Culture Strategy

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Sheffield Culture Strategy now available for download!


We’re delighted to announce that the Sheffield Culture Strategy is now complete and available for download. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed their time, insights, and ideas throughout the consultation process—your input has been invaluable in shaping this vision for our city’s cultural future. Please stay tuned, as we’ll be sharing the next steps and upcoming opportunities to get involved next week.

Sheffield Culture Strategy

Sheffield Culture Audit Report

Sheffield Engagement Report


Sheffield Culture Strategy 2024: a new vision for creativity in the city

Sheffield is a city filled with inspiring artists, makers, and doers. Our artists, musicians, and designers are known around the world, but those who live here understand that thousands of incredible creatives across our communities and neighbourhoods are simply getting on with their work. We recognise that, as a city, there is much more we can do to support these individuals in flourishing.

With this in mind, we have developed a fresh vision for creativity, arts, and culture in Sheffield. We hope this vision will ensure that everyone who lives, works, or visits here has the opportunity to participate, collaborate, and benefit from the many wonderful contributions that arts and culture bring to our city.

As part of this process, we initiated a citywide consultation on culture, engaging with Sheffield’s creative community to shape the new culture strategy. Following our initial "pre-engagement" survey conducted in December 2023, we gathered valuable insights that informed a comprehensive engagement process.

We are pleased to announce that the strategy is now complete and will be published here following discussion in the Economic Development and Skills committee meeting on the 31st October. Further details will be shared alongside this information on the week commencing 4th November.

The Culture Strategy has been commissioned by Sheffield City Council, the University of Sheffield, and Arts Council England, and has been delivered by the creative consultancy Fourth Street, Sheffield-based social enterprise Opus Independents, and a team of cultural freelancers from the city.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated in the consultation process. Your insights, feedback, and contributions have been invaluable in shaping the Sheffield Culture Strategy. We appreciate the time and effort you dedicated to sharing your perspectives, which will help us create a vibrant and inclusive cultural landscape for our city. Thank you for being an essential part of this journey!

What We Hope the Culture Strategy Will Achieve for the City

To create a healthy cultural sector in the future, we believe the new strategy needs to:

  • Uncover and celebrate our shared story of Sheffield’s culture and creativity.
  • Foster conditions that allow organisations and creatives to thrive, collaborate, and participate, while enhancing the infrastructure and resources available in the city.
  • Outline necessary changes so that young people can envision a future in Sheffield’s cultural landscape, with clear pathways to develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.
  • Provide insight into how any organisation, individual, or group can collaborate and participate in a growing and vibrant ecosystem of cultural work that serves communities and neighbourhoods throughout Sheffield.

This page will continue to be regularly updated with new information, questionnaires, and dates for upcoming cultural events in the city—we would love for you to stay engaged with us!

Sheffield Culture Strategy now available for download!


We’re delighted to announce that the Sheffield Culture Strategy is now complete and available for download. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed their time, insights, and ideas throughout the consultation process—your input has been invaluable in shaping this vision for our city’s cultural future. Please stay tuned, as we’ll be sharing the next steps and upcoming opportunities to get involved next week.

Sheffield Culture Strategy

Sheffield Culture Audit Report

Sheffield Engagement Report


Sheffield Culture Strategy 2024: a new vision for creativity in the city

Sheffield is a city filled with inspiring artists, makers, and doers. Our artists, musicians, and designers are known around the world, but those who live here understand that thousands of incredible creatives across our communities and neighbourhoods are simply getting on with their work. We recognise that, as a city, there is much more we can do to support these individuals in flourishing.

With this in mind, we have developed a fresh vision for creativity, arts, and culture in Sheffield. We hope this vision will ensure that everyone who lives, works, or visits here has the opportunity to participate, collaborate, and benefit from the many wonderful contributions that arts and culture bring to our city.

As part of this process, we initiated a citywide consultation on culture, engaging with Sheffield’s creative community to shape the new culture strategy. Following our initial "pre-engagement" survey conducted in December 2023, we gathered valuable insights that informed a comprehensive engagement process.

We are pleased to announce that the strategy is now complete and will be published here following discussion in the Economic Development and Skills committee meeting on the 31st October. Further details will be shared alongside this information on the week commencing 4th November.

The Culture Strategy has been commissioned by Sheffield City Council, the University of Sheffield, and Arts Council England, and has been delivered by the creative consultancy Fourth Street, Sheffield-based social enterprise Opus Independents, and a team of cultural freelancers from the city.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated in the consultation process. Your insights, feedback, and contributions have been invaluable in shaping the Sheffield Culture Strategy. We appreciate the time and effort you dedicated to sharing your perspectives, which will help us create a vibrant and inclusive cultural landscape for our city. Thank you for being an essential part of this journey!

