Lismore Regional Gallery reopens!

This began a huge collaboration: Create NSW stood up a multidisciplinary team to work closely with Northern Rivers service organisations to quickly activate an ‘on the ground’ network, without interfering in the local community's immediate response.

The team consulted with the creative sector to assess damage and develop an informed recovery strategy. This included establishing a quick response grants program, collating and publishing resources and advice through a website and ensuring that Create NSW was receiving timely and relevant advice on the impact of the floods. 

Due to the scale and rapid escalation of the disaster the team had to move quickly to address the targeted community’s need and save any significant collections at threat, as well as assessing the impact on arts and cultural organisations, groups and individuals to identify immediate areas of need and appropriate assistance. Often the people involved were dealing with catastrophic impacts to their operations and ability to communicate. The team then needed to find effective channels for delivering support services including funding packages. 

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The 16-month project was made possible through special Federal Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements and three grants from the Community Local Infrastructure Recovery Package managed by Create NSW. A collaborative contract between Lismore City Council’s Flood Restoration Portfolio (Buildings) and Bennett Constructions saw the planning and delivery of the 75-year-old building’s restoration, complete with a modern take on historic floors, brickwork and beams. The fit-out focused on using flood resilient materials and fixed features, while storage facilities were moved above flood levels to the first floor. 

The project also included a feasibility study investigating the viability of the Lismore Regional Gallery and Historical Society Museum’s programs, collections and exhibits in light of recurring flooding events, and a pop-up gallery and office space to ensure creative activity continued. 

The collaboration highlighted the value of strong regional partnerships with key service providers. The ongoing strong partnerships with organisations such as Arts Northern Rivers, Museums and Galleries NSW allowed Create NSW to quickly identify need and to utilise networks and mechanisms for quick delivery of support and assistance. These partnerships will continue to provide important input into refining and shaping future responses to crisis. 

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Lismore Regional Gallery Director Ashleigh Ralph said the reopening is a triumph for all involved in its comeback, and pivotal to the city’s continued recovery.

“This is a significant milestone for the Lismore community, our creative heart is open again. Although being in the floodplain comes with its challenges, we see it as an opportunity to approach our program and operations with a nimble sensitivity to an environment where the outcomes of cross-disciplinary engagement form new and progressive discourses.”