The Light to launch in Durham with landmark exhibition featuring Tracey Emin & Steve McQueen

The Light, a major new cultural venue in Durham, is set to open its doors on 22 August, unveiling an ambitious programme that includes artworks by Tracey Emin and Steve McQueen. The venue aims to engage audiences with some of the most significant ideas of our era through exhibitions, events, immersive experiences, and new commissions.

Its inaugural exhibition, Victory Over the Sun: Encounters with Light, will showcase artists who employ light in innovative and extraordinary ways. The show features new commissions alongside works by internationally acclaimed artists such as Olafur Eliasson, Tracey Emin, Chila Burman, Jenny Holzer, David Shrigley, Steve McQueen, and Cerith Wyn Evans.

Combining contemporary art with local history, scientific advancement, and technological innovation, The Light represents County Durham’s first venue dedicated to presenting contemporary art of both national and international importance on this scale.

Previously known as the Durham Light Infantry Museum and Art Gallery, the site has undergone a significant transformation funded by Durham County Council and redesigned by award-winning architects NORR. While focusing on contemporary art, the venue will also honour its heritage through a dedicated Durham Light Infantry (DLI) Gallery, preserving the historic connection to the regiment.

The theme of light and innovation resonates strongly with Durham’s history. The county was the birthplace of Joseph Swan (1828–1914), the physicist, chemist, and inventor of the incandescent light bulb. This legacy of innovation continues today with cutting-edge research in space, optics, and communication at Durham University, as well as developments within the emerging Durham Innovation District. The Light is poised to become a crucial creative hub and gathering place within this dynamic environment.