What We Hope the Culture Strategy Will Achieve for the City

To create a healthy cultural sector in the future, we believe the new strategy needs to:

  • Uncover and celebrate our shared story of Sheffield’s culture and creativity.
  • Foster conditions that allow organisations and creatives to thrive, collaborate, and participate, while enhancing the infrastructure and resources available in the city.
  • Outline necessary changes so that young people can envision a future in Sheffield’s cultural landscape, with clear pathways to develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.
  • Provide insight into how any organisation, individual, or group can collaborate and participate in a growing and vibrant ecosystem of cultural work that serves communities and neighbourhoods throughout Sheffield.

This page will continue to be regularly updated with new information, questionnaires, and dates for upcoming cultural events in the city—we would love for you to stay engaged with us!

  • Culture Club 1: Call-Outs and Shout Outs

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    Before we get into it, did you miss the roundup and image selection?



    Requests/Collaboration:

    • The Sheffield Bard is looking for open mics, other poets, writers, and people interested in collaborating. Contact via The Sheffield Bard on Insta.
    • Katie Fisher is a freelance editor & writer based in Sheffield who would love to work with people on whatever editorial help your project might need. Contact via katiefisheredits@gmail.com
    • Quiplash is looking for pictures of your pets, gardens and clients who need access & LGBTQ+ training and consulting, as well as queer disabled performance opportunities. Contact via @quiplasharts, hello@quiplash.co.uk or www.quiplash.co.uk
    • UMMAYA Foundation is looking for help learning about funding and collaboration. Contact via contact@ainarapol.co.uk
    • University of Sheffield Knowledge Exchange is looking for how we can help with research & innovation ideas, collaborations and projects. Contact via j.e.bradley@sheffield.ac.uk
    • Gut Level is looking to establish a network to share skills, knowledge and practices to embed care, safer space and antiracism into nightlife culture – connections, funding opportunities and support. Contact via saferspace@gutlevel.co.uk
    • Cheelo is looking for help with connecting to funders. Contact via @dmcheelo
    • Sheffield City Breakers (SCO – CIC) is looking for funding to support our breakdance sessions which we run in Sheffield twice a week (all are welcome to give it a go). Contact via hello@akashicconsultancy.com
    • Ai Narapol is a freelance photographer and filmmaker looking for opportunities. Contact via @ainarapol or contact@ainarapol.co.uk
    • Lorna at the Writers Workshop is looking for any kind of wordsmith who wants to share the joy and power of creative writing with Sheffielders. Contact via lorna@thewritersworkshop.co.uk
    • The Choir with no Name is looking for collaboration, they’re a national org running choirs involving people with experience of homelessness in 7 cities including Sheffield. Contact via kate@choirwithnoname.org
    • Lick of Paint Fest are looking for wall space, time (however you can give it), and funds (however small) - are you doing anything in September? If so, let’s collab. Contact via hello@lickofpaintfest.com or @lickofpaintfest

    Celebration/Promotion:

    • Madame Zucchini would like to shout out her availability for your vegetable entertainment needs. Contact via www.madamezucchini.co.uk
    • Sam Groom (Artist & Printmaker) would like to shout out his availability as a printmaker who can run art and printmaking events for adults with a variety of needs as well as workshops for schools, paint murals and create collages as well as original prints.
    • Grace (@nmlss.crtvs) would like to shout out her availability as a freelance multidisciplinary artist that does all things event management, photography (editorial & commercial), creative directing in music and fashion, marketing plans for content, and hosting to keep up the vibes.
    • Akashic Consultancy would like to shout out an offer of free SEO/Digital Marketing consultations for anyone in Sheffield’s culture sector (1 hour call). This is a way of giving back, with no pressure to use their services. Contact via hello@akashicconsultancy.com and mention Sheffield Culture to set up a call.
    • Livia (Audience Development Manager) would like to shout out Migration Matters Festival, starting next week with 50+ events. The opening party on the 20th June at SADACCA. The festival happens until the 28th and everyone is welcome!
    • Cabaret Boom Boom would like to shout out their wonderful shows. The next season starts September 20. www.cabaretboomboom.co.uk
    • Sheffield Theatres would like to shout out two job opportunities. They’re recruiting for a Producing & Programming Assistant and a Technical Theatre Apprentice. Join them for Together Festival this summer!
    • UMMAYA Foundation would like to shout out their arts based therapy for Asylum Seekers & Refugees. They would love to collaborate or chat, contact via contact@ainarapol.co.uk
    • Brian (Percy Street Collective) would like to shout out community arts events at our Roundhouse, Zest Centre. www.percystreetcic.com
    • Jo Veal would like to shout out her availability as a community artist – giant lanterns, organic nature art, willow domes, shadow puppetry & foraged art. They’re also a community musician, created “dancing under the light of the silvery moon” outdoor folk music/dance event. @joveal_art
    • DJ Jonaxthan would like to shout out his DJ Alias @djjonaxthan for life-affirming and joyful (vinyl only) music.
    • The Sheffield Bard would like to shout out himself because he’s a really good poet and is creating a literary network.
    • Angelina (Mulembas d’Africa) would like to shout out Mamawe Afro Pean Fest with West African Dance, Guinean Drum Workshop, free panel discussion, Ancestral Guidance at Croft House 21st June – 1pm to 6pm. www.mulembasdafrica.com or contact via mulembasdafrica@gmail.com
    • Monique would like to shout out Hybrid 3 Studios for rehearsal & recording studios, providing an accessible space for artists and young people in Sheffield.
    • Kent Roach would like to shout out Midsummer Latin Jazz, Funk & Soul at Cubana, Friday 20th June. As well as Montuno, a collective celebrating Latin Funk & Nuyorcian Soul.
    • Archipelago Arts Collective would like to shout out themselves as a new company making socially engaged, sometimes site specific work. They’re running some workshops for artists in collab with Sheffield Theatres.
    • Tito Bone would like to shout out themselves – your average blind, non-binary, bisexual drag king. Singing, dancing, audio describing and dad dancing for you. They’re playing at Together Fest (Aug 2nd), Pangolin (Sept 5th) & Effable (Sept 11th) at Sydney and Matilda. You can hire them too!
    • Quiplash would like to shout out themselves, they do access, audio description & LGBTQ+ training and consulting. Email them for a chat remote or in person – hello@quiplash.co.uk
    • Alastair (Lick of Pint Fest) would like to shout out his festival, due to take place on the 6th & 7th Sept. It’s a Street Art Festival, and their first time running a festival, so all help and support is appreciated.

