First Site Gallery
Come and explore your creative side at RMIT's student-led gallery.
First Site is RMIT's student gallery, that presents student exhibitions and events throughout the year. In the past First Site have been led by a student committee who rotate on a yearly basis. In 2021 First Site continues to be impacted by COVID-19 and as a result certain programs are on hold.
First Site is part of RMIT Culture.
RMIT Culture brings together the university’s cultural spaces, creative programs and art, film, design and research collections, providing opportunities to inspire the whole community and valuable support for the university’s learning and teaching activities. By showcasing and expanding RMIT’s cultural assets through new initiatives and vibrant partnered projects RMIT Culture helps facilitate an enterprise-wide approach to cultural engagement.
The antecedent of First Site Gallery can be traced back to the formation of a Gallery Collective in 1968 that was created soon after the establishment of RMIT Union (now RMIT Student Life). The first gallery, known as ‘The Collective Space’ ran exhibition programs from June to December each year as well as events, such as chess club nights, music performances and discussion groups.
The union’s gallery was relocated and renamed three times over the next fifteen years until, in 1996, it was moved to its current site and named First Site. From its inception, First Site was conceived as a space to provide students with a conduit into creative practice, independently from RMIT’s teaching programs.
As its founders imagined, First Site provided students with a space where they could experiment, take risks and learn about presenting their work publicly. In the past 23 years, First Site has presented over 850 exhibitions involving 4000 students that were appreciated by audiences of over 400,000.
RMIT Culture keeps audiences in the loop about the latest cultural events and activities across the university.
Physical Address: Storey Hall Basement, 344 Swanston Street, Melbourne, Australia.
Location: Melbourne City campus, Building 16
Email: first.site@rmit.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 9925 1717
First Site is accessible via a lift. The entrance is on Rodda Lane opposite Building 8. First Site has DDA compliant and gender neutral bathrooms.
First Site is committed to increasing accessibility to our exhibitions and events. If you have specific requirements please get in touch.
Acknowledgement of country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business. - Artwork created by Louisa Bloomer