£18m Sunderland venue set to open

Sunderland’s newest music and performance venue The Fire Station has released details of its opening programme.

Operated by Sunderland Culture, the £18m venue will open its auditorium on December 10, with events scheduled through June.

It expects to host up to 300 music and theatre events each year.

Music, Arts and Culture (MAC) Chair Paul Callaghan said the auditorium will not only feature established musicians, "it will also be the springboard to stardom for our own aspiring talent".

Sunderland Culture Chief Executive Rebecca Ball said the venue will be "a fantastic addition to the city’s cultural life" and thanked the MAC Trust for leading the building project.