  • Culture Club, 10th June 2025

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    Culture Club kicks off on 10th June 2025 with the first of our long-awaited sector socials at the Alder in Kelham. This will be a networking event designed to bring together the brilliant minds that drive Sheffield’s vibrant culture scene.

    Each event will spotlight local talent, with Culture Club 1 featuring Sound Café, a platform that celebrates the richness of African music and creativity. Join us to connect, collaborate and be part of the movement powering Sheffield’s ambitious Culture Strategy.

    PS. There will be an opportunity to contribute a few words for our upcoming mini-doc about culture and Strategy delivery in Sheffield. Details on the night.

    Sign up here!

  • Beth Davies - Sheffield Poet Laureate

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    The Sheffield Poet Laureate role was established by previous Lord Mayor of Sheffield Magid Magid as a civic role, aiming to increase opportunities and visibility for poetry across the city. Beth Davies is the current Sheffield Poet Laureate 2024-26, having been selected by previous Sheffield Poet Laureate Danaé Wellington and following in the footsteps of previous laureates Warda Yassin and Otis Mensah.

    Beth Davies’ debut poetry pamphlet, The Pretence of Understanding, was published in 2023 by Sheffield-based publisher The Poetry Business, after winning the 2022 New Poets Prize. She won second place in the 2021 Dead Cat Poetry Prize and in the 2022 Magdalena Young Poets’ Prize. Beth has performed her work at events as part of Off The Shelf festival (2024), Durham Book Festival (2023), Sheaf Poetry Festival (2020, 2023), Wakefield LitFest (2022), and South Yorkshire Poetry Festival (2017). More information about her work can be found at bethdaviespoet.com

    Beth is hoping to use her Poet Laureate tenure to connect with people from different walks of life across Sheffield through poetry. If you have an idea for a project or a potential collaboration, feel free to reach out via the contact form on her website, or via Bluesky or Instagram where she can be found under @bethdaviespoet.

  • The Culture Strategy Action Group Call-Out

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    Context

    November 2024 saw the release of Sheffield’s first ever Culture Strategy, a bold and forward-thinking vision that reflects the rich, dynamic and ever-evolving cultural life of our city. This strategy marks a significant moment of opportunity, with consensus across the sector on the need to work differently. At its heart is a commitment to shared leadership and a collaborative, city-wide approach to shaping Sheffield’s cultural future for the benefit of residents, visitors, and the local economy. 

    The convening of the Culture Strategy Action Group (CSAG) is a step towards realising this vision. The CSAG brings together a cross-section of passionate, motivated cultural workers in an ongoing task group to drive positive change across the sector by connecting people, championing ideas, and inspiring collective action, serving as an active part of the city’s Culture Hub and embodying the collaborative spirit at the core of the strategy. 


    Why is this new group being assembled?

    The Culture Strategy Action Group aims to develop a collaborative model of shared leadership. This approach has grown directly from what we’ve heard through consultation and conversation with the sector. People told us clearly that they want more inclusive, democratic, and creative ways of working, and that they want the city’s cultural strategy to feel more connected to the realities of audiences and communities on the ground. That’s what we’re trying to build here. 

    In its actions, the group will seek to connect, convene, communicate and champion culture within the city to contribute to a networked, supportive, inclusive and growing creative and cultural sector for the benefit of all. 


    Who the group is for?

    The group is for organisations within cultural networks and for people working at the grassroots of Sheffield’s cultural life: freelance creatives, artists, event producers, emerging voices, those working creatively within community arts organisations, venues and nightlife, different artforms and key focus areas such as children and young people are all welcome. It will be a participatory task group of passionate and committed individuals contributing to culture in the city. 

