5 May 2016

$1M DONATION TO NEW SAM PROJECT

A further significant philanthropic grant was announced today to support the new Shepparton Art Museum (SAM). The Sir Andrew Fairley Foundation and the Gantner family have each agreed to commit an amount of $500,000 to this exciting and transformational project.

The construction of the new SAM has been identified by the Shepparton community, including both the Greater Shepparton City Council and the Committee for Greater Shepparton, as a signature project that is vital for the Goulburn Valley region’s economic, social and cultural wellbeing. With the strong and valued support of Council, and the State of Victoria, each of which have committed $10m towards project funding, the vision of a new SAM is now real and achieveable.

An application has been lodged with the Federal Government’s National Stronger Regions Fund for the funding of a further $10m.

The Chair of the Sir Andrew Fairley Foundation, Andrew Fairley AM spoke of the reasons why his family has made a commitment to this project –

 “We are supporting this project because it will create positive and profound change in the cultural ethos of this great city. Sir Andrew Fairley was instrumental in the creation of the original Shepparton Art Gallery, which laid the foundations for the outstanding collection that is housed in the current SAM.

We consider that this intiative of the new SAM, situated on the shores of the lake, celebrating the rich arts, culture and heritage of the region will be a catalyst for tourism, creativity, and cultural self-esteem.”

The donation from the Gantner family comes on top of their already generous commitment to donate a significant collection of Australian indigenous artwork to the new SAM once the construction is completed. Carrillo Gantner AO, a SAM Foundation Director said –

“I am delighted at the progress that’s been made on this project. I sense a strong groundswell of passionate support, not just for a new arts facility for the city and the Goulburn Valley, but also for the wider economic, social and cultural impact on the entire region.”

The SAM Foundation has been established to raise funding from private and philanthropic sources, and so far has over $2m in committed funding for the new SAM. Today’s announcement takes that well over $3m, which places the Foundation in an outstanding position.

SAM Foundation Chairman, Peter Quinn said –

 “We are truly thrilled to have received this news of a further $1m committed to our vision for a new SAM. To have received the commitment from two such distinguished participants in our community speaks volumes for the importance of the project.”

The community now eagerly awaits the outcome of the Federal Government funding application. In the meantime, the SAM Foundation is continuing its work on securing further private sector and philanthropic contributions towards the project.