Vernon Public Art Gallery
Location Announcement for a New Vernon Public Art Gallery

Where: The Vernon Public Art Gallery, 3228 31st Avenue, 250-545-3173
Why: Possible site announced for a new Vernon Public Art Gallery
Who: Vernon Public Art Gallery

The Vernon City Council made a public announcement on Monday December 12th, indicating its support in locating the new Vernon Public Art Gallery on city owned land across from Cenotaph Park.

Not far from the current location on 31st Avenue, the potential new site was purchased by the City of Vernon with a new public art gallery in mind. The intension is to build a site-specific, category A gallery for the North Okanagan.

The commitment to the site is an important first step, as the Vernon Public Art Gallery steering committee and Executive Director, Dauna Kennedy Grant, move forward with their business case, and prepare to request approval from provincial and federal governments for further financial support.

The cost of construction for the art gallery, exclusive of the land value, is an estimated $5 million. The Vernon Public Art Gallery is currently in discussions with the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives with the option to collaborate on the project, including required components, all or part of exhibition and collections storage space required by the museum.

Estimated completion date for a new 16-18000 sq ft Vernon Public Art Gallery, is 2015. “It’s an ambitious timeline, but Greater Vernon is long overdue for an appropriate facility. Under the Vernon Parkade is not only an unsuitable building to store and showcase artwork, the location is not desirable. The new site is closer to the hub of arts and culture in Vernon, closer to the new library location and other public services in the downtown area. A project such as this is important for our communities, not only does it anchor the art community, but it becomes an economic driver in terms of tourism and attraction of new business to our community. People looking to relocate want to see what amenities are available.” Executive Director, Dauna Kennedy Grant.

For more information about the Vernon Public Art Gallery contact www.vernonpublicartgallery.com | info@vernonpublicartgallery.com | 250-545-3173.

(Architectural rendering)