• Section 1 - PREAMBLE
• Section 2 - Purpose
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Policy
• Midpul Art Gallery
• Casuarina Campus Galleries
• Section 5 - Non-Compliance

Section 1 - PREAMBLE

(1) Charles Darwin University (‘the University’, ‘CDU’) is committed to the planned, coordinated and strategic use of its formal gallery spaces to enhance and respond to the University’s teaching, research, and community engagement goals.

(2) While the University’s galleries are predominantly used for the display of visual art, they may also be used for the display of other cultural items or collections, either internal or external, as deemed appropriate and educational in line with the University’s goals.

Section 2 - Purpose

(3) This policy provides a framework for the strategic and coordinated use of the University’s galleries for the display of the CDU Art Collection, other collections and artworks, and curated exhibitions created by students and employees.

Section 3 - Scope

(4) This policy applies to employees and students of the University and the wider community.

Section 4 - Policy

(5) The University will manage the use of its gallery spaces to enhance and optimize teaching, learning and community engagement goals through exhibition programs open to students, employees, and the public. 

(6) Opportunities for complementary or collaborative exhibitions in the University’s galleries will be explored, as appropriate, by the Curator, CDU Art Collection and Art Gallery in developing exhibition programs. 

(7) Exhibitions or displays in the University’s galleries will be made accessible to employees, students, and the public through regular opening times as far as resources allow.

Midpul Art Gallery

Danala | Education and Community Precinct

(8) The Midpul Art Gallery at Danala | Education and Community Precinct comprises a main gallery space and an annex space. The annex space, accepting expressions of interest from early 2025, will be a shared space for the CDU Art Collection and the CDU Academy of the Arts managed jointly by the Curator, CDU Art Collection and Art Gallery and the Director, Academy of the Arts.

(9) As a venue which upholds industry standard environmental and security specifications, the Midpul Art Gallery is primarily dedicated to the presentation of professionally curated visual art exhibitions that feature the CDU Art Collection, collections of other public cultural exhibitions, private collections, and touring exhibitions. This requires the gallery to meet the Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Material Environmental Guidelines.

(10) An annual exhibition program will be determined by the Curator, CDU Art Collection and Art Gallery and submitted to the Art Gallery Advisory Committee for endorsement and approval by the Vice-Chancellor. All approaches and recommendations for programming of exhibitions are to be presented to the Curator in the first instance to ensure that the quality, program mix, management, and resources required for the delivery of the exhibition program is appropriately assessed.

(11) Exhibition programming will:

1. be developed on a three (3) year cycle updated annually as plans and proposals become firm commitments;
2. incorporate regular displays of the permanent holdings of the CDU Art Collection in either Collection-focused exhibitions or as a complementary feature of thematic exhibitions or externally curated loan exhibitions;
3. consider how exhibitions might contribute to, or enhance the teaching and research of the University’s priorities such as First Nations leadership and engagement;
4. reflect, support, and strengthen the University’s artistic and cultural development objectives in Northern Australia and nearby Southeast Asia;
5. foster partner relationships with regional, Territory, national, and international stakeholders  which further advance the strategic objectives of the University;
6. include  works of art created by alumni of the University, in particular those represented in the CDU Art Collection or who have established professional careers as artists; 
7. include guest curated and touring exhibitions of regional, national, and international significance;
8. include solo retrospective exhibitions of work by selected artists who have demonstrated a professional and sustained connection to Northern Australia, in particular the Northern Territory;
9. give priority to exhibition exchanges with  benefactors, public collecting, and exhibiting institutions including (but not exclusive to) other university art collections, galleries and museums in partnership with the University, in particular art museums and galleries that are members of University Art Museums Australia; 
10. foster and strengthen relationships with other university art museums, collections and galleries, and national or international public collecting and exhibiting institutions, benefactors, and donors; and
11. consider the scheduling and content of other proposed exhibitions by Northern Territory public collecting and exhibiting institutions, in particular those in Darwin, to avoid duplication of exhibition content and to enable opportunities for collaborative and complementary programming to be explored.

Casuarina Campus Galleries

Academy of the Arts Galleries

(12) The Academy of the Arts manages the Nan Giese Gallery and the Orange 12 gallery. The Academy of the Arts galleries are to be used primarily for educational purposes as  innovative and experimental exhibition spaces for the presentation of work and for teaching activities of the Academy of the Arts.

(13) The Academy of the Arts programming will:

1. be developed and managed by the Director CDU Academy of the Arts on an annual basis and as need arises;
2. feature work by employees, students, alumni, visiting or invited artists, artists-in-residence and selected internal or external exhibitors that support the Academy’s core objectives, initiatives and activities;
3. support key Higher Degree by Research exhibitions and outputs to enhance the University’s Masters and PhD programs;
4. encourage innovative interdisciplinary connections across the creative, visual, performing and screen media arts and other research areas and disciplines of study;
5. engage students in learning how to present artworks, performances and screenings of films and digital media to audiences;
6. consider the opportunities for community connection and outreach; and
7. consider the scheduling and content of exhibitions to be held at the Danala | Education and Community Precinct space, and by Northern Territory public collecting and exhibiting institutions, in particular those in Darwin, to avoid duplication of exhibition content and to enable opportunities for collaborative and complementary programming to be explored.

Blue 2 Art Gallery

(14) The Blue 2 Art Gallery is a shared space with a café that is under a separate commercial agreement.  The gallery space is facilitated by slide-out partitions where artwork can be mounted and then returned to storage at the conclusion of an exhibition.

(15) With the approval of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor First Nations Leadership and in consultation with the café lessee, the space may be utilised by community art centres or groups to display exhibitions from time to time. The space seeks to offer University employees, students and the general public the opportunity to engage and interact with culturally relevant displays which showcase First Nations knowledges, histories and cultures.

(16) Blue 2 Art Gallery programming will:

1. be developed and managed by the Director First Nations Leadership on an annual basis, in partnership with the Curator, CDU Art Gallery and Collection and as need arises;
2. feature work by emerging and established First Nations Artists;
3. consider the scheduling and content of exhibitions to be held in the Midpul Art Gallery and the Nan Giese Gallery to enable opportunities for collaborative and complementary programming to be explored; 
4. consider the scheduling and content of other proposed exhibitions by Northern Territory public collecting and exhibiting institutions, in particular those in Darwin, to avoid duplication of exhibition content and to enable opportunities for collaborative and complementary programming to be explored; 
5. prioritise the annual exhibition of the Karungkarni Art and Cultural Centre (Kalkarindji) to align with the Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture (usually held in August of each year); and

(17) The Blue 2 Art Gallery will not aim to profit from the sale of works in any exhibitions, but where relevant, ensure the appropriate remuneration of benefits is directed to the artists/art centres.

Section 5 - Non-Compliance

(18) Non-compliance with Governance Documents is considered a breach of the Code of Conduct - Employees or the Code of Conduct – Students, as applicable, and is treated seriously by the University. Reports of concerns about non-compliance will be managed in accordance with the applicable disciplinary procedures outlined in the Charles Darwin University and Union Enterprise Agreement 2022 and the Code of Conduct – Students.

(19) Complaints may be raised in accordance with the Complaints and Grievance Policy and Procedure - Employees and Complaints Policy - Students.

(20) All employees have an individual responsibility to raise any suspicion, allegation or report of fraud or corruption in accordance with the Fraud and Corruption Control Policy and Whistleblower Reporting (Improper Conduct) Procedure.