Artist needed for ambitious Sheffield project based on legacy of Tinsley cooling towers

In what is the largest art commission in Sheffield in recent years, the aim is to create a significant work that is integral to the regeneration of an area that was once the heart of Sheffield’s heavy industry, and is now a meeting point of connections – rail, tram, bus, road, footpaths and cycleways.

The £450,000 artwork, funded by energy firm E.ON, is aiming to reflect both the industrial past of Sheffield and the 95-year history of energy production on the Blackburn Meadows site.

Coun Sioned-Mair Richards, cabinet member for neighbourhoods at Sheffield Council, said: “It is fantastic that this project, which has been in the pipeline for so long, has now reached this critical stage.

“For more than a year now, we’ve been working with artist David Cotterrell, who has engaged the community in helping to write the brief for the main piece of art, offering up both a resource and a challenge to whoever wins the tender.

“This has involved everything from working with pupils at Tinsley Meadows Primary School to putting on an exhibition at Park Hill to explore the project further.

“It’s now great to move forward and officially launch our search for an artist to join us, in what is an exciting opportunity to bring a unique and creative approach to an area rich with history, and promise for the future.”

Sheila Sutherland, a Tinsley resident and a member of the board that is overseeing the project, said: “It is fantastic news that the Tinsley Art Project has reached this landmark, and I look forward to working with the chosen artist.”