A NEW vision placing the culture and the arts at the heart of the regeneration of Sunderland was unveiled today (Friday, October 17).

Delegates from across the region converged on the National Glass Centre to learn of a strategy by the Sunderland Cultural Partnership to make the city a “more culturally vibrant place to work and live”.

Plans in development include transforming the old Fire Station in the city centre to form a hub for new cultural quarter next to the Empire Theatre, while Keel Square will be the “heartbeat”of the city centre’s revival with a dynamic programme of creative activity.

A major cultural project will be staged to commemorate the Battle of the Somme in 2016.

And the International Glass Biennial GLASSTRESS will be coming to the city in the same year, forming the core of an International Glass Festival.

A raft of measures was also announced to support emerging and established creative talent in Sunderland.

The Sunderland Cultural Partnership was formed in 2013 and led by the University of Sunderland and Sunderland City Council to form the ambitious new vision.

Graeme Thompson, Dean of Faculty of Arts, Design and Media at the University of Sunderland said: “The economic regeneration of any city has culture at its heart and Sunderland is no exception.

“Over the last year we have held extensive consultations with the cultural sector, funders and stakeholders to discover what they imagine Sunderland could look like if we spent more time and resource nurturing the cultural lifeblood of our city.

“These discussions have resulted in the creation of our new vision for culture. We recognise that we need stronger leadership, clear vision and improved infrastructure to support and promote culture in our city.

“There’s an appetite for a clearer and stronger arts offer and the desire to create a critical mass of artists and arts activity, nurturing talent, whilst improving connectivity and communications within the sector and with audiences.”

Entertainment at today’s event was provided by BalletLORENT and The Lake Poets – multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Martin Longstaff, of Sunderland.

Among Sunderland’s recent achievements have been the reopening of National glass centre following a £2.3m redesign and attracting Turner prize winner Grayson Perry’s The Vanity of Small Difference to the Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens last year. The venue is currently hosting the BP Portrait Award 2014 - the only English venue other than the National Portrait Gallery in London to host the exhibition.