New landmark Culture House development to open in 2026, council confirms
A new landmark city library and multi-purpose cultural venue under construction in Sunderland city centre is now due to open in 2026, it has been confirmed.
The ‘Culture House’ is among several new buildings included in Sunderland City Council’s masterplan for Riverside Sunderland, which aims to reimagine the heart of the city with new housing, offices and leisure spaces.
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Overlooking Keel Square and costing more than £27 million, the towering cultural hub is set to house a range of facilities for adults, children and young people and spaces for exhibitions, learning, media and arts and crafts.
Key features include The Atrium, an open plan space intended to be a “living room” for the city where people can meet and relax, along with library facilities, Blacks Corner opening a bar and eatery on the ground floor, a host of galleries, podcasting studios, a large event space for talks, gigs and comedy shows, a "play area and teen space", a "sky garden" on the top floor and more.
The Culture House's website confirms the venue will be "The National Centre for Creative Smart Cities","home to the city library" and "packed with interactive, digital features and a year round programme of fun things to do."
Since that date, a number of changes have been made to the original designs as the project has developed, including a major change “stepping back” part of the venue to avoid critical broadband infrastructure."
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Although significant progress has been made on the building which has dramatically changed the city centre skyline, as of November 14, 2025, work is still ongoing.
When approached for comment for further information, Sunderland City Council confirmed the opening date has been pushed back into 2026.
Council culture chiefs said the Culture House opening will follow a full internal fit out, with the doors expected to open to the public in "the first half of 2026."
Councillor Beth Jones, cabinet member for communities, culture and tourism at Sunderland City Council, in a statement, outlined plans for the site in coming months.
“Culture House is progressing at pace, with structural and ground works closing in on completion", Cllr Jones said.
"The building will be brought to life internally with scores of screens in every corner of this wonderful venue, and interactive and immersive spaces will excite and delight visitors of all ages.
"The fit out is therefore a really important phase of work and – when the keys are handed over – the council will begin to turn this vision into a reality, with internationally renowned partners supporting to ensure this really is a world-class place to play.
"We expect to open in the first half of 2026.”
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The Culture House development was previously discussed in public during a meeting of the council's Economic Prosperity Scrutiny Committee on October 7, 2025, at City Hall.
Councillors were told the Culture House was due to be completed towards the end of the year, followed by an internal fit out including audiovisual technology and other elements.
Senior council officers at the time said they did not have a "specific opening date" and that the final opening date would be subject to when the building is handed over and further decisions around programming, exhibits and events.