IN December last year, Hamilton Gallery opened its most successful exhibition to date, Emerging from Darkness: Faith, Emotion and the Body in the Baroque.

This world-class exhibition featuring never-before-seen masterpieces drew thousands of people from across Australia and attained international recognition.

Gallery director, Joshua White said the exhibition demonstrated “how well-researched and professionally curated shows are what the public are seeking and great art, speaks for itself.”

The exhibition had a remarkable economic impact on the Hamilton township, with almost $1 million dollars per month increase in visitor spend and a total of over $4.5 million spent by tourists over the course of the exhibition.

Over 500 different postcodes were registered by the Gallery and the Gallery shop making over $128,000, with booked out public programs, and events, including an opening event of over 350 people.

Southern Grampians Shire Council chief executive, Tony Doyle, said, the success of the recent exhibition emphasised what the potential of a new gallery could do for a community.

“Not only the economic benefit but the authentic pride of a cultural hub within regional Victoria,” he said.

Local business owner of The Hamilton Hamper, Bridget Pern, said “Emerging From Darkness was a massive benefit to the community and our business, with tourists coming from all over the country to visit”.

“We look forward to the next major event.”

The exclusive and ground-breaking nature of the exhibition resulted in significant media coverage from national and international outlets with a total media reach of well over one million people through Facebook alone.

This included articles by the Financial Times Globetrotter, The Australian, The Age, Arts Hub, and many more.

Notable Australian art critic, Dr Christopher Allen, also gave a rave review of the exhibition within The Weekend Australian, stating Emerging From Darkness was a “substantial and ... exceptionally well-conceived exhibition...”.

Hamilton Lakeside Motel owner, Kim Fitzgerald said, “we received an enormous increase in bookings during the exhibition”.

“We look forward to more events like this, as it makes a huge impact on our business.”

Art connoisseurs, politicians, art experts and the community gave high praise to the exhibition, such as Tourism, Sport and Major Events minister, Steve Dimopoulos, stating it was “the most ambitious exhibition to be held ever in regional Australia.”

National Gallery of Victoria international art curator, Laurie Benson, said it was “possibly the most ambitious and significant exhibition in regional Australian history.”

Travel writer, Larissa Dubecki from Explore Magazine enthusiastically stated, “A world class exhibition has come to this stunning town in Victoria.”