    This group seeks to be a creative organising space. One that models for the kind of inclusive and welcoming, open, transparent and accountable leadership that is desired across the cultural landscape. 

    If you're making culture happen on the ground, and you want to be part of building something new with others like you, this space is for you. 


    What will being in the group involve?

    The Culture Strategy is an inspiring plan, and it needs the people who are at the heart of championing and/or creating cultural activity to ensure that its ambitions are reached. The action group seeks to:

    • Bring together individuals, from across the sector, to help generate ideas, scale our initiatives, increase collaboration around programming and deliver on the strategy’s actions. 

    • Contribute to the distribution of information across the sector and between communities, utilising individual networks to aid sector wide communication.

    • Provide a representative voice for the people of Sheffield and its diverse communities for consultation on culture planning. 

    • Be a sounding board for Culture Sheffield activity, which includes the co-production of delivery plans, funding bids, culture budget spends and communication within the sector. 

    • Embed a shared leadership model of cultural stewardship, seeking to share power through collaborative action.  

    • Be a forum that brings creativity, joy, discovery and celebration to the culture life of the city. 


    What the group is not.

    • Focused on the needs of any single individual or organisations interests but are instead focused on building a culture of mutual support by breaking down silos across the city.  

    • A broadcasting channel for updates on council activity, nor a space solely for sector scrutiny of council plans.

    • A closed or fixed group. The aim is to remain open, responsive, and grounded in the diverse realities of cultural work across Sheffield, with membership refreshing over time.  

    • Specific to any artform or thematic area – these networks are already in existence, and we are working with them to showcase how people can hear from and get involved with them. 


    How will the group operate?

    • 15 members. 

    • Fixed term membership of 1, 2 or 3 years to allow for fresh perspectives and input over time. 

    • Tiered funding for meeting attendance if required to allow attendance, based on employment type/size of org. (Please see appendix)

    • Clear terms of reference (to be shaped by the group) with expectations around attendance of meetings on a bi-monthly (every other month) basis.

    • Open, inclusive and transparent in its processes and outcomes, with published minutes that welcomes engagement from across the city. 


    How will the group be recruited?

    In line with the values in the culture strategy the selection process is open, inclusive, and transparent.

    We invite you to apply through our Expression of Interest process by answering 5 questions in a video or written response.



    The Process:

    1. May: Expression of interest open – 6-week window with Drop in sessions for application questions / support. 

    1. July: Expression of interest application window closes.

    1. July: Selection process, run by an independent selection panel.  

    1. July-August: Outcomes communicated.  

    1. September: First meeting.

    You can apply via written response to the outlined questions, or via a video (6 minutes max allowing for 1 minute per question).  Expressions of interest will be collected via an MS Forms doc (link below). The questions included are:

    1. What motivates you to be part of a city-wide cultural group like this? What do you hope to contribute, and what do you hope to learn? 

    1. Provide a description of the work you do within culture in Sheffield. We are interested in work at all levels, including grassroots/voluntary. 

    1. Tell us about your networks within culture in Sheffield and who your presence would help to represent within the meetings? 

    1. What areas of the culture strategy would you want us to focus on and why? 

    1. What do you think are the key ingredients of a healthy, collaborative culture sector in Sheffield? What kind of role would you like to play in helping build that? 


    The Panel:

    To support this, we’ve brought together an independent panel that includes representatives from Arts Council England and Voluntary Action Sheffield. The panel has been assembled to bring an independent and broad understanding of Sheffield’s cultural landscape, ensuring the process is rooted in equity and access.  

    • Arts Council England 

    • Voluntary Action Sheffield 

    • Culture Sheffield (SCC) 


    How EOIs will be selected:

    The panel will recommend members base on the following qualities:  

    • Reside, work and/or be based in Sheffield.  

    • Have experience/expertise in championing or delivering culture in either an employed or voluntary capacity. 

    • Be able to show willingness and ability to collaborate.

    • Be driven to provide city-level creative and cultural leadership. 


    Where to apply:

    Click this link to apply.

    The application deadline is 9th July at 12 noon.


    Want to know more before applying? 

    If you have any questions about the action group, the terms of reference or the application process, then please come along to our drop in session, where a member of the Culture Sheffield team will be able to provide advice.  

    Drop in sessions will be held:

    • 11th June 10:30 – 12:30 @ Union Street

    • 17th June 17:00 – 19:00 @ Showroom Bar

    You can also request a short video call with a member of the culture team by emailing frazer.scott@sheffield.gov.uk



    Appendix 1 - Funding

    Meeting attendance can be paid were required. The payment framework is tired, based on turnover of organisation/individual:

    Large Organisations

    • Annual Turnover: Above £1 million

    • Eligibility for Payment: Individuals representing larger organisations will not receive an attendance fee. The expectation is that these larger organisations will cover the costs internally.

    Small/Medium Organisations

    • Annual Turnover: Less than £1 million

    • Eligibility for Payment: Individuals (including freelancers) representing small or medium-sized organisations will receive an attendance fee.

