Blue Mountains City Council is undertaking an exciting development for the region with the construction of the new Blue Mountains Cultural Centre in Katoomba.
The Blue Mountains Cultural Centre will combine a substantial City Art Gallery with an interpretive centre devoted to education about the distinctive environment, history and culture of the region.
It will showcase innovative, diverse, distinctive and creative cultural programs for enjoyment by residents of, and visitors to, the Blue Mountains.
The Cultural Centre building will house the new Katoomba Library in an exciting partnership to deliver programs merging art and literature.
There will be two public courtyards and a scenic viewing platform, providing opportunities for outdoor events and spectacular views over the Jamison Valley.
The Cultural Centre’s primary functions are the City Art Gallery and the World Heritage Interpretive Centre, along with:
- a foyer providing cultural and visitor information
- a theatrette/seminar room for seminars and
presentations - a multi purpose workshop for educational public
programs - a gallery restaurant/café for fine food and outdoor
dining - a gallery shop providing quality craft and mementos of
the Blue Mountains region.
The spacious state of the art regional gallery covers 600 square metres and will meet international conservation standards. It will feature quality, curated, local, regional and major touring exhibitions and offer educational workshops and outreach programs to the community.
The World Heritage Interpretive Centre will feature high tech multimedia exhibitions, artefacts and educational interpretation.
The Interpretive Centre will explore human culture and interaction with the environment, Aboriginal cultural heritage, industrial and tourism development, and the delicate balance of living in a world heritage environment. It will celebrate the diverse and often dramatic stories of human interaction with the area.
Anticipated to be completed in late 2011, the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre has been selected as the first regional location to partner in the Museum of Contemporary Art’s new cultural initiative, the National Centre for Creative Learning.
The project comprises the construction of new cultural facilities on the podium level of the development with a supermarket, retail and two levels of car parking below.
The combined project is the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre Precinct Project.
The Blue Mountains Cultural Centre and Mixed Use Development Project is being managed by a Project Control Group comprising representatives of the State Minister, Ministerial Corporation for Industry, the local member, the New South Wales Department of Regional Services and Development, Council and Coles Group Property Developments Ltd.
The development is funded by the developer with the New South Wales Government, the Federal Government and Council contributing to the cultural facilities components.
The Blue Mountains Cultural Centre will be a key part of the Blue Mountains Sustainable precinct, funded by the Federal Government’s Green Precincts Program. The site will see new water harvesting and water purification technology, water-sensitive landscaping and sustainability education initiatives. In addition, an exhibition component of the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre is planned to feature sustainable living and development within the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.
For more information on the project, please contact Simon Ambrose, Director, Blue Mountains Cultural Centre on
(02) 4780 5510 or sambrose@bmcc.nsw.gov.au.
