendigo region.   

The façade will be etched with a pattern to be designed by a Dja Dja Wurrung artist, to be announced at a later date. For now, the artist impressions show a placeholder design inspired by the chevron pattern on a Dja Dja Wurrung shield that has been repatriated and is held by the Gallery as a designated Dja Dja Wurrung Place of Keeping.  

The ground floor will be reconfigured, noting the three 19th century galleries, Bolton Court, Drury Court and Abbott Court, are not part of the project however will receive some restoration and have been sympathetically included in the planned designs. 

 

How much will it cost and how is it funded? 

The stage one construction budget is $45M and is made up of $21M from the Victorian Government, $9M from the City of Greater Bendigo, $4M from the Gallery Board and $9.35M from philanthropic donations, and is enough for the project to proceed.  

To make up the shortfall for stage one, the City intends to raise more philanthropic funds and undertake additional value management on the project as part of the procurement process. 

All funds raised to date have been put towards construction, however if $15M in Federal funding is secured it would mean some of the already committed funds can be reallocated to future programming for the new gallery spaces.  

 

When will construction start? 

Construction commenced in February 2026.

 

Is the Gallery closed during construction? 

Yes. The Gallery closed 1 December 2025 and will reopen in 2028.  

The project involves large-scale construction, so it is not safe for staff to work from the site or patrons to visit, and artworks are being stored offsite for the duration of the project.

 

Will the Gallery operate elsewhere during redevelopment? 

Yes. The Gallery is delivering an active offsite program across Bendigo during construction, presenting exhibitions, public artworks, and partnerships that continue to engage the community and attract visitors. To stay up to date, visit www.bendigoregion.com.au/bendigo-art-gallery 

 

Has there been any community consultation? Is Heritage Victoria involved? 

Yes, consultation took place with Traditional Owners and representatives from the education and disability sectors. Their feedback informed the design of the building to ensure it is inclusive, accessible and the Gallery is able to enhance its strong education program that is already offered to schools across Greater Bendigo and central Victoria.   

The designs have been endorsed by Heritage Victoria, as the planned expansion adjoins the existing 19th century galleries (it is important to note the 19th century galleries of Bolton Court, Drury Court and Abbott Court are not part of the project and have been sympathetically included in the planned designs).   

Planning approval was received from the City of Greater Bendigo and Heritage Victoria in March 2024.

 

How can I support the project?

Philanthropic support plays an important role in delivering this landmark project. Donations of any size are warmly welcomed.

Donate button

 

Sebastian Di Mauro's **Folly** is being lifted by a crane outside the Gallery as workers guide the installation.
A truck carrying Alex Seton’s **Sometimes the dead are more alive than the living** sculpture is parked in front of Bendigo Art Gallery’s red brick façade.
Two trucks transport Alex Seton and Sebastian Di Mauro's artwork along a tree-lined street with historic buildings.
Alex Seton’s **Sometimes the dead are more alive than the living** sculpture is suspended by straps while workers position it near a garden bed.
A decorative ceramic vase with intricate patterns is secured inside a custom wooden shipping crate.
A person is handling a large wooden crate containing a framed painting.
Workers use a crane to carefully lift and position a sculpture inside a brick-lined building of Sculpture Annex.
Empty gallery with white curved walls and timber floors, showing large wooden crates packed for storage.
The Gallery's Drury Court with pale green walls, arched doorways, timber floors, and a large skylight illuminating the empty room.
Abbott Court interior with pale green walls, arched doorway, timber floor, and a large skylight illuminating minimal furniture and objects.
Sculpture Annex corridor with glass walls, brick interior, polished stone floor, and natural light overlooking the courtyard.
Drury Court gallery with pale green walls, arched doorway, timber floors, and a large skylight illuminating the open space.
Sod turning ceremony. Pictured L to R: Gallery Board Chair Jan Boynton, City CEO Andrew Cooney, Bendigo Art Gallery Director Jessica Bridgfoot, The Hon Maree Edwards MP Member for Bendigo West, Mayor Cr Thomas Prince, DJAARA CEO Cassandra Lewis and The Hon Jacinta Allan MP Premier of Victoria.
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Welcome

The City of Greater Bendigo acknowledges the Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung Peoples as the traditional custodians of the lands across Bendigo. We acknowledge and pay respect to their Elders past present and emerging.