Opening date confirmed for major North East venue

A major new North East cultural venue has moved a step closer with an opening date now confirmed.

Culture House Sunderland, a multi-million-pound, four-floor venue and library at Keel Square will open its doors on Saturday 12 September 2026.

Culture House will be a living room in the heart of the city, where everyone is welcome, with a range of events, exhibitions and spaces for visitors to spend their time.

It will include cutting-edge immersive spaces, large digital screens, a green screen studio and podcasting facilities and will be home to a new, state-of-the-art city library.

Cllr Ciera Hudspith, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Tourism and Heritage at Sunderland City Council, 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 its outstanding food offering will make it a standout venue in the region, if not the UK."

Culture House Sunderland's opening exhibition, Our Home in Space, will be a collaboration with London venue The Barbican - a leader in mixing innovative digital experiences with traditional art forms. It will bring together spectacular artworks from around the world, highlighting how everything in the universe is connected and exploring Earth's place in it. The immersive showcase will take attendees from the deep ocean to outer space.

Once open, the venue will be able to host talks, creative workshops for young people and adults, family events, screenings and performances in its large adaptable spaces, as well as more intimate shows such as film screenings and gaming battles.   

Throughout the year there will be a range of events and exhibitions in the gallery spaces, attracting national exhibits and showcasing local talent.

The new city library will include a huge range of physical and digital books and magazines and will feature a state-of-the-art local history archives and genealogy resources.

The Den will house an array of children's books and a space for little ones to play creatively and enjoy enchanting stories.

For young people, The Teen Library will feature gaming stations, VR headsets, cozy reading nooks and spaces to do homework.

The Atrium will be at the heart of the venue, an open plan space intended to be a living room where people can meet and relax, stretching from the ground floor to the roof of the building, featuring digital screens that can show live performance streams, digital art or immersive storytelling. The top floor will include the Sky Garden, a rooftop oasis perfect for events, workshops or just enjoying the views.

Culture House Sunderland will also boast one the region's top eateries, Blacks Corner, which will have a venue on the ground floor of the building, offering a unique dining experience with a bar area, intimate dining space, open studio kitchen and an interactive cheese counter.

The team will also cater for events taking place in the venue, including the Sky Garden overlooking the city.

For more information and to keep up to date visit https://culturehousesunderland.co.uk