Harmony works: Major Sheffield music project seeks partners for building regeneration plans

A major Sheffield music project that is part of the regneration of part of the city centre is looking for partners to help deliver the £9.5m scheme.

Harmony Works seeks to transform the grade II* listed Canada House in Commercial Street into “a home for inspirational music education and opportunity for a wide range of audiences, including and especially young people”.

The impressive glass-domed hall inside Canada House in Sheffield city centre, which as Harmony Works will house music teaching and performance spaces

placeholder image — The impressive glass-domed hall inside Canada House in Sheffield city centre, which as Harmony Works will house music teaching and performance spaces

The building, originally an ornate gas company headquarters built in 1875, forms a key part of the regeneration of the rundown Castlegate area of the city centre.

This will celebrate the city’s historic birthplace and includes a new park showcasing the ruins of Sheffield Castle and the transformation of a former bank into a visual arts centre by S1 Artspace.

A view inside Harmony Works, which will be turning a listed Victorian Sheffield city centre building into a teaching and performance centre for music education

Documentation for Canada House quoted above says that founding partners Sheffield Music Academy and Sheffield Music Hub will be joined by many other music organisations. They include Brass Bands England, Music in the Round, Orchestras for All, Choir with No Name and Concerteenies.

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The project is also supported by both Sheffield universities and The Sheffield College.

Construction

Harmony Works, which will be turning listed Victorian Sheffield city centre building Canada House into a teaching and performance centre for music education, was praised during a discussion of the city's culture strategy

As well as providing music education, the centre will be open for concerts, events and exhibitions and it will have a cafe. It aims to attract world-class musicians.

Harmony Works is advertising a supply chain contract on the government website, gov.uk, as part of the planned construction work and refurbishment of the building. The closing date for bids is January 9, 2026.

The contract is set to run from the end of June next year to September 2027.

The Harmony Works Trust is also advertising a vacancy for its board of trustees on its website, https://harmonyworks.org.uk/