Galleries, Museums & Theatres
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The Gallery, St Kilda Town Hall


The Gallery is an exhibiton space at the St Kilda Town Hall.

It presents exhibitions which encourage an appreciation for arts and culture, and are of particular relevance to the area and its community.

Located just inside the main entrance of the St Kilda Town Hall, The Gallery is a versatile space with the capacity to present a range of visual arts practice including painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, photography, textiles, media and installation works.

Council aims to provide a balanced exhibition program, which incorporates exhibitions by community groups, individual artists and themed exhibitions sourced from the Port Phillip City Collection. The City invites individual artists or community groups to submit an expression of interest to exhibit. Applications received will be considered by an exhibition programs committee consisting of Council staff and representatives from the local community. Applications are selected according to how well they address the selection criteria and the availability of preferred exhibition dates.

Gallery Hours

Monday 8.30am to 6pm

Tuesday to Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm

Applications for the 2010 exhibition program have now closed. Applications for the 2011 exhibition program will open in May 2010 and close at the end of July 2010. Fore more information please download the Eligibility and Criteria document.

The Gallery exhibition program 2009

4 November to 2 December 2009 - Linking: Bowling Club Studio Artists

Linking, an exhibition of artworks by eighteen of the artists associated with the studios throughout 2009, gives us the opportunity to contemplate the significance of the multitude of connections in our lives. In this year’s exhibition, they present a range of responses to ideas of linking, relating in particular to their immediate environment and community.

14 October to 28 October 2009 - 12: St Michael's VCE student exhibition

St Michael’s Grammar School present the work of their VCE students. The exhibition includes graphic design and photographic work, installation pieces and works on paper. This exhibition includes graphic design and photographic work, installation pieces and works on paper which show a diversity of thinking, influences and interpretation.

9 September to 30 September 2009 - Down the Garden Path: 150 Years of St Kilda Living History, Friends of St Kilda Botanical Gardens

2009 marks the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the St Kilda Botanical Gardens. In St Kilda’s garden explores the evolution of this significant landmark through the notable figures associated with it over time, as well as its horticultural, scientific, decorative, festive and leisure aspects. Also featured are works by the winners of the recent Paint these Gardens competition, reflecting the importance of the gardens on the artistic imaginations of its surrounding communities. This exhibition is presented by the Friends of the St Kilda Botanical Gardens Inc.

12 August to 2 September 2009 - Recent Acquisitions: City of Port Phillip

The City of Port Phillip acquires new works for the Port Phillip City Collection every two years. A committee of artists, critics and curators review potential acquisitions and make purchase recommendations to Council. Acquired works must show an identifiable relationship with the culture of the City of Port Phillip or be produced by an artist who has lived or worked within the City. In the 2008/09 round of acquisition The City has acquired 12 new works by 9 artists (Stephen Bush, Elizabeth Gower, Julie Shiels, Peter Walsh, Vipoo Srivilasa, Chris Beaumont, Sue Ford, Reko Rennie and the 2007 Rupert Bunny Recipient, Valerie Sparks). The artworks featured in this round are noteworthy for their range of production methods, processes and materials. 

15 July to 5 August 2009 - Community Kites

An exhibition of kites produced and decorated by students of schools located in the City of Port Phillip. The City of Port Phillip's Youth Services in collaboration with 15 schools within the municipality will attempt to break the world record of flying the most kites simultaneously.   

17 June to 8 July 2009 - Reko Rennie, Traditional

Reko Rennie is a Gummaroi (Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay) man, born in Melbourne in 1974, Australia.  As a teenager Reko discovered graffiti, and with no formal training in art, he soon began his artistic apprenticeship on the streets of Melbourne. Reko's choice of medium is a can of spray-paint, a cutting knife, laminated paper and any wall or blank surface.  Reko's art and installations are known for their vibrant colours, line work and intricate stencil imagery.  Through his stencil art, Reko focuses on what it means to be an urban Aboriginal man in contemporary society.  Reko uses traditional flora and fauna imagery that represent his community.  Through Reko's art and installations he continually explores issues of identity, race, law and justice, health, education, land rights, stolen generations and other issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in contemporary society today.  Reko was recently awarded a three month residency at the Cite Internationale des Artes in Paris by the Australian Arts Council, he leaves next month.

20 May to 10 June 2009                                                                                   

Room 1: Leonard Gibbs - Alma Park Paintings II.

Over the last eleven years Len Gibbs has painted 37 works at and around Alma Park in East St. Kilda. This is his second exhibition of these paintings. Alma Park is close to where he lives, and over the years it is a place for which he has developed much affection. Len states that “Alma Park is a place with quite a diversity of visual interest. It's also a pleasant 'oasis ' for the community that lends itself to quiet contemplation".

Room 2: Kylie Baudino - Spillosure

Spillosure, a conflation of Spillage and Exposure, explores how the reading of artworks changes when the surrounding environment is altered. This work is inspired by the negative spaces in the urban environment within St Kilda, such as laneways.  The expressions that are created of the negative spaces are informed by the surrounding environment.  However, when the expressions are relocated to a positive space, i.e. the gallery, the reading of the work changes accordingly.  There are now no external points of reference that assist the viewer in reading the work.  Consequently, the artwork references itself, taking on a new identity in its own right.

THE ARTISTS WILL PRESENT  A TALK ON WEDNESDAY 3 JUNE AT 11AM IN THE GALLERY. FOR BOOKINGS PLEASE CONTACT LOUISA SCOTT ON 9209 6215 OR lscott@portphillip.vic.gov.au

13 April to 13 May 2009  - Eating Out in Port Phillip                                                                                                           

For the past eight years, the Emerald Hill Art Group have exhibited in The Access Space at St Kilda Town Hall. As Port Phillip 'locals', the members of the group want to share their enjoyment of the area with the community in which they are fortunate enough to live. It has become a tradition to select a theme related to the City of Port Phillip for the exhibition. In 2009 the theme is Eating Out in Port Phillip. A group work, to which all contribute, provides the centrepiece and sets the tone of the exhibition.

12 March to 15 April 2009 - Frisky: The Stables Art Studio                                                                                                          

The Stables Art Studio is a not-for-profit art studio, operated by Prahran Mission. Many of the members reside in the City of Port Phillip and the Studio provides a space for artists in which to practice their art. The Studio aims to provide a stimulating artistsic community where aspiring artists can explore their creative endeavours.

30 January 2009 to 5 March - Confined: Indigenous Prisoner Art

A visual arts exhibition by Indigenous prisoners from Dame Phyllis Frost Centre Women's Prison and Metropolitan Remand Centre Men's Prison. This exhibition is presented by the  the city of Port Phillip, Corrrections victoria, Department of Justioce and the Brosnan Centre during the Yalukit Wilan Ngargee people Place Gathering Festival.


Previous Access Space exhibitions

Download the following documents to view previous exhibitions:

The Gallery is managed by the Curatorial Services Unit of the City of Port Phillip. Use eServices to ask us a question, request information or give us feedback online. If you prefer call ASSIST on (03) 9209 6777 or TTy (03) 9209 6713 and ask for the Assistant Curator or email curator@portphillip.vic.gov.au.