Media releases

A major exhibition at Federation University’s Post Office Gallery in Ballarat will showcase the history of one of the University’s key predecessor institutions - the former Ballarat Technical Art School.

The ‘Educating Artists’ exhibition will illustrate the rigorous program of drawing, design and art-trade training at the Art School between 1907 and 1940.

It will showcase unique works of art and historical artefacts created by students and teachers, selected from Federation’s permanent art and historical collections, as well as private and public contributions.

With its predecessors established in 1870 and governed by the School of Mines Ballarat (SMB) from 1907, the art school was a leading Australian art education institution, well equipped with the assets, skills, and historic reputation necessary to surpass its provincial and metropolitan rivals.

During the 33-year principalship of artist-educator, Herbert Henry Smith, the school had a national reputation for the training of designers, craftspeople, artists and teachers.

Staffed with ambitious and skilled people, the art school was celebrated for its originality and experimentation and recognised for launching diverse art-based careers.

The ‘Educating Artists’ exhibition is based on doctoral research undertaken by Dr Elise Whetter highlighting the institution’s history and will feature original paintings, drawings, woodcarvings, leatherwork, metalwork, fashion and plant illustrations, as well as textile and architectural designs, exams and student memorabilia.

The exhibition is jointly curated by Dr Whetter, Federation University Art and Historical Collections Curator Clare Gervasoni and Post Office Gallery Curator Shelley Hinton.

The exhibition will be launched at the Post Office Gallery, Ballarat, on Friday 29 April 2022, at 6, for 6.30pm.

It will run until 17 June and form part of the Ballarat Heritage Festival between 21 and 29 May.

For more information, visit federation.edu.au/pogallery

Quotes attributable to Federation University’s Dr Elise Whetter

“The Ballarat Technical Art School and its graduates had widespread and significant influence in the art world and its legacy lives on today through Federation University's Arts Academy.”

“This exhibition demonstrates the extraordinary breadth and depth of applied art education at the art school, which contributed significantly to Ballarat’s cultural and industrial heritage during the early twentieth century.”