Media Comment - response to reports of closures

Published on 04 May 2021

Regarding reports that the Burnie Art Gallery, Museum, Arts & Function Centre and Makers' Workshop are closing indefinitely, the Mayor has provided the below response:

The Burnie Arts & Function Centre will continue to operate as normal until further notice.

Council is continuing with the refurbishment of the Burnie Arts & Function Centre, using the $5M grant from the Commonwealth Government.

Both the Museum and the Art Gallery will be housed in the refurbished new integrated facility.

In the meantime - the building currently used as the Museum will continue to house the photographic collection and the digitisation project will continue.

The Makers’ Workshop is not closing.

The entire Makers’ Workshop facility is leased by the University of Tasmania. Council has a licence to operate Creative Paper and the Visitor Information Centre within the Makers’ Workshop. It is only this licence for Creative Paper and the Visitor Information Centre that is ending. We understand that UTAS will continue to operate the rest of the Makers’ Workshop as usual.

Please refer to the Media Release that Council issued on 12 April which explains the changes planned for Council’s arts facilities.

https://www.burnie.net/Council/News-and-Updates/Council-News/2021/A-change-in-direction-for-Burnies-cultural-precinct