BENDIGO, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.- The new $3 million La Trobe University Visual Arts Centre in View Street, Bendigo was officially opened by Treasurer and Minister for State and Regional Development, John Brumby.

The new landmark building, which features an impressive facade of large floating glass screens to bring art directly to the street, has been funded by a State Government Regional Infrastructure Development Grant.

La Trobe University Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Osborne welcomed the support of the Bracks Government in bringing the Centre to fruition.

“This working visual arts facility is unique in regional Victoria and a significant new asset for Bendigo and the Visual Arts in central Victoria.

“This Centre will promote University research excellence and support and showcase contemporary visual arts practice in central Victoria. The Centre extends La Trobe University’s commitment to research excellence at its regional campuses.”

The new Centre houses a gallery, a print workshop, three postgraduate studios, lecture theatre and a residence and studio to attract visiting artists from Australia and overseas. The print workshop will be the only public facility of its kind outside Melbourne.

La Trobe University Pro Vice-Chancellor (Bendigo) Professor Peter Sullivan said the innovative architectural facade was already attracting interest from the general community and arts field far and wide.

The facade features two large glass panels with printed images by artist Robyn Burgess. A lecturer in the School of Visual Arts and Design at La Trobe University, Bendigo, Robyn has exhibited her work nationally and internationally.

“The art work, entitled ‘Future Cities’, provides a compelling gateway to the building which is likely to become an important architectural addition to the City,” Professor Sullivan said.

“It will further raise the profile of View Street as a significant arts precinct in regional Victoria.”

Robyn Burgess said this work was made specifically for the building to reflect its modernity and function as a working visual arts and research facility.

“One intention of the work was to honour and amplify the architect’s design of the facade. I felt these glass panels master gravity, thus the image is suggestive of the soaring ascent of architecture of the future – a visionary structure of timelessness.”

Professor Peter Sullivan said the completion of the building would now pave the way for postgraduate students to begin moving in.

Four students will be working from the Centre, including award-winning photographic artist Donna Bailey who was short-listed in the recent Australian Photographic Portrait Prize.

The postgraduate students will work on studio-based research in printmaking, photography and painting.

The first exhibition for the new La Trobe University Visual Arts Centre will open on 20 May 2005. The exhibition, 'White Show', by Robyn Burgess and Stephen Turpie, showcases the calibre of work being produced by artists in central Victoria.