The DJ was playing well into the night at what the National Portrait Gallery used to call the “beach bungalow” down on the lake.

But this wasn’t the NPG, nor its successor in the venue, the Gallery of Australian Design, but rather NGA Contemporary, a new contemporary art space located on the foreshore of Canberra’s Lake Burley Griffin, an initiative of the National Gallery of Australia.

Earlier in the day, retiring director of the Gallery, Ron Radford, who said this was his last official opening before his departure next week, told “Citynews,” “We are going to make it work”.

With a series of public programs and artworks by living Australian artists whom he described as “the lifeblood of the nation,” this was likely to become the place to be, especially if you took into account the schmooze factor evident in the large Barlen’s marquee perched on the edge of the lake.

Radford and his staff predicted that sophisticated Canberrans would be enjoying Friday afternoon drinks through the coming spring, summer and autumn after viewing the artworks by artists representing every state and territory.

“Our vision has been to develop a contemporary art space so that all Australians can see more of this superb collection ahead of the expansion plans of Stage 2 for the existing building in Parkes Place,” said National Gallery of Australia Director, Radford told those present.

According to Radford, since the National Gallery opened in 1982, there had been not much space for Australian contemporary art, which had been relegated to “the attic” in an upstairs space. The happy problem was, as he explained, that “our collection has grown stupendously”, so with the cooperation of the National Capital Authority the NGA had decided to take over the beach bungalow and fit in as many artworks as it could.

The intention would be to run four exhibitions a year on different themes, using outside curators and the experience would be enhanced by a shop selling contemporary art and craft.

NGA Contemporary, Queen Elizabeth Terrace, Lake Burley Griffin, open Wednesday to Sunday 10 am to 5 pm and admission is free.