Heritage Project Filmmaker: The Inspiring Story of The Making of The Spanish Gallery in Bishop Auckland
As a heritage project filmmaker, I am always looking for the human story at the heart of historical spaces.
For The Spanish Gallery, that story came from the shared passion of those involved. As a heritage project filmmaker, I witnessed not only curators shaping narratives to make Spanish Golden Age art accessible and paintings and sculptures arriving from around the world, but also the painstaking restoration work that transformed the building itself. I filmed skilled craftspeople creating ornate plasterwork, restoring the bank’s Venetian-inspired façade, and seamlessly linking it to the adjoining Barrington School.
I documented the construction teams reinforcing crumbling structures, integrating modern systems into historic walls, and breathing life back into spaces that had once been abandoned. Lighting specialists then meticulously adjusted angles to protect and illuminate every canvas, bringing the restored galleries to life. Filming these moments meant weaving together not just a record of events but a portrait of architecture, craftsmanship and community creating a global cultural treasure.
The project began with the remarkable connection between Auckland Castle and its celebrated series of paintings by Francisco de Zurbarán. This historical link inspired the vision for The Spanish Gallery, a place that would put these works into context while bringing masterpieces by El Greco, Velázquez, Murillo and others to the heart of County Durham. What emerged is more than a gallery. It is a bridge between centuries, cultures and communities, and exactly the kind of story that drives my work as a heritage project filmmaker.
Filming this transformation gave me a unique perspective on the scale and complexity of heritage projects. As a heritage project filmmaker, I documented how architects faced the challenge of uniting the former Backhouse Bank, later a nightclub, and the adjoining Barrington School. What was once a wreck was reimagined through intricate design, careful restoration and an ambitious curatorial vision. I filmed everything from the early architectural planning meetings to the installation of priceless paintings, each moment reflecting the deep collaboration between local craftsmen, international institutions and experts from around the world.
The documentary delves into this collaboration in detail. Conservators carefully assessed artworks loaned from institutions such as the Hispanic Society of America in New York, the National Gallery and Dulwich Picture Gallery. Through 3D scanning and advanced elevated printing technology, innovative facsimiles allowed visitors to experience rare works while ensuring their preservation. This blending of art and technology fascinated me as a heritage project filmmaker and provided striking visual sequences that showed heritage meeting the future.
As a heritage project filmmaker, I am always looking for the human story at the heart of historical spaces. For The Spanish Gallery, it was the shared commitment of everyone involved. Curators shaped narratives to make Spanish Golden Age art accessible, lighting specialists meticulously adjusted angles to protect and illuminate every canvas, and volunteers brought local pride into every corner of the project. Capturing these moments as a heritage project filmmaker meant creating more than a record of events. It became a portrait of a community bringing a global cultural treasure to life.
One of the most powerful sections of the documentary focuses on how the gallery design immerses visitors in 17th-century Spain. Rather than placing the art at a distance, the architecture, lighting and layout pull you into the world of the paintings. From the reconstructed El Greco tabernacle to the near life-size facsimile of Las Meninas, each element is designed to transport you, creating an experience that is both intimate and awe-inspiring.
The opening of The Spanish Gallery was a celebration not just of art but of persistence, collaboration and imagination. Seeing this once-neglected building filled with masterpieces and the first visitors walking through its doors was a reminder of why I love what I do. For a heritage project filmmaker, this is what it is all about. Heritage filmmaking is about more than documenting history. It is about witnessing places come alive and their stories retold for a new generation.
This film captures that transformation, a forgotten corner of Bishop Auckland turned into a destination where Spanish art history meets the North East of England. For me, it stands as proof that heritage filmmaking and the role of a heritage project filmmaker have the power to preserve, inspire and reimagine our relationship with the past.
If you would like to watch more of my work exploring community stories, creative resilience and diverse subjects across arts, heritage and the environment, you can explore all my films here: https://alanfentiman.co.uk/films-by-alan-fentiman/
For more heritage films, visit: https://alanfentiman.co.uk/vimeo-videos/heritage-films/
Follow me on Instagram: @alanfentiman
The film was commissioned by Centro de Estudios Europa Hispánica (CEEH) for The Auckland Project.