After a very disappointing miss on a property near Penneshaw for the Art Museum of Kangaroo Island, the search for a suitable site on the Dudley Peninsula continues – and is narrowing, with the help of our architect Kerstin Thompson, to a small selection of locations. Fortunately, the area abounds in gorgeous landscapes and views.
We are determined and confident that 2025-26 will be the year when we secure a suitable site and start on the design. We have raised significant funds for a land purchase, and have grants to progress the design development.
To fulfill those exciting things, we need to keep the necessary, but possibly boring, things ticking over. Yes, admin and project coordination.
We have an ambitious $20,000 target for the upcoming financial year. With your help, we can make it. Every little bit is a big contribution to bring our community project to life.
The unexpected turn-around by Kangaroo Island Council on negotiations for land in Kingscote has obliged the Art Museum of Kangaroo Island Board to reconsider its preferred location.
The prime site overlooking Bay of Shoals, chosen after an exhaustive search of available land and supported by 80 per cent of 350 community consultation respondents in 2020, will be hard to match for its scenic value and accessibility.
The AMKI board is very disappointed with the rushed council decision to block use of its preferred site, but notes that council continues to support the project itself.
The change has only solidified the board’s enthusiasm for its visionary project – to reveal Kangaroo Island art to the world and draw world art to Kangaroo Island.
Kangaroo Island tourism statistics show that for many of our visitors, culture is a missing aspect in the tourism experience. What better than AMKI, our own regional gallery, to fill this gap? And the entire community, and especially the artistic and tourism sectors, will be the beneficiaries.
The board is now looking for a new location and will take its time to work through the possibilities to ensure it makes the best choice to reflect the special qualities and beauty of the island. The site and the gallery must meet Australian standards for museums and galleries to gain access to high quality travelling exhibitions, and thus secure the greatest benefit for Kangaroo Island.
The project continues to be supported by its chosen architect, Kirsten Thompson, Australian Institute of Architects 2023 gold medal winner, and a number of philanthropists and foundations.
If you’d like tickets – only $5 each or 3 for $10 – please email artmuseumkangarooisland@gmail.com and we’ll sort that out right away.
Only 2500 tickets for sale. Lottery drawn at Penneshaw market Thursday 29 February 2024, 12 noon. All winners notified. SA Lottery licence number: M14509
The Art Museum of Kangaroo Island will be a community space on community land.
A grant from the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund has allowed the AMKI committee to prepare a business case for the Art Museum project. This business case, prepared by high-calibre consultants, shows a strong case for cultural, social and economic benefits to the Kangaroo Island community.
The Business Case for the Art Museum of Kangaroo Island is off and running with a crack team setting out the reasons why this project would be a boon to Kangaroo Island and to South Australia.
Backed by the strong support from the community and arts industry for the project and the preferred site during community consultation, we successfully applied for a Recovery grant from the Regional Arts Fund. The Art Museum of Kangaroo Island committee has engaged Kerstin Thompson Architects to prepare preliminary concepts for a building on that site, with WT Partnership to cost the building. Consultants Dougal McOmish of Eco Advisory and Maz McGann of Play Your Part are developing the economic, financial, social and cultural projections for the Art Museum.
Architect Kerstin Thompson with AMKI committee members Deb Sleeman and Kathie Stove during a visit to the preferred site. Photo: Janine Mackintosh
If the projections say it’s a worthwhile exercise, then we forge ahead with a solid business case to back our vision. If they say it doesn’t stack up then we bow out gracefully having given it a good shot.
Landscape architecture students add to the project
A Masters design studio convened for University of Adelaide landscape architecture students explored the potential of the preferred site for the Art Museum. Fourteen students visited the site and toured the island over several days to appreciate its unique environments. The projects that emerged displayed a breadth of ideas for consideration in a landscape masterplan, and smaller features and material suggestions that could be included or adapted.
Each student had a particular theme of interest that they researched and developed. Some of the themes were light and shadow, birdlife, mallee woodland, rock garden, nature reframed, and projection art. Each project suggested particular uses and functions for the grounds, along with materials, particularly plantings, that suit these activities and site conditions.
We thank the students and in particular senior lecturer Dr Jo Russell-Clarke for their efforts and wealth of great ideas.
South Australia Arts and Cultural Tourism Consultation
We obviously believe that arts and cultural tourism are important for Kangaroo Island’s future (and suspect you do too). The SA Government is currently accepting comments on the future of South Australian Arts and Cultural Tourism. Please have your say.
Please donate
It’s a large and expensive project that we’ve started. If you are able to help please visit our PayPal page to donate. Unfortunately, we can’t offer tax deduction as yet.
Kathie, Janine, Deb and Ria Art Museum of Kangaroo Island Establishment Association Inc committee
Art Museum of Kangaroo Island 