Leisure and culture news

The opening of a new look café will offer people a taster of a £1.5 million revamp of a historic town hall.

A collection service introduced to help people in County Durham access library books is to be extended.

Visitors can once again enjoy a trip to a North East historic house after it reopened to the public thanks to funding received during lockdown.

A popular history attraction near Bishop Auckland is set to reopen after closing due to the coronavirus pandemic.

An illuminated sculpture of one of Britain's most iconic birds will temporarily leave its perch on the banks of the River Wear to allow essential utilities works to be undertaken.

Temporary measures which will create more space for walking and cycling are to be introduced at six Durham City locations following the success of a funding bid.

One of the UK's oldest literary festivals, which attracts thousands of people to County Durham each year, will take place online this autumn.

A new app will showcase the sites and stories of Seaham to visitors.

North East council leaders are calling on the Government to allow decisions about the £1.57 billion culture rescue package to be made locally.

People in County Durham will be able to resume their fitness regimes later this month as council-run services begin to reopen.

Dozens more play parks, skate parks and multi-use-games areas (MUGA) across County Durham are due to reopen within the next fortnight with new measures in place to promote social distancing.

A host of creative activities will be held virtually this summer to celebrate the heritage of a County Durham town.

Play parks across County Durham will begin to reopen this weekend as part of the nationwide easing of lockdown restrictions.

Front-of-house facilities at a popular Durham City theatre and cinema are to be transformed as the venue undergoes a refurbishment.

Improvements are to be made to a popular national cycle route thanks to a grant of almost one million pounds.

Bookworms in County Durham will be able to take advantage of a book collection service from next week.

A North East council has offered guidance to businesses and residents as lockdown restrictions begin to ease this week.

Durham BRASS will be livening up living rooms across County Durham and beyond when the festival moves online next month.

A love of art, photography and the desire for a challenge has led two unlikely friends to make creative pieces to combat isolation during lockdown.

New adult music lessons are offering talented performers and total beginners an opportunity to improve their musical skills.