The Gold Coast’s Incredible New HOTA Gallery

While our local arts scene has been steadily growing in size and credibility, the new HOTA (Home of the Arts) Gallery will give the Gold Coast some serious cultural clout. After almost three years of construction, the doors to the largest Australian gallery outside a capital city will open on May 8, with a world-class program of exhibitions, installations and arts inspired experiences.

The new $60.5 million HOTA Gallery will be the jewel in the Gold Coast’s cultural crown and a must-see attraction – a six-level, purpose built visual arts facility for exhibitions, education and engagement. With its unique design, the building is an artwork in itself, with the distinctive colouring of the facade reflecting the city’s subtropical environment. But while the exterior of the building has caused a lot of excitement, it’s what’s going inside that has really created a buzz. Think world-class, world premieres and a whole new calibre of cultural tourism.

With over 2000m2 of AAA rated, international standard exhibition space the HOTA Gallery includes:

• An open-air entry foyer connecting to the surrounding environment
• The Main Exhibition Gallery – a 1000m2 space, designed specifically for touring exhibitions of international size and scale
• A dedicated Children’s Gallery
• 900m2 of exhibition space for the City collection and temporary exhibitions
• Ground floor retail and dining spaces
• A rooftop bar with breathtaking views of the city, coastline and hinterland
• Nearly 1000m2 of collection storage, work-space and crate storage area

Solid Gold: Artists from Paradise: 8 May – 4 Jul, 2021

The gallery’s first major exhibition features major new commissions and artwork by emerging and established Australian artists with a connection to the region. Solid Gold celebrates the diversity and richness of the Gold Coast. This exhibition will feature sculpture, painting, video, photography and installations, both indoors and out.

Lyrical Landscapes: The Art of William Robinson: 31 Jul – 3 Oct 2021

Celebrating one of Australia’s foremost living artists and greatest landscape painters, the second major exhibition will see Robinson’s entire Creation Series, produced over 16 years, presented together for the first time. Coinciding with his 85th year, the exhibition curated by Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO will feature the award-winning artist’s monumental multi-panelled paintings alongside intimate studies and prints.

Contemporary Masters from New York: Art from the Mugrabi Collection: 13 Nov 2021 – 27 Feb 2022

Exclusive to the Gold Coast and Australia this world premiere exhibition will feature approximately 70 works from some of the world’s most influential contemporary artists including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Richard Prince and Jeff Koons. Drawn entirely from the Mugrabi’s famed private collection, the exhibition marks the first time these iconic works have been shown in Australia.

World Upside Down: 8 May – 10 Oct 2021

Discover secrets and surprises, where the natural world is not what it seems. Explore how artists see nature, where you can play and splash in digital water and rescue wild animals. Design a future where we all belong, in the first exhibition in the new Children’s Gallery. The Children’s Gallery will be an immersive space filled with interactive art and hands-on making activities, inspired by the themes found in the first two major exhibitions.

Surrounded by parklands and a picturesque lake, HOTA is a vibrant cultural precinct situated in the heart of the Gold Coast. Year round, indoors and out, HOTA presents live music, theatre, dance, comedy, opera, kids shows, art, cinema from local, national and international artists and companies.

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