Opening date announced for new Sunderland venue
Here comes Culture House...
Culture House Sunderland, the new venue and library at Keel Square, in the heart of the city’s designated cultural quarter, is to open on Saturday, September 12, it has been announced.
The multi-million-pound building, described as “a living room in the heart of the city”, will host events and exhibitions over four floors and be the home to the new and modern city library.
Councillor Ciera Hudspith, the city council’s portfolio holder for culture, tourism and heritage, said: “Culture House Sunderland will be a fantastic addition to the city, providing a key city centre focal point and a great attraction for both residents and visitors to enjoy.
“The mix of events, exhibitions, top of the range tech, resources and outstanding food offering will make it a standout venue in the region, if not the UK.”
The venue’s opening exhibition, Our Home in Space, will be a collaboration with The Barbican, in London, featuring artworks from around the world that explore Earth’s place in the universe and how everything is connected.
It is described as an immersive showcase that will take viewers from the deep ocean to outer space.
The venue will have adaptable spaces suitable for hosting talks, creative workshops, family events, screenings and performances.
Its programme of events and exhibitions will showcase national and local talent.
The new city library will include a huge range of physical and digital books and magazines and also feature ‘state-of-the-art’ local history archives and genealogy resources.
In The Den, meanwhile, visitors will find an array of children’s books and a space for creative play.
For young people, The Teen Library will feature gaming stations, VR headsets, cosy reading nooks and spaces to do homework.
The Atrium, at the heart of the venue, is an open plan space intended to be a ‘living room’ where people can meet and relax.
Extending from ground floor to roof, it will feature digital screens that can show live performance streams, digital art or immersive storytelling.
The building’s top floor will include the Sky Garden, a rooftop oasis designed for events, workshops or just enjoying the views.
Culture House Sunderland will also boast Blacks Corner on the ground floor, offering a unique dining experience with bar area, intimate dining space, open studio kitchen and “interactive cheese counter”.
The Blacks Corner team will also cater for events taking place in the venue, including in the Sky Garden overlooking the city.
For further details and updates, check the Culture House Sunderland website.