Seaton Delaval Hall is currently home to ‘Vanbrugh 300’ – a celebratory programme featuring a year of architecture and innovation.

Northumberland is a landscape defined by its rugged edges and historical weight, but even here, Seaton Delaval Hall stands as something of an architectural provocation. This grand estate – often described as the “final architectural masterpiece” of Sir John Vanbrugh – is currently the epicentre of national ‘Vanbrugh 300’ celebrations. Marking three centuries since the death of England’s most unapologetically bold Baroque architect, the hall is hosting a year-long programme that proves architecture is never just about static walls; it is a living practice of drama, innovation, and repair.

Vanbrugh’s visionary approach to form and space is the unifying force of this year’s celebrations, and the Central Hall will house the signature ‘Vanbrugh 300’ exhibition. This curated journey invites visitors to explore Vanbrugh’s lasting influence, connecting his life’s work to this final, major commission. Complementing this is an opportunity to see Richard Eyers’ images of The Cast of Players – a spectacular night-time projection‑mapped artwork by Illuminos animating the central block of the Hall with humour, drama and decadence drawn from its notorious historic residents and Vanbrugh’s theatrical imagination.

In a significant cultural coup, Seaton Delaval Hall is also bridging the gap between historic Baroque and contemporary global discourse. In partnership with the British Council, the estate is hosting Earth Compass (29 April 29 – 12 July), a selection of works from the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale.

This marks the first time that interpretations from the British Pavilion’s award-winning Geology of Britannic Repair have toured to a National Trust property. The exhibition rethinks architecture as a geologic practice, moving beyond aesthetics to consider the very earth we build upon. Visitors can experience three striking installations: Earth Compass: A sculptural piece that re-centres the relationship between architecture and geology; Double Vision: A beaded veil that explores the complex layers of colonial histories and architectural symbolism; and Rift Room: An immersive installation that uses the Great Rift Valley as a conceptual axis for rethinking how we repair our built world.

Sevra Davis, Commissioner of the British Pavilion: “I'm honoured that the National Trust is bringing these works from the 2025 British Pavilion to Seaton Delaval Hall. This offers new audiences the chance to experience an innovative cross-cultural collaboration, while bringing a fresh take on the exhibition, placing it in conversation with the Vanbrugh 300 display and the North East Emerging Artist Award works. The Geology of Britannic Repair was always intended to provoke dialogue, and it is fantastic that the National Trust is creating this opportunity.”

Speaking of the North East Emerging Artist Award, this year that will take place between 13 May-21 June and inject the programme with the raw energy of contemporary practice. Three finalists have been selected to unveil site-specific works that reinterpret Vanbrugh’s ideas for a new era including Joanna Manousis, who looks to the Dust and Diamonds of the estate’s industrial past. Her cast-glass installations in the old beer cellar use mirror-making techniques to explore themes of material transformation and value. Finally, Wilfred Sears brings the focus back to the physical act of building with The Seaton Stones. As a stonemason, Sears will engage in an interactive carving process, allowing visitors to witness the materiality and labour reminiscent of the Hall’s original construction in the 1700s. For unavoidable reasons, third finalist, David Kenney, is unable to present his work this year. The hall’s team is looking forward to presenting The Vanbrugh Perspective in 2027.

Today, as part of a national circuit including Castle Howard and Blenheim Palace, Seaton Delaval Hall stands as a testament to the enduring power of bold design. The ‘Vanbrugh 300’ programme is more than a history lesson; it is a celebration of the uncompromisingly imaginative. It reminds us that whether it is a 300-year-old Baroque facade or a contemporary installation from the Venice Biennale, architecture remains a powerful medium for storytelling and renewal.

The full programme for ‘Vanbrugh 300’ at Seaton Delaval Hall can be found at: nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/seaton-delaval-hall/vanbrugh-300