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New £1.6m Spanish and Latin American cultural research centre coming to County Durham

Durham University and Auckland Castle Trust have unveiled a new initiative that will see County Durham become a major centre for international research into Spanish and Latin American art and culture.

The Zurbarán Centre for Spanish and Latin American Art in Bishop Auckland will link academic research at Durham University to the curatorial programme at Auckland Castle’s Spanish Gallery while supporting public engagement and regional regeneration with the arts.

The new £1.6m facility, which is named after Spanish master Francisco de Zurbarán, is part of a wider strategy to expand the cultural links between the UK, Spain and Latin America.

Jonathan Ruffer, Chair of Trustees at Auckland Castle, believes that the new centre will help to draw more international visitors to the region.

He said: “County Durham and the wider North East is primed for this kind of support and investment.

“The Zurbarán Centre for Spanish and Latin American Art and Spanish Gallery are both a key part of our plans to draw more international visitors to the region and to stimulate economic regeneration both in Bishop Auckland and further afield.”

Funding for the Zurbarán Centre has been derived from a £600k grant from Santander to Durham University, which is the bank’s largest single donation to a UK university, while the university itself will provide £1m over the next five years.

Ana Botín, Group Executive Chairman at the bank, added: “The work being done by Durham University and Auckland Castle Trust will help to develop a world class centre for sharing and understanding Spain’s art and culture.

“Santander has strong connections to County Durham through both our customers and people so we are delighted to support this outstanding partnership.”

County Durham is already home to the UK’s largest collection of Spanish artwork outside of London, with the Bishop Auckland Trust set to open a new Spanish Gallery in 2019 in addition to the new research centre.

The Zurbarán Centre is scheduled to open in early 2017.