    • Fee per meeting: £67

    Freelancer Payment

    • Freelancers, due to the additional costs they incur (tax, insurance, overheads, etc.), will receive a higher attendance fee compared to salaried staff.

    • Fee per meeting: £105.5

  • Culture Strategy Action Group Facilitator

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    Facilitator Call-Out for the Culture Strategy Action Group.

    We’re looking for a skilled and values-led facilitator to support a newly forming Culture Strategy Action Group (CSAG), a participatory group of creatives, producers, organisers and cultural workers helping to shape a more inclusive and representative cultural future for Sheffield.

    This group will meet bi-monthly (every other month) over the course of 12 months, working together to inspire action, improve central communications, and bring fresh thinking to how the city’s Culture Strategy is brought to life.

    This call out is to facilitate the first iteration of Culture Strategy Action Group meetings over a 12-month period.


    We are looking for someone who can:

    • Be neutral, objective and independent. Supporting to guide conversations on behalf of the group.

    • Ensure equal time is given to all perspectives, creating an environment where all members can make a full contribution.

    • Convert discussion into action by facilitating decision making and setting actions.

    • Document any agreed actions and hold members to account.

    • Develop and maintain a constructive relationship with all the sectors represented in the group.

    • Assist Culture Sheffield with meeting administration, setting agendas and internal communications.

    • Adapt and reflect, responding to the needs of the group and the wider cultural context as the work develops.


    You’ll collaborate with Sheffield City Council's Culture Team (Culture Sheffield) to co-create a facilitation approach, ensuring meetings run smoothly and align with the wider goals of the Culture Strategy. Experience of working with artists, creatives or community-led initiatives is welcome, but what matters most is your ability to create open, respectful and creative environments where different kinds of knowledge and leadership can thrive.

    This is a paid role, contracted for a period of 12 months, with flexible working arrangements to be agreed with the selected facilitator. We especially encourage expressions of interest from individuals from underrepresented backgrounds or communities.

    Role details:

    • 10 days over 12-months.

    • Day rate: £268. Total payment: £2,680.

    • 6 in person meetings (every other month) + flexible preparation, planning and follow up time.

    If you’re excited about working with a group committed to doing things differently and helping build something from the ground up, we’d love to hear from you.

    Further reading:

    To apply:

    Please send a CV and expression of interest outlining your experience, approach to facilitation, and why you’re interested in this role to frazer.scott@sheffield.gov.uk.

    If you would like to book a 15 minute video call with Frazer before you apply, you can do so here.

    Deadline for applications: 7th July 2025

  • Culture Strategy Activation Event Roundup

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    Introduction

    Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Culture Strategy Activation Series. It was fantastic to see so many people engaged with the different areas of culture in the city and contributing to the essential conversations around delivering Sheffield’s Culture Strategy.

    The events reached over 750 people, and we gathered 125 responses to our feedback form. This article gives a snapshot of the success of the events, what you’d like to see next and some of our own takeaways from coordinating the series.

    Series Overview

    • Music Venue Alliance – A model for Sheffield?

    • Unearthing Our Joy with Utopia Theatre

    • Funding Support Day

    • Co-Create the Hub and Spoke Model

    • Activating Sheffield Culture for Children & Young People

    • Screen South Yorkshire: Building for Growth

    • Thriving on Creativity in Sheffield

    • Music Marketing Toolkit Day

    • Community Connections Evening

    • Culture & Climate: Sheffield’s Response

    • Culture in Space

    • Freelancer Skills Series (9 workshops)

    Feedback

    • 67% of respondents said they had made a new contact.

    • 66% of respondents said they had heard about work that they are interested in.

    • 63% of respondents said they had learnt something useful.

    • 41% of respondents felt they had contributed to a developing idea.

    • 42% of people found out about the event via direct email, with 23% coming via the culture bulletin.

    • We also asked: ‘Was this event was a successful catalyst for connection, discussion and collaboration between attendees?’ This got an average score of 4.3/5 or ‘Strongly Agree’.

    Selected Achievements

    The formation of an Independent Music Venues Network

    The activation event ‘Music Venus Alliance – A Model for Sheffield?' resulted in a resounding ‘yes!' from everyone in the room. 13 of Sheffield’s Grassroots Music Venues attended, along with the Music Venues Trust and Sheffield’s Community Land Trust, to explore how venues could work together to support and strengthen grassroots music in the city.

    The group is set to meet again in May, with a view to organising around the following broad aims:

    • To provide a forum for peer-to-peer support and information exchange between venues.

    • To develop a unified voice for the sector in Sheffield, helping to shape the conversation around grassroots music, city developments and the nighttime economy.

    • To improve relationships between venues, residents, the council and local/national stakeholders.

    • Promote Sheffield’s music venues and the grassroots music community.

    If your venue missed the call out, please email frazer.scott@sheffield.gov.uk for more information on how to get involved.


