Narooma’s long waited Arts & Community Centre (NACC) can now move forward thanks to additional $2.6 million in funding being secured from the NSW and Australian Governments.
“This is such fantastic news,” Narooma School of Arts (NSoA) President, Jenni Bourke said.
“The committee never gave up on delivering the community’s vision for this creative arts hub within available funds, while still delivering the same community benefits. We’re grateful for the community’s continuing faith in us.”
Member for Bega, Dr Michael Holland, said the additional Bushfire Local Economic Recovery (BLER) funding for Narooma School of Arts is “welcome news”.
“I look forward to working with this committed group, in collaboration with Eurobodalla Shire Council, to get this capital works project completed for the Narooma community,” Dr Holland said.
“It will be a wonderful legacy for generations to come.”
The NACC Project had stalled because considerable escalations in construction costs and supply shortages over the last two years made the original design prohibitively expensive, way more than the $7.27m BLER grant received over two years ago.
“No one could have foreseen such cost increases,” she said. “However after our initial disappointment, we’re now super excited for a new design that our community will use, love, and be proud to share.”
NSoA is currently preparing a Design Brief for a redesigned NACC and seeking expressions of interest from several architects.
The NACC is a community initiative on community-owned land with three multi-use studios/rooms and a large gallery.
It will be a centre for creativity and learning with health and wellbeing benefits for the whole region, as well as economic benefits from cultural tourism, training and job opportunities.
It will also play a vital role in any future emergencies.
The Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund project is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments.
Image: Narooma School of Arts
