Sunderland's dedicated contemporary art gallery to relocate to Culture House
It’s been announced that the city’s dedicated contemporary art gallery will be relocated to Culture House.
Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art (NGCA), which has been running for more than 50 years, is currently housed within National Glass Centre, after moving there when its home at the old City Library in Fawcett Street closed.
But with National Glass Centre earmarked for closure in July 2026, after owners University of Sunderland announced three years ago that the site was too expensive to repair, a new home had to be sought for the gallery.
Now, University of Sunderland has announced it will open a new space, described as “a flexible, creative hub” on the second floor of Culture House, which is due to open in Keel Square this spring.
As well as becoming the new home for NGCA, the space will provide a prominent public platform for students and staff to exhibit work.
The University says it has been working with Sunderland Culture and Sunderland City Council to ensure the space is “an inspiring and accessible gallery, where visitors from across the city, region, and beyond can enjoy creative works from a variety of artists.”
Professor Kevin Petrie, Strategic Lead for the Centre for Creative Practice Research, School of Media and Creative Industries, said: “We are working to bring a diverse range of visual art into the NGCA programme.
“My colleagues in our subjects such as Fine Art and Photography, Video and Digital Imaging will also use the new gallery space in teaching sessions and students will have the chance to work alongside the exhibition curator, and in many cases the artists themselves, to learn first-hand about careers and professional practice in visual arts.
“Over the next two years we plan a range of exhibitions of professional artists, academic creative work and student projects. This new space will highlight how creativity can challenge, inspire, communicate - and delight.”
Sunderland Culture welcomed the move.
Nick Malyan, CEO of Sunderland Culture, said: “NGCA is the longest-established contemporary art gallery in the North East of England. For more than half a century, it has brought nationally and internationally significant artists to Sunderland while championing regional and emerging talent.
“A consistent and positive force in the region’s arts ecology, its next chapter at Culture House will connect high-quality contemporary art with an even wider audience.”
Cllr Beth Jones, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism at Sunderland City Council said: “Culture House is set to become a real focal point for Sunderland residents and visitors to the city when it opens its doors later this year, and we want to deliver a space that inspires people, with fantastic exhibitions, galleries and interactive digital activity that will stand up on a national and even international stage.
“This will be a place to think, explore and connect at the heart of the city, and having international artists share their work here will bring more footfall into the city centre, delivering a big boost to surrounding leisure, retail and hospitality businesses.”