Murray Bridge Regional Gallery was first envisioned in 1995 when Rural City of Murray Bridge Council (RCMB) commissioned Bruce Harry & Assoc. to develop a proposal for upgrading the Town Hall into a multi-cultural arts facility. In 1997 a public meeting was held at the Local Government Centre to ascertain interest in setting up a gallery.  The meeting supported the idea, and Arts Officer Natasha Phillips of Country Arts SA suggested setting up a community cultural advisory committee to advise Council about cultural issues, and facilitate the setting up of cultural facilities including a gallery. In 1998 Terms of Reference were written up by Natasha Phillips, Vicki Nottage and Sue Foster with help from Councillor Peter Asel. Meanwhile, local artists and crafts people formed the Murraylands Arts and Crafts Collective (also known more simply as the Collective) as a centre for arts networking and sales, and to serve as a support group for running a regional gallery should it eventuate. RCMB allocated the premises at the rear of the Town Hall to the Collective.

That same year, RCMB invited nominations for the inaugural Community Cultural Development Advisory Committee (CCDAC), following which, CCDAC and Collective members assisted Council in successfully applying to Country Arts SA for a grant. This grant allowed for employment of Bob Ramsay, of Ochre Consultants, to develop a Cultural Audit and Plan, and in 1999 Bob produced a Cultural Plan which proposed the development of a cultural facility which would encompass a range of activities, including a visual arts gallery.

 In 1999 and into 2000, the Collective and the CCDAC, led by Vicki Nottage, arranged public consultations during which residents were invited to voice their ideas and comment on options detailed by architect Steve Grieve.

In 2000, Steve Grieve submitted plans for a three-staged development of the proposed Regional Gallery. RCMB (with advice from Collective and CCDAC) submitted an application for funding for Stage 1 of the Gallery. The application was successful and RCMB received a $63,000 grant under the Regional Art Gallery Capital Development Program.

2001 - 2010: BUILDING THE GALLERY

In 2001, Stage 1 of the Gallery began, jointly funded by RCMB and Arts SA (Cultural Facilities and Equipment Program). During this process, the Town Hall Banquet Room was transformed into a functioning visual arts space and on October 24th the gallery was opened by Nicki Downer. The Arts and Crafts Collective mounted an opening exhibition for Gallery and agreed to manage the running of the Gallery for an interim period with visual arts sub-committee from CCDAC.

In 2002 Megan Boyle (RCMB) set up a Gallery Management Committee consisting of 3 CCDAC members and 3 Collective members plus the Community Development Officer of RCMB. Members of Gallery Management Committee met with Steve Grieve to discuss Stage 2 of the Gallery, which was subsequently finished in 2004. On the 18 March 2005, Vicki Nottage Sculpture Court was officially opened by Lieutenant Governor Bruno Krumins AM.

In 2008, new lights were installed in the gallery and in May/June 2009 Stage 3 of the Gallery and Town Hall upgrade commenced.

In 2010 Murray Bridge hosted the SA Government’s Regional Centre of Culture Program, which supported a major redevelopment to transform the historic Town Hall into a versatile cultural venue for visual and performing arts. Structural changes were made to all of the gallery spaces as a part of Town Hall redevelopment, including the enlarging of what is now known as the Jean Sims Gallery, and the addition of the Gallery Shop, providing the Gallery with better street frontage. With that, Stage 3 was completed.

In 2010 the Gallery started opening on weekends and a new logo, designed by Melanie Terrett, was put into use.

In 2013 Murray Bridge Regional Gallery hosted the first annual SIXTH STREET HANDMADE ARTIST MARKET (renamed in 2019 to SIXTH STREET MAKERS MARKET and again in 2023 to MURRAY BRIDGE MAKERS MARKET). In 2018 the Gallery hosted the first annual LITTLE ART FEST (renamed in 2022 to ART FEST), a street event focusing on providing free workshop experiences to visitors, and in 2019 the Gallery hosted the first annual Murray Bridge Fringe ‘Fringe on Sixth’ event.

In 2021 new timber flooring replaced vinyl tiles. That same year, the Gallery hosted BIG Little Art Fest; a larger combination event of LITTLE ART FEST and SIXTH STREET HANDMADE MAKERS MARKET, due to both having been postponed in 2020 because of COVID19.

In 2023 the Gallery launched an online store in collaboration with Shop Local SA.

In 2024 the Gallery hosted the town’s first mural festival, WALL TO WALL MURRAY BRIDGE, where 5 interstate and international artists painted murals around the Murray Bridge CBD over 4 days, culminating in a Festival Street Party on the final day.