By Oliver James – Bishop FM
There are some buildings that feel like a new beginning, and there is something about The Light at Aykley Heads in Durham that gives you that feeling.
On Thursday 20 August, I was invited to The Light for a special press preview, just two days before the new venue officially opened its doors to the public.
Having the opportunity to walk around the building before the crowds arrived gave me a chance to experience two very different sides of what The Light is all about – contemporary art on an international scale, alongside the history and human stories of the Durham Light Infantry.
And after speaking to three of the people involved in bringing the project to life – Tony Guillan, Natasha Howes and Gillian Kirkbride – it became clear that The Light is intended to be much more than simply a new gallery.
From the DLI Museum to The Light.
Regular visitors to Durham will remember the building’s former life as the Durham Light Infantry Museum and Durham Art Gallery.
The site has now been transformed into a £17 million cultural venue, bringing together contemporary art, history, creativity, learning and community activity. The original building has been remodelled and extended, creating new gallery and event spaces while retaining its important connection with the DLI.
The Light officially opened to the public on Saturday 22 August 2026.
Tony Guillan, Artistic Director of The Light, explained to me what the new venue is trying to achieve.
Tony said: “We’re built on the site of the former DLI Museum and Durham Art Gallery, which I think many, many people in County Durham will be very aware of and remember fondly. We’re reopening as The Light, which will bring together that heritage, that local history of the DLI story alongside regional, national, international, contemporary arts. And we’ve got 2 amazing shows to launch with.”
And that ambition is immediately apparent when you walk into the galleries.
Art that makes you stop and think.
The first major exhibition is Victory Over the Sun: Encounters with Light, bringing together contemporary works exploring light in some very unexpected ways.
The exhibition features artists including Tracey Emin, Olafur Eliasson, Dan Flavin, Steve McQueen, Chila Burman and David Shrigley.
It is not the sort of exhibition where you simply walk from one painting to another, read a label and move on.
Light becomes the artwork itself – something to experience, question and interpret.
There are installations that play with perception, colour, space and movement, and works that encourage you to think about what light actually means to us.
Some pieces are striking immediately. Others take a little longer to understand.
And perhaps that’s exactly the point.
The exhibition asks visitors to slow down, look again and decide for themselves what they are seeing.
Victory Over the Sun runs until 17 January 2027.
But the DLI story hasn’t been forgotten.
For many people across County Durham, however, the most emotional part of The Light may be found in the We Are The Durhams: The Durham Light Infantry Exhibition.
This is a permanent exhibition telling the story of the DLI and the people connected to the Regiment.
And importantly, it isn’t simply a collection of military objects behind glass.
The exhibition uses photographs, sounds, objects, film and interactive elements to explore identity, belonging and community – putting the people behind the uniforms at the centre of the story.
That connection with the past was something Gillian Kirkbride talked about when I interviewed her during the preview.
Gillian told me: “Well, the DLI story is incredibly important to the people of Durham. We have a fantastic legacy of the Durham Light Infantry in the city, in the county, coming right up to date with the presence of the Rifles in County Durham as well. It’s important for us to share the stories of the DLI, of our family, our friends, our DLI communities and everybody together, and to understand what their impact has been on the county, on the world, and how it has shaped our lives.”
Walking through the exhibition, it is easy to understand why the history of the building and the DLI remains so important.
For former members of the Regiment, their families and people who remember the original museum, there is a very personal connection here.
But there is also an attempt to introduce that history to people who may know very little about the DLI.
And that feels important.
The story belongs not just to those who served, but to the communities from which the Regiment came.
A place for the community.
One of the things I was particularly interested in as a representative of Bishop FM was the community aspect of The Light.
A major cultural venue can sometimes feel as though it is aimed at somebody else – the art enthusiast, the tourist, the school group or the person who already knows their way around a gallery.
The Light appears keen to avoid that.
Natasha Howes told me about the importance of making the venue accessible and welcoming to local people.
Natasha told me: “I think this is an exhibition for everyone. You don’t need to know anything about art. All of the artworks you can, just approach them with your knowledge of the world and you experience them in different ways.”
There are spaces for workshops, talks, live events and community activities, as well as a café and outdoor terrace.
The intention is for people to be able to come to The Light for an exhibition, but also to meet friends, take part in an activity, attend an event or simply spend some time in the building and its surroundings.
That is an important distinction.
The Light isn’t presenting itself as somewhere you visit once, tick off the list and forget about.
The ambition is for it to become part of the cultural life of County Durham.
Two very different stories under one roof.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about The Light is the contrast.
On one side you have internationally recognised contemporary artists exploring light, technology, perception and the world around us.
On the other, you have the deeply personal history of a County Durham regiment and the thousands of people whose lives were shaped by it.
At first those things might seem worlds apart.
But walking through the building, I started to see the connection.
Both exhibitions are ultimately about people.
One asks us to look at the world differently.
The other asks us to remember the people who came before us.
And both encourage visitors to question, explore and engage rather than simply stand and look.
So, is The Light worth a visit?
Having seen it before the public opening, my answer is yes.
But I’d suggest going with an open mind.
If contemporary art isn’t normally your thing, don’t assume that means The Light isn’t for you.
And if you’re visiting because of the DLI connection, don’t simply head straight for that exhibition and leave.
Take your time.
Experience both sides of the building.
The contemporary exhibition is designed to make you think, while the DLI exhibition provides a very different and often more emotional experience.
Together they make The Light something quite unusual.
It is part gallery, part museum, part community space and part experiment in what a modern cultural venue in County Durham can be.
A new chapter for Durham.
The Light represents a significant investment in the cultural future of County Durham.
The venue sits at the heart of the emerging Durham Innovation District and is intended to bring together art, heritage, science, technology and community activity.
But ultimately, buildings don’t create successful cultural venues.
People do.
Artists, curators, historians, volunteers, community groups, visitors and the people who simply decide to walk through the doors.
And now that those doors are open, the next chapter belongs to the public.
I was fortunate enough to see The Light before everyone else arrived.
Now it’s your turn.
The Light is at Aykley Heads, Durham.
Victory Over the Sun: Encounters with Light runs from 22 August 2026 until 17 January 2027. Entry to The Light itself and the We Are The Durhams exhibition is free, while Victory Over the Sun is ticketed.
For full details, opening times and exhibition information, visit The Light’s website.
Oliver James visited The Light on behalf of Bishop FM at the press preview on Thursday 20 August 2026.
The factual details above are supported by current information from Visit County Durham and Durham’s tourism/culture sources: The Light opened on 22 August, its inaugural exhibitions are Victory Over the Sun and We Are The Durhams, and the latter is a free permanent exhibition. (Visit County Durham) The contemporary exhibition runs until 17 January 2027 and includes internationally recognised artists including Tracey Emin, Olafur Eliasson, Dan Flavin and Steve McQueen. (The Light Durham)