What are we going to do?

Geelong Gallery urgently needs to update its antiquated lighting system. As we prepare a fabulous future program of exhibitions, we seek your support to ensure that you and our many visitors, see our permanent collection riches in the very best light and that the Gallery can continue to present exhibitions and works of national significance.

Geelong Gallery’s current lighting system was installed between 1979 and 2001. It is outdated and now compromises the cultural heritage management of our public collection, and our capacity to loan under increasingly stringent lighting standards.

Over a five-year period, between 2020–25, Geelong Gallery aims to replace the lighting in six spaces with sophisticated long-life LED ERCO lighting systems.

Why help? What will it change? 

Support conservation 
Ensure excellence in the preservation of our sensitive collection items through cleaner, less-damaging and long-life LED units.

See our collection under new light
Support our capacity to use this state-of-the-art lighting system to enable lighting adjustments for individual works and expanded installations of our diverse permanent collection.

Explore works that have never seen the light of day
Allow fragile, light-sensitive works on paper that have limited display options to be seen under a new soft-glow lighting technology.

Learning for everyone
Improve the capacity of researchers and conservators to view our works with 21st century technology.

Bring nationally significant works and exhibitions to Geelong

Help Geelong Gallery continue to lead in the maintenance of the highest conservation standards.

Improve environmental sustainability
Reduce our carbon footprint by supporting the implementation of long-lasting LED lights improving the long-term efficiency of our building.

Underpin financial success
Attract audiences to touring exhibitions or works of national and international significance and reduce overall running costs. 

Support Geelong Gallery’s ambitious ‘Turn the lights back on’ campaign.

We will implement this upgrade one Gallery at a time as we reach our targets. The upgrade of each space costs between $30,000 to $60,000. Can you help us?  Projects such as this simply cannot be delivered without your generous philanthropic support.

The first gallery space prioritised for the ERCO lighting upgrade is our historic Douglass Gallery, in which the treasures of the collection are on semi-permanent display and Rone in Geelong is now scheduled to open in February 2021. This single gallery upgrade will cost $50,000.

We know times are uncertain, and we appreciate that not everyone has the capacity to give, but if you can, please join us in preparing a beautifully bright future for the Gallery.

Please give now.

'Turn the lights back on' budget: Douglass Gallery

—  ERCO lighting system   $50,141
— Art handing costs   $2,500

—  Marketing and administration   $1,200

—  Installation costs   $10,000

Project timeline

— Outcome of the 'Turn the lights back on' fundraising campaign   30 June 2020

— Commencement of installation   1 September 2020

— Completion of installation   6 October 2020

— Anticipated completion date and still photography of new space   16 October 2020