Grant Funding Success

The National Cartoon Gallery will soon be educating and entertaining locals, artists and tourists with double the number of historical storeys, thanks to funding through the NSW Government’s $100 million Regional Growth Fund.

This will bring the Gallery to a whole new level (pun intended!) and make it one of the city’s major tourist and cultural attractions. Once completed, it will double the exhibition space as well as providing a café, commercial kitchen, community art room, and small cinema.

Member for Coffs Harbour, Andrew Fraser and Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW, John Barilaro announced $2.6 million in funding to add a second level to the Gallery, currently housed in a World War II bunker.

The expansion design, which will resemble a WWII Nissen Hut, will provide space to showcase a permanent display of Australian history as seen through the eyes of cartoonists during the past 118 years, and into the future.

Mr. Fraser said, “The funding provided by round two of the Regional Cultural Fund will preserve and showcase this unique cartoon collection of Australian history to an even wider audience, with offerings that will draw even more tourists to the area.”

“With a larger exhibition area and a new multimedia presentation of major events throughout our nation’s history, the recently renamed National Cartoon Gallery will truly be the spiritual home of Australian cartooning.”

Mr. Barilaro said he was thrilled that the NSW Government was able to fund cultural art projects which make our regions such a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family.

“Art, screen, culture, music, and performance are at the heart and soul of regional NSW and this funding will provide even more opportunities for locals to enjoy entertaining and educational experiences,” Mr. Barilaro said.

“Importantly it will also provide artists with new opportunities to showcase innovative and quality works and allow visitors to experience a diverse range of arts and activities while generating social, economic and tourism benefits across the State.”

The Regional Cultural Fund is part of the NSW Government’s $1.6 billion Regional Growth Fund, designed to improve economic growth and productivity as well as community amenity with investment in regional communities.

We’re pretty thrilled too…big things are happening at the National Cartoon Gallery, @The Bunker, Coffs Harbour.