The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne has received a donation of A$100m ($74m) to construct The Fox: NGV Contemporary, Australia’s largest contemporary art museum.
The donation from Lindsay Fox and his wife Paula Fox, a member of the NGV Foundation’s board, is the largest cash donation made by living donors to an Australian art museum.
The Fox: NGV Contemporary will cover an area of 30,000 square metres, with 13,000 square metres of exhibition space. There will also be a rooftop terrace and sculpture garden.
Additionally, the museum will feature a café, design store and restaurant, as well as educational studios, artist studios and a lecture theatre.
“This gift is the culmination of many years of passionate support for the NGV, its acquisitions and its wider program,” said Paula Fox.
“We hope that our donation will inspire others in supporting this program to make this an icon for the future.”
Donation from Lindsay and Paula Fox
“The Fox family should be commended on their leadership in this sector and for the real, tangible impact that their giving has, and will continue to have, on the lives of so many,” said National Gallery of Victoria director Tony Ellwood.
The Fox: NGV Contemporary is part of the Victoria State Government’s A$1.7bn ($1.3bn) project to transform Melbourne’s arts precinct.
The new museum will be designed by Sydney-based architecture firm Angelo Candalepas and Associates. The final design of the building was unveiled last month.
“This building will be a beacon of the culture of our time,” said Angelo Candalepas. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2023, with an opening set for 2028.
“With its uplifting and generous architecture, this design provides all Victorians with a timeless building for arts and culture that will be loved for generations,” Ellwood said.
Images: National Gallery of Victoria
