Carcoar School of Arts is a heritage-listed former municipal chambers and library and now community centre and museum at Icely Street, Carcoar, in the Central West region of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, Australia. It is also known as the Municipal Council Chambers. The property is owned by the School of Arts Community Hall Carcoar Inc. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

History

The School of Arts is the most recent of the public buildings built in Carcoar which reflect its former status as the second most populous town west of the Blue Mountains. In the past the building was used as the Municipal Council Chambers before being used as a community centre for functions and meetings.Bedford 1983 The School of Arts building opened in July 1901. It was designed by a Bathurst architect, Mr. Copeman, and built by local builders Messrs. Watson and Darrington at a cost of £1011. The building was designed in the Victorian classical style with a Federation period influence. In 1983, the building underwent a works program consisting of external wall sealing, provision of damp coursing, plaster work to damaged walls, external drainage extension and painting. In December 2017, the building's new trustees announced that they were seeking funding for urgent repairs. In addition to serving as a community centre, the building also houses the Carmenhurst Military Museum on the second floor.

Description

The Carcoar School of Arts is part of an Urban Conservation Area classified by the

National Trust of Australia The National Trust of Australia, officially the Australian Council of National Trusts (ACNT), is the Australian national peak body for community-based, non-government non-profit organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's Ind ...

. It is a T-shaped building constructed from locally made muddy-grey bricks. It is in the Victorian Classical style of earlier buildings in Carcoar - the courthouse,

railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

, hospital and C.B.C. Bank - but also displays a strong Federation period influence, particularly in its roof construction and use of multi-coloured windows. However, the dominant classical style is evidenced by its symmetry, central

pediment Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds. A pedimen ...

, banded string courses and plastered

bays A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a gulf, sea, sound, or bight. A cove is a small, circular bay with a narr ...

. The front two-storey section of the building contains a supper room, kitchen, dressing rooms, toilets and upstairs meeting room. The main body of the building, a single storey hall with stage, reflects the classical style of the exterior in its plastered detailing.

Heritage listing

The larger scale of buildings, common building line and a number of street trees in front of these buildings, create a group of significant importance.Braddon 1983 Carcoar School of Arts was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria. The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales. Whilst the most recent (public) building in Carcoar, the building achieves harmony with other buildings of similar scale through detail and form. it is a significant feature of the historic buildings comprising the focal centre of the village.Trustees & Blayney Shire Council 1983: 1 The place has strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. The previous uses of the building as Municipal Chambers and School of Arts endorses its community importance to the residents of Carcoar. This importance continues as it is the main community facility for functions, dances and social events.

References

Bibliography

* * * * *

Attribution

External links

{{commons category-inline, School of Arts, Carcoar New South Wales State Heritage Register Carcoar, New South Wales City and town halls in New South Wales Schools of Arts in New South Wales Community buildings in New South Wales Articles incorporating text from the New South Wales State Heritage Register