Sunderland's new £11million Auditorium music and arts venue takes shape as part of Culture Quarter development

There’s a new addition to the city centre skyline as work forges ahead on Sunderland’s new Auditorium.
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Years in the planning, the £11million Auditorium is being built on a former car park next door to The Fire Station and, once complete, will share an entrance with the arts venue.

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Designed pre-coronavirus with a capacity of 450 people seated or 800 standing, The Auditorium lies between the size of the neighbouring 2,000-seater Empire and smaller music venues such as Independent and is a mid-size venue that should stamp Sunderland on the touring circuit route for a host of gigs and other performances.

Sunderland's new Auditorium taking shapeSunderland's new Auditorium taking shape
Sunderland's new Auditorium taking shape

The Sunderland Music, Arts and Culture (MAC) Trust is behind the development and secured a £6.25million award from Arts Council England‘s Capital: Large Grants programme, funded by the National lottery, to build the venue, which marks the final phase of the regeneration of this corner of the city into a culture quarter.

Paul Callaghan, Chair of the Music, Arts and Culture Trust, said “Brims are making good progress on the Auditorium and are on schedule to complete the building by late Spring 2021.

"With a period for fit-out and pre-opening preparations, we are looking forward to the first performances in mid-2021. The steel frame is now complete and the roof and structural brickwork are underway.

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"This shows the size and scale of the building and how it sits with the Empire and other surrounding buildings. With the external restoration of the Fire Station, the Dun Cow and the Peacock now finished, Sunderland’s Culture Quarter is looking really good.”

It's hoped the venue will stamp Sunderland on the touring circuit, once it resumesIt's hoped the venue will stamp Sunderland on the touring circuit, once it resumes
It's hoped the venue will stamp Sunderland on the touring circuit, once it resumes

The Auditorium is one in a number of new developments in this area of the city centre. Over the road, the Town Park next to the Minster has been completely redeveloped as part of the Bishopwearmouth Townscape Heritage Scheme, which has also seen repair works undertaken on the historic Dun Cow and Peacock pubs.

Meanwhile, construction of the new City Hall is taking place on the former Vaux site as part of the new Riverside Urban Quarter.

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The venue is being built on a former car parkThe venue is being built on a former car park
The venue is being built on a former car park

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