    The Hub and Spoke model began taking shape

    ‘Co-Creating the Hub and Spoke Model’ brought 60 people together to discuss and feedback on ideas around a new model for communicating and organising Culture in Sheffield.

    The event gave essential insight into the thoughts and feelings of sector workers and culture stakeholders that highlighted both opportunities and challenges.

    Opportunities

    • There is a desire for a step change in how culture is approached as a city and a strong sense that people across the sector want to help and support this work.

    • We have a clear indication of support for the recruitment of a new sector group if the processes around it are open, transparent and inclusive.

    • The established networks in the city are adapting and organising to become better connected to the communication channels that we’re building.

    Challenges

    • The challenge of networking everyone around the strategy is complex. As a team working within the Council, we need to continue efforts to build trust with the sector at all levels.

    • The language used to describe this new model needs reviewing. 'Hub and Spoke' is unclear and open to misinterpretation. Speaking about a 'central hub' denotes a holding of power, which is contrary to what the model is hoping to achieve.

    • Our expectations for how a new sector group would work were questioned. It became clear that it might struggle to unite those focused on high-level strategy and investment with those working directly to deliver arts and culture in Sheffield’s communities.

    This information is invaluable to the evolution of the Hub and Spoke model as we seek to move past consultation and begin to pilot ideas collaboratively with the sector. Thank you to everyone who came to this event and shared their thoughts - the desire to work openly and ambitiously was encouraging and energising.

    Feedback gathered after the event confirmed that the open and consultative approach was appreciated, particularly by those representing smaller institutions. Something we are committed to continuing.

    Over the next months we’ll be focusing on developing the processes and ideas around the new sector group, with a view to launching the recruitment process in June. Many networks in the city are already adapting and spending time to become more open and accountable following this work.


    Freelancers connected through a series of workshops

    RivelinCo delivered a fantastic series of 9 skills development workshops for freelancers and small organisations, covering topics such as event production, fundraising, creative facilitations and inclusivity advice. From the feedback, we can see that people really valued the chance to meet, connect and share information with each other – something we will continue to support as part of the delivery of the Culture Strategy.

    Some focus areas have emerged for the continuation of this work, with topics including:

    • Network building / networking opportunities

    • Coaching

    • Marketing and personal brand building

    • Digital / media confidence

    • And of course, the perennial topic of fundraising / budgeting / money management

    We will be re-launching the tender process to extend this work in the coming months, so please keep an eye on the Culture Bulletin if this is something you would be interested in delivering.


    Creative Health Sheffield brought conversation and connection to SADACCA

    Over 100 people came together to explore Sheffield’s Creative Health landscape, with attendees including arts and culture professionals, healthcare practitioners, educators, and representatives from health organisations. The event showcased a wide range of inspiring projects happening across the city, featured engaging speakers, and shared updates on the network-building work of Creative Health Sheffield.

    The group is committed to continuing its work in bringing people together, sharing knowledge, and strengthening connections across the Creative Health sector in Sheffield. Upcoming priorities include:

    • Testing a new evaluation framework on selected projects

    • Planning towards ‘A Year of Creative Health Sheffield’

    • Securing future Creative Health Sheffield networking events

    To stay up to date with the latest news and future events, get in touch with creativehealthsheffield@gmail.com.


    Studio Polpo put community ownership on the agenda

    ‘Culture in Space' brought together inspiring speakers around the topic of building and infrastructure to share strategies and solutions to the prevalence of insecure, meanwhile use tenancies in the sector.

    The hot topic was community ownership as a strategy for securing cultural spaces for the long term. An information sheet is being produced to share on Have Your Say, and we’re excited to see how these conversations develop via Studio Polpo and their work within the Sheffield Community Land Trust.

    What people would like to see from future Culture Strategy events

    1. Networking & Collaboration

    • Strong appetite for cross-sector networking events, especially ones that facilitate connection across disciplines, sectors, and communities.

    • Interest in structured networking formats: speed networking, guided activities, roundtables, and collaborative workshops.

    • Desire to connect freelancers, organisations, and communities.

    • Requests for platforms/events that facilitate partnership-building.

    2. Skills & Professional Development

    • Calls for events that focus on practical skill-building: marketing, evaluation, funding, digital tools, and business development.

    • Specific skills sought:

      • Evaluation and impact measurement

      • Funding application support

      • Marketing & social media

      • Tech skills for creatives (websites, streaming, AI)

      • Working in health/care settings ('health speak' for creatives)

      • Mentorship and early career support were also highlighted

    3. Funding & Infrastructure

    • Ongoing need for funding advice, support for funding applications, and insight into available opportunities.

    • Requests for a centralised info hub or 'one-stop shop' for resources, opportunities, and networks.

    4. Sector- and Artform-Specific Events

    • Interest in more targeted events around:

      • Music (including industry & grassroots)

      • Theatre & dance

      • Visual arts

      • Screen

      • Creative health

      • Children & young people

      • Night-time economy

    • A desire for more industry-focused surgeries or forums, particularly with council involvement.

