2 February 2015: A major three-year creative partnership between the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) and Telstra was announced by NGV Director Tony Ellwood and Telstra Chief Financial Officer and Group Executive International, Andrew Penn, today.
Inspired by a shared interest in creativity and innovation in a digital world, the partnership will explore initiatives that bring art and technology together, for the benefit of audiences both in Australia and around the globe.
Director of the NGV Tony Ellwood said, “Over the next three years the NGV and Telstra will join to unlock the potential of digital technology and the arts. With Telstra’s support and technological expertise, we seek to explore the bounds of what is possible, and to transform the way people engage with art and with the Gallery…no matter who, or where you are.”
Mr Ellwood added, “Multimedia technology is a fundamental tool for expanding future audiences. We believe the NGV’s collection, programs and resources are valuable to all Australians and aspire to increasing our reach across Australia. Our ambitious collaboration with Telstra will transform the way we connect with the Australian and global community.”
The partnership is one of the most significant in the NGV’s history. Mr Ellwood said, “What we have announced today is substantial in terms of size but also in terms of the style of partnership. This is a creative partnership in every sense, where we will work closely with the team at Telstra to harness our collective skills and to deliver innovative and engaging experiences for our audiences.”
Telstra Chief Financial Officer and Group Executive International Andrew Penn said the partnership presents an exciting opportunity to revolutionise the gallery experience to reach new audiences.
“Like art, technology has the power to connect audiences and enable stories to be shared. Through the use of innovative technology our shared goal is to create interactive experiences for audiences right across the world that will allow them to engage with NGV’s incredibly rich collection of works irrespective of their geographical location,” said Mr Penn.
The partnership reinforces the NGV and Telstra’s commitment to the arts on a national level. New initiatives will transform the way the NGV reaches and shares art with audiences both within and beyond the gallery spaces to increase access to the NGV’s world-class collection.