New Durham venue appoints artistic director
Tony Guillan, whose career includes work with Tate and Southbank Centre, steps into The Light ahead of its opening later this year
An experienced curator and producer with a track record spanning some of the UK’s biggest cultural institutions has been appointed artistic director of The Light ahead of the venue’s opening later this year.
Tony Guillan will lead the new Durham City destination, which is being developed by Durham County Council at Aykley Heads on the site of the former Durham Light Infantry Museum and Durham Art Gallery.
Described as a major new cultural venue for the North East, The Light will combine contemporary art, immersive experiences and new commissions with exhibitions exploring local history, science, creativity and innovation.
Tony brings more than 15 years’ experience working across museums, festivals and major arts organisations including Tate, Imperial War Museums, Southbank Centre and Coventry UK City of Culture 2021.
Most recently, he developed Southbank Centre’s Arts Technology programme, commissioning projects exploring digital storytelling, immersive experiences and new technologies in performance and visual art.
Speaking about the appointment, Tony said: “I’m incredibly excited to be joining The Light ahead of its opening this summer.
“It’s a rare opportunity to help shape a new kind of cultural space from the ground up, bringing together artists, audiences and ideas in ambitious and unexpected ways.
“County Durham and the wider North East have a rich cultural identity, a proud history of innovation and distinctive contemporary voices that deserve a nationally prominent platform.”
Among the projects Tony has previously worked on are Darren Emerson’s acclaimed virtual reality documentary experience In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats (Coventry City of Culture 2021) and Marshmallow Laser Feast’s Observations on Being, which explored the connections between heritage, science and public space.
Councillor Karen Allison, cabinet member for leisure, tourism, regeneration and high street at Durham County Council, said: “Tony brings an exciting combination of creative ambition, curatorial expertise and collaborative leadership to The Light at a pivotal moment for the venue.
“His experience working across internationally recognised cultural organisations and pioneering immersive projects will help establish The Light as a major new cultural destination for the North East.”
The main construction phase of the venue was completed last month, with work continuing on the interior fit-out and the first temporary exhibition, which will explore the North East’s relationship with light.