    5. Community Engagement & Inclusion

    • Emphasis on community-led and embedded culture.

    • Requests for events that:

      • Involve underrepresented groups

      • Celebrate local cultures (e.g. carnival, cultural exchange schemes)

    • Interest in locally-rooted events, from neighbourhood gatherings to cultural fairs.

    6. Creative Health

    • Strong engagement with the creative health agenda, including a desire for more:

      • Peer learning and network-building

      • Training for working in health and care settings

      • Focus on mental health, trauma, addiction

      • Info on research, evidence gathering, and evaluation

      • Training on 'health speak' for creatives

    7. Cross-Cutting Themes

    • Suggestions for events aligning with broader aims:

      • Sheffield’s continued delivery of the culture strategy

      • Climate justice and sustainability

      • Inclusion of Children and Young People

      • The continued improvement of communication and organising across the sector

    • Desire to connect local initiatives through greater networking and communication.

    We’ll be taking all this info on board when designing future Culture Strategy events as well as highlighting what others are doing that meet these needs within the Culture Bulletin.

    Learnings on event organising

    Organising and attending this series of events has highlighted several valuable insights into what makes a successful and impactful sector event for Culture:

    • Growing networks:

      • Larger scale events with 80+ attendees work brilliantly for networking and building new connections, but are less effective when trying to facilitate focused discussions and actions.

      • Activities that encourage people to move around the room and engage in conversation are great for breaking the ice and sparking interaction.

    • Delivering action:

      • When it comes to problem-solving or action-oriented conversations, smaller groups (under 40 people) are the most effective. This can be achieved either by hosting more intimate events that bring together specific focus groups/professions/or those with shared interests, or by creating breakout roundtable discussions within larger events, each focused on a specific theme or challenge.

    • Presentations:

      • Short, sharp PowerPoint presentations work best, especially when used as a springboard for deeper conversation rather than as standalone content.

      • Important presentations should be supported with information up front.

    • Timekeeping:

      • Timekeeping helps keep audiences engaged and events on track, but if an agenda is too packed it can lead to a rushed event or eat into valuable activity time.

      • If the information delivered is essential to prior activities / discussions then it should be allocated additional time to ensure its delivered effectively with time for questions/interaction.

    • Facilitation:

      • A skilled facilitator is invaluable to keeping discussions on track, drawing out useful insights, and helping shape actions from the dialogue.

    • Catalysts for Action:

      • The most impactful events have led to a tangible follow-up, either by creating/strengthening networks or by bringing together people to recognise shared challenges and explore collaborative solutions.

    What’s next?

    This event series was supported by the UK Government through the Shared Prosperity Fund. As the fund heads into its final year, we’re excited to keep working with the sector to roll out more Culture Strategy events, all aimed at sparking action and bringing the strategy to life.

    The next event is on 15th May: Sheffield as a Music City - Networking and Collaboration

    Inspired by the MOBOs in 2024, the exciting plans for Harmony Works, and Sheffield’s music heritage; we will be bringing the city together to explore how Sheffield's musical fabric, including its grassroots venues, festivals, education centres and larger institutions, can be celebrated and supported as an essential part of a creative and cultural Sheffield. This event is open to anybody contributing to Sheffield’s musical landscape as an opportunity to meet new people, form connections and grow their creative networks.

    We’ll also be kicking off the first of a series of larger 'Culture Club' networking events – which will happen quarterly and aim to be a space for those contributing to Culture in Sheffield to come together.

    Outside of events, we’re working on the following projects:

    • Planning and development of a Digital Hub for culture in Sheffield.

    • Planning and producing a video series celebrating culture in Sheffield. Contact murray.wood@sheffield.gov.uk if you want to find out how to get involved.

    • Planning and development around the 'Culture Strategy Action Group', with the aim of launching recruitment in May.

    • Planning and development of a new grant scheme 'bridging the gap', with the aim of launching a call out in May.

    • Planning a fresh tender to deliver a freelancer skills series of workshops and networking events throughout 2025.

  • Culture Sheffield Image/Footage Call-Out

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    Information for Contributors

    • Images may be used in our bulletin and LinkedIn, and footage may be used in an upcoming video series celebrating the city's offer.
    • If you have any questions about the nature of the video project before submitting content, don't hesitate to get in touch with murray.wood@sheffield.gov.uk.
    • Please note that we require professionally taken images/footage for our channels, and unfortunately we cannot guarantee that every submission will be used.

    GDPR

    • Please ONLY provide images or footage for which you own the rights or have permission to use. This will ensure we are complying with copyright law.
    • Please ensure you have permission from anyone featured or identifiable in your submission. You might have captured this at the time of the event. This will ensure we are complying with GDPR and data protection law.
    • If you make a submission, we will assume these conditions have been met.

    Thank you for understanding and we look forward to seeing what you've got!

  • Culture Strategy Delivery Update

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    The Culture Strategy delivery is well under way and in the spirit of clear communication, here’s an update of what’s been happening!

