Arts Centre Washington

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Arts Centre Washington is located in the new town of Washington which sits in a position of equal distance between Newcastle, Sunderland and Durham. The area has its roots in mining, the last pit closing in the area in the 1980’s. Going even further back, the ancestors of George Washington who lived locally gave the area its name and one of the most famous north east legends, The Lambton Worm, supposedly took place a stones throw from the arts centre. The arts centre itself is a converted 19th century farm, a ruin rescued at the time of the development of the new town in 1972 when it was decided that a centre for arts and culture should be included in the vision for the area. Originally called Biddick Farm Arts Centre, it has gone through several incarnations to become what is now a vibrant multi-arts centre that hosts a theatre, gallery, rehearsal rooms, artist’s studios, recording studio, café and award winning bar. It is now owned and managed by Sunderland City Council.