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Learning at the Counihan Gallery

The Counihan Gallery provides original and enjoyable learning opportunities for students and educators through our in-gallery programs, online resources, and educational partnerships.  

We are named after Noel Counihan, an artist and activist who fought for social justice issues and the right to free speech. Our exhibition program reflects our commitment to political activation, sustainability, and creative expression. As a result, our education programs are suitable for many learning areas, from science to the humanities, English to the visual arts.  

Entry to the Counihan Gallery is free.

Join our Counihan Gallery Learning mailing list 

To keep up to date with free professional development opportunities, learning programs and new exhibition learning resources, join our mailing list.  

As a subscriber, you can expect 4 to 6 emails per year and can opt out at any time. 

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Counihan Gallery booking and contact information

The Counihan Gallery is open to the public Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 5pm and Sunday 1pm to 5pm. Bookings are preferred for groups of 10 people or more.

Bookings can also be made to visit the Gallery outside business hours. Bookings outside business hours must be requested and confirmed in advance. For the best chance of securing a booking, we recommend making a booking request at least 2 weeks before your proposed visit. 

You can register your free booking with us by filling out the Counihan Gallery’s group booking form on Microsoft Forms.

For booking enquiries or cancellations, please email CounihanGallery@Merri-bek.vic.gov.au or call us on 9389 8622

For more information and for answers to our frequently asked questions, download a guide for planning your visit:

 

Learning programs at the Counihan Gallery

We offer a safe space for students and educators to engage in new ideas or rethink some old ones. All exhibitions, programs and events are free at the Counihan Gallery.

To register a booking for any of the programs below, please fill in our Microsoft Forms booking form.

  • Join us for a free guided tour of our current exhibitions followed by an opportunity to ask questions.

    • Suitable for all ages
    • This program runs for approximately 30 minutes, with additional time for self-guided viewing
    • Minimum 10 participants
    • Free, booking required

    To register your booking, please fill in our Microsoft Forms booking form.

  • Designed as an introduction to professional practice for early-career artists or cultural producers, we cover our exhibition application processes, what to expect as an exhibitor and highlight other opportunities available in Merri-bek for artists and curators.

    • This program is for students completing a tertiary course in visual arts, curatorship, museum studies or equivalent
    • This program runs for 45 minutes, with additional time for self-guided viewing
    • Minimum 10 participants
    • Free, booking required

    To register your booking, please fill inour Microsoft Forms booking form.

  • What kind of gallery is the Counihan Gallery? How are we different to other art spaces? How does our curator present, promote and conserve the artworks in our exhibitions and collection? Including a tour of our exhibitions and facilities, we provide an overview of how we fit into the broader art industry context.

    • This program is for high school students completing Unit 4, Studio Arts
    • This program runs for 45 minutes, with additional time for self-guided viewing
    • Minimum 10 participants
    • Free, booking required

    To register your booking, please fill in our Microsoft Forms booking form.

  • Feel free to explore our current exhibitions on your own!

    For groups of 10 people or more, we appreciate your booking. 

    To register your booking, please fill in our Microsoft Forms booking form.

You can find more about our general programs and exhibitions on our What’s on at the Counihan Gallery page.

Counihan Gallery Learning Resources

Counihan Gallery Learning Resources engage young artists with contemporary ideas about art, culture, politics and sustainability. 

Using our current exhibitions and the Merri-bek Art Collection as ignition, our Learning Resources are intended to spark conversations that challenge the status quo. We hope to support young artists develop a creative practice that reckons critically with the world.

Named after artist and activist Noel Counihan, the Counihan Gallery encourages today’s artists to activate for social justice.

You can download our Counihan Gallery Learning Resources from the links below:

Learning partnerships with the Counihan Gallery

We are a municipal gallery that aims to foster connections with the Merri-bek community.

If you are a local school, education or care provider seeking an opportunity to engage with us in a sustained and meaningful way, you can email CounihanGallery@merri-bek.vic.gov.au or call on 9389 8622 to discuss how we can work together.

Internships at the Counihan Gallery

Each year the Counihan Gallery offers an internship opportunity to satisfy course requirements for one person currently enrolled in a degree in curatorship, arts management, museum studies, visual arts or equivalent. 

Applicants must be interested in working together with Gallery staff on an agreed project while also learning the day-to-day operations of the Gallery. 

You can find out more about Counihan Gallery Internships in the documents below: 

Apply for a Counihan Gallery internship using the Snapforms internship application form.

This internship placement is for Semester 2. We accept internship applications from May until 15 June. 

Please note, the Gallery does not currently offer Work Experience placements for secondary school students or run a volunteer program.