Durham County Council is one of the largest unitary authorities in the country, covering 2,000 sq km of city, countryside and coast, and serving a population of more than half a million people.

The council supports vibrant festivals and events as part of its work to promote County Durham as a great destination to live, study, work, visit and invest in. This includes the UK’s leading light festival Lumiere, Bishop Auckland and Seaham food festivals, Durham Book Festival, Brass and Durham City Run Festival.

It also runs cultural venues across the county, including Gala Durham, Empire Consett, Bishop Auckland Town Hall, Durham Town Hall, Binchester Roman Fort and Killhope Lead Mining Museum, as well as supporting other attractions in its communities.

A key partner in County Durham’s shortlisted bid to be UK City of Culture 2025, the council is continuing to work with its partners to deliver a spectacular cultural programme with international appeal, along with innovative projects to support local people to achieve their own creative potential It is also pressing ahead with major capital projects, including The Story at Mount Oswald, a dedicated history centre bringing together six miles of archives, heritage and registration services, and with a café and exhibition space. Plans are also being developed to bring the former Durham Light Infantry Museum and Art Gallery back into use as a state-of-the-art exhibition centre, gallery and café.

These incredible collaborations from the City of Culture bidding process will live on, with the bonds forged between cultural organisations, businesses and community groups during the journey, stronger than ever before.