Sheffield’s Millenium gallery opens shop to support local craftspeople over Christmas

This year has seen the cancellation of the vast majority of festive markets and fairs, at a time that is traditionally very lucrative for the handmade economy. The Millennium Gallery’s Christmas shop is one of the few physical selling opportunities of this kind able to go ahead, providing an essential lifeline for local makers and a much-missed chance for visitors to browse work by local creative talent for themselves.

Visitors to the gallery’s Christmas shop will also find a wide range of unique gift ideas, from prints by local artists to jewellery made in workshops across the city, as well as homeware, textiles, books, stationary and more.

The Handmade showcase has brought together a wide range of work from Sheffield’s own maker community, including Jenny Chan, a self-taught ceramicist.

Jenny creates figurative sculptures using traditional hand-building techniques in coiling and slab building, each with their own distinct character and backstory.

Jenny said: “I’m really grateful to be part of Handmade for Christmas, particularly this year. My business has been dramatically affected by the pandemic, with nearly all the fairs and markets I’d planned to sell at being cancelled. It’s difficult to sell my work online, as potential customers want to view the work for themselves, rather than on a screen.

“It’s so brilliant to see my work on display in such a prestigious venue as the Millennium Gallery – I really hope visitors can enjoy visiting such a wonderful, safe space this Christmas.”

Kim Streets, chief executive at Museums Sheffield, which runs the gallery and shop, said: “The festive season may be a little different for everyone this year, including us, but we’re really pleased to open our Christmas shop.

“The gallery shop is a fantastic place to find that perfect present and support both local makers and Sheffield’s museums and galleries.

“We know how important these sales are for the creative community, so we’re thrilled that it’s been able to go ahead with this important opportunity. We’ve made sure that that everyone can browse with confidence thanks to the enhanced safety measures we’ve put in place.”

The shop is open until Wednesday 23 December 2020, 10am – 4pm – entry is free.