Innovation and change in the Victorian fine art cluster

This research is investigating the scope and relationships of the fine arts and associated sectors before, during and after disruption of the National Gallery of Victoria's (NGV) core activities over the period 1999 to 2003. The significance of the research is to examine the effect of the NGV's scaled down operations and understand what happens to an industry and business relationships when a key player moves out of and then re-enters a market. The NGV has long been a dominant figure within the Victorian fine art cluster and, for the purpose of this research, has been used to investigate the way small / medium enterprises (SMEs) may be affected when a key player (one that has in the past dominated the cluster) is forced temporarily to assume a weaker role. The research focuses on the interactions and inter relationships between the NGV and SMEs specifically and the repercussions of dislocation within the cluster. The investigation will determine if the NGV's dislocation and consequent re-entry as two separate entities has a bearing on the innovation and system behaviour of the cluster and its consequent adaptability to change in a turbulent environment.