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This is a big and ambitious project that will have<br />
a huge impact on the city, and if it hadn’t been<br />
for the University of Sunderland’s role building<br />
confidence, building aspirations, and working so<br />
collaboratively with partners across the city, I<br />
don’t think we’d be in a position to put in a bid.<br />
So that’s really tangible evidence of the positive<br />
impact that the University’s leadership role is<br />
having on this city.”<br />
A poster child for place-making<br />
urban regeneration<br />
It was in 2010 - when the University stepped in<br />
to take on the running of National Glass Centre,<br />
which was in serious danger of closure – that its<br />
direct action to shine a light on the city’s culture<br />
really began. In taking it over, the University<br />
brought stability and a clear vision; to make<br />
glass making more visible and make the centre<br />
attractive to more visitors.<br />
The University led the £2m investment to<br />
redesign and refurbish the centre and in June<br />
2013 the redeveloped space opened with three,<br />
new, free-admission riverside galleries. Sitting<br />
below these exhibition spaces are glass studios<br />
and hot shops for over 150 students, artists,<br />
glass professor and an international team of<br />
academics and technicians.<br />
NGC now has the best-equipped facilities for<br />
teaching glass in the UK, offering<br />
undergraduate, Masters and PhD programmes.<br />
It’s home to the UK’s largest art glass making<br />
facility and at the forefront of glass research -<br />
its academic staff and facilities are<br />
internationally recognised.<br />
Sir Peter Bazalgette, Chair, Arts Council<br />
England on a visit to the city said: “I regard<br />
the University of Sunderland as something of a<br />
poster child for place-making urban<br />
regeneration. I’ve been at the Arts Council for<br />
three years, and one of the earliest visits I made<br />
was to National Glass Centre and the<br />
University of Sunderland effectively curating<br />
National Glass Centre, pretty well the most<br />
important craft centre in the country, was<br />
incredibly eye-opening for me. It made me<br />
realise what is possible.<br />
vibemagazine.co.uk | @Sunderland<strong>Vibe</strong> | Sunderland<strong>Vibe</strong> 11
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