The Art Gallery of New South Wales (NSW)’s new expansion has attracted over 86,000 visits in its first week, with 25,000 visiting for the one-night-only Art for All concert held in The Domain.
The free concert was headlined by English singer Ellie Goulding and celebrated the new building in Sydney, and was a culmination of an opening programme of art, music, performance and discussions. Australian singer Meg Mac and electronic duo Electronic Fields also performed.
Australia’s Minister for the Arts and Tourism Ben Franklin said that it was great to see so many people from across NSW celebrate the ‘most significant cultural development since the Sydney Opera House’, as per a NSW Government release.
“The popularity of the expanded Art Gallery and the free opening celebrations have exceeded expectations,” he said.
“As cost of living pressures rise across the country, the NSW Government is committed to ensuring everyone can access cultural institutions and enjoy experiences through our free entry program.
“The Art Gallery’s expansion and celebration events have been a major visitor drawcard for Sydney, with an estimated 33,000 people visiting the Harbour City to celebrate the Gallery’s opening, injecting more than A$20m (£1.1m/$1.4m/€1.3m) into the NSW economy.”
The NSW Government also predicts that major events in 2022-23 will bring in more than A$500m of visitor expenditure into the local economy, supporting the recovery of hotels, bars, restaurants, tourism operators and small businesses.
The Art Gallery’s new building was designed by architects SANAA and doubles as a space for art and cultural experiences.
Franklin added: “The opening of the Art Gallery’s new building is the beginning of an unrivalled calendar of world-class cultural events lined up for Sydney over summer, including Carmen on Cockatoo Island, Noel Sydney, the Australian premiere of Madagascar the Musical, ELEVATE Sydney, Sydney Festival and Sydney WorldPride, reinforcing Sydney’s position as the cultural capital of Australia.”