Community Support Helps Ararat Gallery TAMA Raise Over $13,000 For New Artwork
Ararat Gallery TAMA has exceeded both its original fundraising goal and a stretch target through its AusArt Day campaign, securing a total of $13,297.40 to purchase new artworks for the TAMA Collection.
The Gallery quickly reached its initial $5,000 target before setting a new goal of $7,000, which supporters also helped achieve by the campaign deadline. A few last-minute direct donations brought the final community contribution to $8,297.40, with a further $5,000 in matching funding through Creative Australia.
The result will enable the Gallery to acquire new works by living artists, building on its nationally significant collection of textile and fibre art and supporting the artists behind the work. The collection is regularly shared with local audiences and visitors through exhibitions in Ararat and loans to public galleries around Australia.
The funds raised will be used to purchase new artwork for the TAMA Collection between January and June 2027.
Ararat Rural City Council Mayor Cr Bob Sanders thanked everyone who contributed and said the result reflected the community’s generosity and pride in its gallery. “We put the call out, and people really got behind it. To reach the first target so quickly, then pass the second one and finish with $8,000 in donations, is a terrific result,” Cr Sanders said.
“We’re very proud of our gallery team and everyone who helped make this happen. Whether you made a donation or encouraged someone else to get involved, you’ve helped grow a collection that belongs to the whole community. With the matching funding, the Gallery now has $13,000 to bring new artworks to Ararat. That means more artwork for people to discover and enjoy, and support going directly to the artists who create it.
“A big thank you to everyone who chipped in. It’s something we can all feel good about.”
The new acquisitions will become part of the TAMA Collection, helping the Gallery share contemporary textile and fibre art with the community and future generations.
