The name of a new cultural venue that will boost Durham City’s visitor offer and provide a home for creativity and innovation has been announced.
The Light will bring together art and science in an engaging space where visitors will be able to view internationally significant exhibitions; artists will be able to create and collaborate, and communities can gather.
The name of the Durham County Council-run venue has been inspired not just by the building’s history, but also its future use.
Once the site of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) Museum and Art Gallery, the building is undergoing significant works, which have seen it stripped down to its basic structure and almost completely rebuilt.
While it’s new design will transform The Light into a multipurpose cultural space, the venue’s links to military history will be retained through a dedicated DLI Gallery telling the story of the ‘Durhams’ through objects, documents and film footage from the DLI Collection.
The new name also reflects County Durham’s many associations with light – from the creation 1,300 years ago of Bede’s lunar calendar to Durham University’s involvement in the James Webb Space Telescope.
Housing the county’s only contemporary art gallery, The Light will also provide a beacon for creativity, arts and culture when it opens, with light art also set to play a prominent role.
More than just an exhibition space, The Light will also offer facilities to host private events and conferences, and a ground floor café will provide a place for visitors and passers-by to stop for refreshments. The stunning natural grounds will be an oasis in the centre of the city and a place for reflection.
Situated at the heart of Aykley Heads, The Light will be an anchor institution of Durham’s Innovation District, which took a major step forward just last month when Durham County Council signed a Collaboration Agreement with Muse and Durham University to accelerate its development as a hub for investment and innovation.
Acting as a meeting place and a creative hub, The Light will support the game-changing ambitions of the new district and play a key part in the sustainable growth of the site.
The Light, which is due to open this year, will be a sister venue to The Story, which provides the permanent home to the DLI Collection. The two venues will work together, along with other attractions across the county, to support a local, regional and national visitor offer that celebrates our heritage and highlights our ambition.