❓ Question regarding the Art Gallery of WA's management of the State Art Collection, specifically addressing storage space, maintenance plans, and stocktake procedures. The answer outlines steps taken and planned to address these issues.
AnsweredQoN 3415Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the report of the Auditor General into the Management of the State Art Collection at the Art Gallery of WA and ask: (a) What is being done to address the lack of storage space; (b) By what date will the Art Gallery have an adequate plan in place to ensure that artworks in storage get the maintenance they need; and (c) By what date will a full stocktake of the collection take place and what is the estimated completion date?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 August 2018
Responded by
Minister for Culture and the Arts
Response time
1 days
(a) Art Gallery of Western Australia (AGWA) storage capacity was designed to be sufficient for about twenty years from the completion of the Main Building in 1979. AGWA has managed storage issues by improved storage organisation (additional racking and shelving systems) and adding new spaces by re-purposing exhibition galleries. AGWA is working with the Department of Local Government, Sport, and Cultural Industries (DLGSC), including portfolio cultural agencies, to implement an offsite storage solution. The main focus is to identify a viable storage solution for the care and preservation of the State’s collection.
(b) AGWA’s current conservation is largely directed to meeting display and exhibition commitment. This ensures that items of the greatest value are well cared for and their condition regularly monitored although it does not address conservation needs. AGWA is developing a formal Conservation Plan which balances all needs for works in storage with the requirement for display and access.
(c) The first complete stocktake in the history of the Collection, completed in 2010, was carried out over a five year period using considerable staff resources. Funding has recently been provided to AGWA, for the procurement and installation of a radio frequency identification tracking system (RFID) to enhance security of the Collection. The RFID system will integrate with ‘Vernon’, the AGWA collections management system, resulting in a more accurate and streamlined stocktake process. AGWA will implement the RFID system utilising existing staff resources.
(b) AGWA’s current conservation is largely directed to meeting display and exhibition commitment. This ensures that items of the greatest value are well cared for and their condition regularly monitored although it does not address conservation needs. AGWA is developing a formal Conservation Plan which balances all needs for works in storage with the requirement for display and access.
(c) The first complete stocktake in the history of the Collection, completed in 2010, was carried out over a five year period using considerable staff resources. Funding has recently been provided to AGWA, for the procurement and installation of a radio frequency identification tracking system (RFID) to enhance security of the Collection. The RFID system will integrate with ‘Vernon’, the AGWA collections management system, resulting in a more accurate and streamlined stocktake process. AGWA will implement the RFID system utilising existing staff resources.
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