Billionaire Donates Record $100m to NGV Contemporary

Trucking billionaire Lindsay Fox has donated $100 million towards the National Gallery of Victoria’s new contemporary space at the centre of its $1.7-billion revamp of the Southbank arts and culture precinct.

The donation, announced by the state government on Tuesday, is the largest cultural gift for a capital program made to an Australian art museum by a living donor.

It secures Fox and his wife Paula the naming rights for the new 30,000sq m gallery at 77 Southbank Boulevard.  

The donation builds on the $20 million gifted in 2020 by the Ian Potter Foundation, one of Australia’s major philanthropic foundations, to the project.

NGV Contemporary will showcase contemporary art, design, fashion and architecture of local, national and international significance and will be part of a rebuild of Southbank's “arts spine” linking the Arts Centre and NGV International on St Kilda Road to Sturt Street.

It will look out onto new public parklands connecting St Kilda Road in Southbank to Melbourne’s riverfront.

The state government plans to invest $1.7 billion into the transformation of the broader cultural precinct.

Paula Fox, who sits on the NGV’s board, said the donation coincided with Lindsay’s 85th birthday and had been offered in recognition of the forthcoming art gallery’s important role in enriching the cultural and civic lives of all Victorians.

“As long-time supporters of the gallery, we believe in the vital work of the NGV in making the arts accessible to the wider community and we know NGV Contemporary will be a place for all Australians to enjoy the best we have to offer,” Fox said. 

“This gift is the culmination of many years of passionate support for the NGV, its acquisitions and its wider program.”

Paula Fox said that she hoped that their donation would inspire others to support the project.

▲ The philanthropic gift is the largest cultural gift for a capital program made to an Australian art museum by a living donor.

The donation will help fund the new gallery’s construction, which is due to begin next year.

The Fox family has a record of making financial contributions to the NGV during the past two decades, including acquisitions of major works of art and design.

The family have also made contributions towards the presentation of the NGV Kids exhibitions, reflecting their support of initiatives for children and families.

NGV director Tony Ellwood praised the leadership of the Fox family for the arts sector, noting the donation would have a “real, tangible impact” and said the gallery, to be known as The Fox: NGV Contemporary, would be a meaningful cultural legacy for the Fox family.

“This gift is a testament to their strong sense of civic pride and their belief in the accessibility of the arts to all members of our community,” Ellwood said.

Last month, the government unveiled the final design of the building—by Angelo Candalepas and Associates—as chosen by the design competition jury.

Candalapas’ design, created in collaboration with 20 leading architecture, design and engineering firms from around Victoria and Australia, will be crowned with a rooftop sculpture terrace and restaurant.

The design was selected ahead of three other design teams led by Open Weave, John Wardle Architects, and Field.

Early construction works on NGV Contemporary will begin in the next year, with full completion expected by 2028.

The broader Melbourne Arts Precinct will also include a new 18,000sq m public space, to be designed by Hassell and So-il, and upgrades to the Arts Centre Melbourne Theatres building by NH Architecture and Snøhetta.

Later phases of the Melbourne Arts Precinct project will include a new building to house the Centre for Creativity.

The centre will be run by Arts Centre Melbourne with spaces and facilities for arts organisations, a new performing arts gallery and an expanded Australian Music Vault.