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Every year the Gallery hosts around thirty exhibitions of local, national and international significance, in addition to ongoing and evolving displays of the permanent collection. Housed in the Wellington Centre together with the Sale Library and Sale Visitor Centre, there is always plenty to see and do!
The Gippsland Art Gallery was established in 1965 as the Sale Regional Arts Centre, above the City Library in Macalister Street, Sale.
The Gallery was the first public art venue to open east of Melbourne. A Victorian State Government Grant of £20,000 enabled construction of the Gallery, which was initially operated by a Committee of Management. The Gallery was staffed entirely by volunteers until its first Director, Gwen Webb OAM, was appointed in 1976. It continued to operate as a community gallery until 1994, when it came under the management of the newly formed Wellington Shire Council. The Gallery relocated to the Port of Sale Civic Centre, where it reopened in 1995.
In July 2015 the Gallery commenced a major, $14.53 million redevelopment, funded jointly by Federal, State and Local Governments, in addition to a $1.5 million gift from the John Leslie Foundation.
The redevelopment has dramatically enhanced the visitor experience, with increased exhibition spaces and improved access to the Gallery collection.
The new Gippsland Art Gallery opened to the public on 6 January 2018.
Features of the new Gallery include access to the art reference library, The Dock Cafe, Gallery Shop, and a dedicated showcase for the celebrated Sale-based textile artist Annemieke Mein OAM.
