What was once a building for local law and justice, the Balaklava Courthouse Gallery is now a centre for art and creativity, a gateway to what is possible from the arts community across the Mid North.
Located at 6 Edith Terrace, the courthouse was officially opened in 1913 where it operated as a police station and courthouse, with a main courtroom as well as a witness room and a magistrates room.
The use of the building for police and court would end after several decades with the seeds sown for its eventual use as a gallery through a letter to the editor in the Plains Producer in 1989, calling for the building to be preserved.
The Art in Public Places advisory committee would investigate an art gallery studio inside the courthouse and a public meeting in the Balaklava Town Hall in 1990 a decision was made to set up a gallery in the building, with support from District Council of Wakefield Plains (now Wakefield Regional Council).
The courthouse would complete its conversion into an art gallery and officially opened to the public in March 1991, with the witness and magistrates rooms becoming a gift shop and kitchen.
One of the key figures behind this transformation was the late Joyce Ross OAM, the founding president of the gallery and was involved for more than 10 years.
Since then the courthouse has been a venue to showcase art from across the community and the wider region.
Gallery president Nancy Harrington said the building needed to be preserved as it was a big part of Balaklava’s history, and it was now a valued venue showcasing the creations of local artists, and a social hub for locals and visitors alike.
“It’s a meeting place for visitors, artists, community members, it’s a place where local artists can have their work on display,” she said.
“It provides an excellent environment for artists and is a great little place for events where people can come together.
“It’s not a huge gallery, but it’s quite intimate and quite adaptable to big and small exhibitions.”
The gallery hosts between 6-8 exhibitions per year, with the biggest each year being the Balco Art Prize, held in July and August each year which attracts more than 100 works by more than 70 artists across South Australia.
However, it is not just artists who make the most of this venue, it has also fostered creativity and participation from within Balaklava and surrounds.
One of the most unique exhibitions was the Spring Chickens Festival in August, 2022, which saw the gallery display more than 100 chicken sculptures that had been decorated by local residents and businesses as part of the Wakefield Community Chooks Art Project, among a slew of supporting paintings and artworks which all had the theme of chickens or eggs.
Another exhibition in 2023, involving the art of tea towels, saw more than 300 tea towels contributed for this display.
It has also served as the launching pad for future artists as local schools, and even the Balaklava Community Children’s Centre, having the opportunity to exhibit students’ work in a public space, and visit regularly to learn about the different types of art being created.
“The community seems to love being involved when they have the opportunity to put something in,” Ms Harrington said.
Ms Harrington said as well as opening its doors to the Balaklava community, the gallery also opens up to clubs inside and outside the Mid North, including photography clubs from Clare and Strathalbyn.
The gallery is a part of the Regional Galleries Association of South Australia, an advocacy body for not-for-profit galleries in regional areas of the state.
Association members got a taste of what Balaklava has to offer during a regional visit to the Mid North in September last year, which included a visit to the gallery and public art installations around the town.
With the gallery’s location in the town of Balaklava, it also serves as a gateway to the Mid North in terms of what other artists, and galleries have to offer.
Those travelling from Adelaide via Port Wakefield Road can turn right from Port Wakefield to access the Clare Valley, but first comes Balaklava with the gallery visible on Edith Terrace for those coming from the west.
They can start in Balaklava, and then move on to view other galleries in towns like Riverton, Clare, Kapunda, Blyth and Snowtown to get the full picture of the Mid North’s creativity and artistic spirit.
Like many regional galleries, Balaklava’s is volunteer run with a great team behind it.
This includes the 16 people who form the gallery committee, which includes patron Rodney Reid, Wakefield Regional Council mayor and art lover.
Some of these committee members also make up the more than 30 people rostered on as supervisors, watching over the gallery during opening hours.
Committee-driven fundraising efforts aim to keep building on a great space and continue to utilise it as a showcase of art for the community, and the region as a whole.
Valerie Veitch is a committee member, and a part of the Balaklava Art Group who use the gallery for workshops and to showcase their work.
For her, and other art group members, the gallery has been a valuable asset.
“I can’t tell you how important (the gallery has been), just hugely,” she said.
“One of the most exciting days of my life was when this (building) reopened as a gallery.”
The committee has a programme of events planned out for 2024 with the first, ‘Art and Us’ on display until March 17, which features pieces gallery committee members have put forward as examples of what they love about art.
Up next is the exhibition ‘Between Valleys: On the Plains’ from March 20 to May 5, which features the artworks of Karen Slape of Kapunda, with an official launch on April 5 from 6pm which includes a guest speaker, visual artist Adele Justice.
People are encouraged to visit the gallery throughout the year, as there is always something different on display.
Curator Jo May said the Balaklava community was fortunate to be the custodians of this historical building, which supports local, regional and South Australian visual artists.
“We are honoured to play our part, not just in sharing the stories of the Balaklava community, but of the Mid North and beyond, through the visual arts,” she said.
People can find out more, including upcoming events, by visiting the Balaklava Courthouse Gallery Facebook page or going online at www.balaklavacourthousegallery.com
