THE Gawler Community Gallery is fearful it could be forced to close its doors if it can’t work with Gawler Council to find a new home.

Negotiations are ongoing between the gallery’s board and Gawler Council about finding a new location for the gallery closer to the centre of Gawler in a bid to increase patronage.

The gallery recently rejected a council proposal to move in to the top floor of the Gawler Visitors’ Centre on Barossa Valley Way, with the gallery’s board arguing it was not accessible for elderly and
disabled patrons.

The gallery liked the space, but Gawler Council valued putting a lift in the visitors centre at $422,000 and were unsuccessful in receiving a Federal Government grant for the project in November, meaning the move fell through.

Another proposal from council to move to a space on the bottom floor of the visitors’ centre was also rejected by the gallery due to a lack of space.

Gallery vice-president Ellen Steyn said if the gallery was to stay in its current location at the Gawler Railway Station for much longer, it would have to close down.

“We can’t afford to close down for the community’s sake, there is a strong community behind all this,” Mrs Steyn said.

“If we didn’t move though, we would have to close down, it’s the sad reality, but we would.

“Because of the uncertainty around the gallery, people aren’t showing interest anymore.

“For tourism and for artists this gallery is very valuable and I think it’s also a historic thing because a lot of community spirit is shown in a gallery.”

The gallery has had to reduce its opening hours to weekends only due to a lack of patronage during the week, something Mrs Steyn blamed on the carpark at the train station always being full with train commuters.

She said local artists, particularly those in the Gawler Art Society, are choosing to exhibit their work away from the town as it presents a better chance of being viewed and sold.

“Going up to other galleries in Tanunda and Kapunda gives Gawler artists more reach in the community, they don’t like coming here because there’s no forward movement here,” she said.

“Because we’re not getting the flow of people we’re not getting the sales, meaning we don’t help the artists who want to exhibit.”

Gawler Council is set to establish a committee to continue negotiations with the gallery and push for a solution to the gallery’s problems.

Gawler mayor Karen Redman said the council would support the gallery as an “important community asset”.

“Council staff and the Gawler Community Gallery have negotiated constructively throughout the process,” she said.

“Council staff regularly updated the Gawler Community Gallery of progress as well as the funding opportunities, costs and ultimate outcomes regarding the potential installation of a lift at the Gawler Visitor Information Centre.

“The ideal outcome was to be successful in receiving funding for a lift to be installed but when that did not materialise a re-allocation of the ground floor area was the most sensible next step.”