Durham Council Reopens Closed Military Museum as £17m Art Venue

Durham County Council spent £17m transforming a decade-shut military museum into The Light — a venue blending regimental heritage with 500m² of contemporary art space. The inaugural show features Tracey Emin, Steve McQueen and Olafur Eliasson. As a council-funded institution, its survival depends on political support amid tightening English local government budgets.