Council opens up on transparency around Whitehorse's massive art collection

Whitehorse has been collecting art works for close to a century.

Matthew Sims
September 10, 2025

Purchasing fine art is not something you instantly associate with your local council’s role in civic life.

However, according to Whitehorse deputy mayor Prue Cutts, the Whitehorse Art Collection - at more than 2,100 works - is “one of the most significant art collections outside of capital cities in Australia”, with another 850 works making up the council’s Civic Collection.

During the Monday September 8 council meeting, Whitehorse councillor and Visual Arts Advisory Committee chair, Daniel Griffiths, said there should be a focus towards making the council’s work around maintaining its art collection more transparent to avoid things being done “behind closed doors”.

Frederick McCubbin, Pastoral (cows in the landscape), 1915. Credit: Whitehorse Art Collection

Almost 100 years: The former City of Box Hill established what is now known as the Whitehorse Art Collection in 1927, with an Art Advisory Committee formed in 1983.

Expanding the scope: At Monday’s council meeting, an updated Art and Civic Collections Policy - outlining how to best manage and develop both collections - was brought before the council for approval.

However, Whitehorse councillor and Visual Arts Advisory Committee chair Daniel Griffiths moved an alternative motion, which would essentially postpone the approval of the updated Art and Civic Collections Policy to a later date.

The motion included temporarily pausing the purchase of art for the remainder of the 2025/26 financial year unless a request was brought before council, as well as releasing images of all purchases and the details of all costs incurred since 2022/23.

Curation costs: As part of the 2025/26 capital works program, Whitehorse Council can use $77,000 for the acquisition, renewal and conservation of its art collection and its public art.

Meet the curator bringing world-class art to Whitehorse

What does it take to put together an unforgettable art exhibition? At Whitehorse Artspace, curator Marguerite Brown is putting together shows that surprise, inspire, and even spark global conversations.

Open to the public: The Whitehorse Artspace opened in 1998, was extended in 2007 and continues to show curated selections of the collection to the public.

One of the proposed changes is to rename it to the Whitehorse Art Gallery.

What comes next? Council staff will now work on updating the policy further before it returns to council for approval.