The Spanish Gallery, located in the heart of Bishop Auckland, has been crowned Small Visitor Attraction of the Year at the North East England Tourism Awards.
In a closely fought category, the gallery was awarded the Gold accolade at the ceremony at Newcastle Civic Centre last month.
Described as a ‘world class visitor attraction’ by the judges and a place where ‘every visitor is made to feel like a special guest’, the gallery was commended for its ‘accessible and inclusive’ spaces and the judges’ feedback highlighted its impact on the surrounding area.
Edward Perry, CEO of The Auckland Project, said: “This award is a testament to the passion for culture, art and heritage carried by our founders and staff team; and of course, our wonderful volunteers, who dedicate hours of their time. They share a phenomenal level of passion, commitment and knowledge with each and every visitor, and it is this, as well as the masterpieces displayed within our walls, which make the Spanish Gallery a unique place, not just in the North East, but in the country.”
The first of its kind in the UK, The Spanish Gallery is a unique collection of art, history and culture celebrating the Spanish Golden Age.
Visitors are immersed in the majesty and melodrama of one of the UK’s largest collections of 16th and 17th century Spanish artworks outside London, experiencing masterpieces by renowned artists including El Greco, Murillo, Zurbarán and Velázquez.
The gallery opened in 2021 following a ten-year project to transform the former Backhouse Bank and Barrington School Grade II listed buildings into a gallery dedicated to the art and culture of Spain.
The gallery was inspired by the collection of paintings by Francisco de Zurbarán which have hung at nearby Auckland Castle for more than 250 years.
Carol Hargreaves, Spanish Gallery volunteer who collected the award on behalf of The Auckland Project, said: “The Spanish Gallery is completely unique and we are very fortunate to have it in this part of the country.
“It’s a pleasure to volunteer there and be amongst so many important cultural artefacts and artwork.
“We welcome many visitors, so please do come and see us!”
For more information on the Spanish Gallery and to book tickets, visit: www.aucklandproject.org
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
