S1 Artspace hunts for site for £2.6m venue and sculpture park in Sheffield as deadline looms

The money, for S1 Artspace, is from the Levelling Up Fund and was announced in October 2021. But bosses are still trying to identify the ‘optimum site’ after the pandemic and current economic climate ‘shifted the funding landscape considerably’. Projects need to be delivered by March 2024. Options include Park Hill, where it is based now, and Castlegate.

A project called ’Park Hill Art Space’ was granted planning permission in 2019. S1 Artspace is also looking at The Market Tavern on Exchange Street in Castlegate. The sculpture park element could then go in a new park planned for the area.

Louise Hutchinson, of S1 Artspace, said: "It's vital we maximise this investment in Sheffield and deliver the best possible outcome for Sheffield. For well over a decade, Sheffield has not received the levels of funding its peer cities, including Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Nottingham have. In fact, Sheffield receives the smallest investment for culture out of all core cities in England. This investment from the LUF, combined with the High Streets Fund to establish Event Central on Fargate, represents a potential turning point for the city to establish sustainable cultural venues that will benefit the arts community, residents of South Yorkshire and visitors to the region.”

Since 1995, S1 Artspace says it has supported more than 400 artists through studios including Sheffield Hallam University's PhD Research Studio and MFA & BA Fine Art Project Space.