Barossa Creative Industries Centre

The Barossa Council’s landmark Barossa Creative Industries Centre will create a $17.5 million cultural hub and creative industry precinct in the heart of Tanunda.

We are redeveloping the existing Barossa Regional Gallery and Tanunda Soldiers Memorial Hall into an iconic destination that showcases the heritage, culture and creative industries of the Barossa on a national scale.

The Barossa Creative Industries Centre is premised on a ‘spoke and hub’ model to support the development of a network of world-class cultural experiences, venues and heritage destinations throughout the Barossa.

Key features of the Centre include:

• Performance and exhibition spaces
• Arts studio and workshop spaces
• Broadcasting and production suites
• Heritage and music education facilities
• Residency program capability
• Outdoor performance, art and community spaces

Our focus is on creating flexible, more inclusive spaces that provide for multi-use activities and users.

The total cost of the project is $17.5 million, inclusive of the outdoor spaces.

In May 2024 the Commonwealth Government announced we were successful in receiving grant funding of $6,961,000 in the Growing Regions Program.

The State Government is also providing additional funding of $500,000 under the Open Space grant program to develop the outdoors spaces surrounding the Centre at a cost of $2.2 million.

Beyond the build, we are forward planning to invest $450,000 each year to activate the facility and deliver contemporary, sustainable and innovative arts and cultural programs and services.

As well as being a tourism drawcard to complement the Barossa’s wine, food, attractions and stunning landscapes, the benefits of this facility go far beyond one single industry or economy.

The Centre will not only provide exceptional visitor experiences to support our creative industries and tourism sectors; it will also create new and exciting opportunities to meet community needs around social inclusion, participation and community capacity building.

Importantly, the Centre will shine a light on our First Nations and European shared history, providing a destination for creative expression and interpretation.

In consultation with our community, we’ve been working towards this project for six years.

In April 2018 we undertook extensive community consultation on the masterplan, which attracted over 40 formal submissions and 80 informal submissions.

In June that year Council adopted the masterplan, which has been further refined to meet changing community needs and grant funding application requirements.

On the back of successful Commonwealth grant funding announced in May 2024, Council conducted several Rapid Design Review workshops with community members and stakeholders. The feedback collected at these sessions will help ensure the final design meets the needs of the widest number of users.

As part of the Barossa Creative Industries Centre development, a small group of stakeholders will be brought together through an Expression of Interest process to provide support and advice regarding the facility's development.

The Agile Stakeholder Group (ASG) is not a decision-making body but an advisory group to the Project Management Group. Various project personnel may consult the ASG on construction, internal fit-out, landscaping, program planning, and communications.

People who would like to receive updates as the project progresses can contact creativeindustriescentre@barossa.sa.gov.au to be included on a stakeholder list for ongoing communications.

Yes, the Centre will be accessible to community to support social inclusion, education, networking and skills development in our region. Please refer to the plan below, which is subject to final detailed design.

The project is shovel ready with construction expected to begin in January 2026. Estimated project completion is December 2026.

Council will be using managing contractors to meet timeframes, issuing packages to the market on a rolling basis. South Australian based company Cook Building has been appointed as the Managing Contractor for the project.

Yes, the Tanunda Soldiers Memorial Hall will remain a key part of the redevelopment and will be seamlessly integrated into the new footprint.

Figure 1: Concept drawing of the Barossa Creative Industries Centre façade.

The Hill & Son Grand Organ will continue to be a drawcard in the redeveloped facility. Given its historical value, we are taking every step to safeguard the integrity of the instrument during construction. Organ tours and concert will be suspended during this time.

Parking is a critical consideration as part of detailed design. We’ll be supporting access to Tanunda Kindergarten and rear access at The Clubhouse both during and after construction, and continue to keep all stakeholders informed of changes to parking arrangements.

Council will be delivering modified Gallery services in the shop front of the Barossa Museum in Murray Street Tanunda during construction of the Barossa Creative Industries Centre.

The temporary pop-up Gallery has been made possible with the support of Barossa Valley Archives & Historical Trust.

Curated storytelling and interpretive displays will complement the Museum’s collection, alongside a dedicated Gallery Shop featuring artisan wares made by local and South Australian artists and makers.

Gallery activities at the current Basedow location are expected to cease at the end of March.

From April, the Barossa Museum and pop-up Gallery Regional Gallery and Shop will be open 10am to 3pm Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The redevelopment of outdoor spaces will include widespread landscaping and plantings, connecting shaded spaces and trail networks. While this will require the removal of four existing pine trees adjacent the car park, this will be offset by extensive revegetation.

Barossa Creative Industries Centre will be owned and managed by Council and available for community use.

Six mature pine trees adjacent the existing carpark, which are not regulated, will be removed. An independent arborist report recommended their removal due to the proposed alterations to the finished ground levels and tree protection zones, which will significantly impact the trees, compromising their long-term health and structural integrity.

Extensive replanting is planned for the surrounding area as part of the $2.7 million open space redevelopment. This will include landscaping, gardens and trails inspired by seasonal and native plantings to create a series of connected open spaces that invite people to explore and engage with the natural environment. We will prioritise the use of native species to create interpretive landscapes that promote urban greening and support local habitat and biodiversity.

Visit our website Barossa Creative Industries Centre • The Barossa Council and facebook page for regular updates.

For further details please email creativeindustriescentre@barossa.sa.gov.au