Public get first look at culture bid in 'Empty Shop'

The North East public got its first opportunity to see how Durham’s bid to become the UK City of Culture looks, when an exclusive art exhibition opened in an empty shop in Durham in August.

Officials from Durham’s culture bid officially unveiled the logo and branding to be used in its drive to bring the new government prize to the North East.

The exhibition hung in Empty Shop, a former record shop transformed into a not-for-profit community interest art gallery by Durham artists Carlo Viglianisi and Nick Maylan, for one week, from Monday August 17 until Saturday August 22.

Melanie Sensicle, marketing and creative lead for Durham’s bid, said: “This is the first time that the public has been able to see how Durham’s bid will look and it’s so fitting that the official logo for the bid was on view in a community art gallery set up by North East artists for North East people.”
 

The exhibition at Empty Shop: 1 Framwellgate Bridge, Durham City, www.emptyshop.org, DH1 4SJ included:

• A display of the official ‘Durham 13 City of Culture’ logo and branding by Stark Hartley Atkinson, the North East design agency which produced it
   
• An artistic interpretation of the bid logo by Durham artist and empty shop co-founder Carlo Viglianisi. Carlo is a former winner of Britain’s Young Cartoonist of the Year award from the British Cartoonists’ Association.
  
• A “Back the Bid” wall where people could sign up and pledge support for the bid
  

Nigel Hartley, of Stark Hartley Atkinson, said: “Durham’s logo is a distinctive visual symbol which captures the spirit of the county’s rich and varied culture. We took our inspiration from the city and its architecture, from the beauty of the countryside, from music and the arts and from the character of the people of Durham.”

The logo, a series of coloured columns reflected above and below the words “durham 13 City of Culture,” is representative of the city’s panoramic and historic skyline, while its reflection symbolises the River Wear, and its colour palette the depth of culture in the county through its institutions, events, natural and built environment.

“Our logo will be used in the promotion of a wide variety of cultural events, from the performing arts to music festivals, from the visual arts to sporting events. It can be used by our many visitor attractions, museums, galleries and leisure venues,” added Melanie.

“We want as many people as possible to get behind Durham and back the bid. Culture means something completely different to every individual but everyone in Durham and North East England can share in a sense of belonging to a place and a region and support us in our bid to celebrate our culture on the national stage.”