    Accessibility

    Accessibility has been a key initiative in Strategy activation, and in light of this we have commissioned an Easy Read version of the document. This simplifies the information from the original, making it more understandable for a wider audience.

    This includes people for whom English is not their first language, as well as neurodiverse people and those who have trouble with reading comprehension. The Easy Read has also been commissioned as a web-accessible PDF that is compatible with screen-readers, which will aid the visually impaired.

    “By making information accessible, Easy Reads help individuals make informed decisions, participate more fully in society, and engage with their communities.”

    The document is available for download here. Feel free to share with your circles.

    Sheffield Heritage and Cultural Assets Pipeline Report

    One important part of activating the Culture Strategy was for us to understand the buildings and facilities that have/could have creative uses in the city. We have completed the first piece of work around this, building a draft asset pipeline containing information about key cultural and heritage assets in Sheffield. This project was co-funded by the University of Sheffield.

    A report summarising the key findings from this first stage has been drafted and is available to download.

    The survey will remain open on HaveYourSay to allow people to continue to reach out about their spatial needs.

    The Sheffield Culture Bulletin and LinkedIn

    You are all familiar with the nature of the bulletin by now, but we thought we’d share some stats to show how fantastic the engagement has been from the sector.

    • Over 1000 of you are subscribed as of 16.04.2025, which is incredible considering we’ve only been live for a few months.

    • Our average ‘open rate’, that is the number of subscribers who opened the email compared to the number who received it, is 74%. By comparison, the average for local government bulletins is 42%.

    • Our average ‘click rate’, that is the number of people who clicked on links within the email compared to the number who received it, is 85%. The local government average is just 5%!

    This indicates how well valued the bulletin is in the sector, and we really appreciate all the engagement and submissions. Having said that, we are always looking to improve, so if you have time then please feel free to fill out our evaluations form.

    As for the LinkedIn, we’re way past 500 followers, and it keeps growing. We’ve had a great range of paid opportunities and chances for professional development submitted to us, and we’ve been sharing other sector-related news more regularly. This way, you don’t have to wait for the next bulletin!

    Please keep submitting to our channels and subscribe if you haven’t already.

    Activation Events

    Working with cultural organisations in the city, we delivered a Culture Strategy Activation series. All the events were supported by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and were facilitated by talented creatives and influential cultural organisations in the city.

    Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to these sessions, the activation event schedule is now finished! There is just one workshop left in the RivelinCo freelancers skills series which will round off soon.

    For a quick recap of what's gone on, one of our events began the establishment of a new grassroots music venues network in the city, with venue owners from across Sheffield in attendance. We also had an insightful funding support session with speakers from Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

    Furthermore, with visions of establishing a new leadership structure in the sector, SCC delivered a co-creation session where we brought together individuals and organisations from across the city to start working on the Hub and Spoke Model.

    To revisit the line up, click this link. Rest assured, the activation series will not be the last of these sorts of events. We're just getting started!

    The Hub and Spoke Model

    Throughout the Culture Strategy engagement process, there emerged a clear need for better communication and a model of co-delivery within Culture that engaged with and connected the sector as a whole – this became known as the “Hub and Spoke” model.

    On 12th March we held a co-creation session to invite feedback on a pilot of this new model of communication and collaboration that will advance the successful delivery of culture in Sheffield. Thank you to everybody who took part and engaged in discussion. There was a lot of useful and insightful input during the session.

    Information on the hub and spoke model can be found here, but please be advised that this is not the final version. This was sent round to attendees before the event and some changes are likely to be made over the coming weeks based on the discussions held on the 12th.

    Keep an eye on our comms channels in the coming weeks for more details about the feedback and the next steps of this process.

    FAQs

    We've encountered some questions over the past few months and thought this would be a good place to address a few of them.

    What is Culture Sheffield, and how are you going to support sector?

    Culture Sheffield is a team at Sheffield City Council. We work with organisations, freelancers and the public to empower businesses and facilitate the creative journeys of people in the region.

    In practice, we are supporting the sector by co-delivering an extensive Culture Strategy activation event series with organisations from across the sector. We are aiming to improve connectivity in the sector through our comms channels such as the bulletin and LinkedIn, both of which are well valued by the sector and came from a clear need within the Strategy consultation.

    We are at the feasibility stage of looking into establishing a directory of cultural organisations in the city and are working on the creation of the Hub and Spoke model. We hope this will become a reliable and accountable leadership structure to help culture thrive in Sheffield. As mentioned in the above article, we are doing this through consultation, ensuring that the outcome benefits the people in the sector to result in better communication and connection between everyone.

    How are you intending to include freelancers in Strategy delivery? And how are organisations supported and funded to help freelancers?

    There are 16,000 creative and cultural freelancers in the city, and we understand how valuable they are in the sector. This is why it was important for us to include a Freelancer Skills Workshop series as part of our activation schedule. RivelinCo delivered this series, and sessions included fundraising support, money management, sustainability, creative facilitation and more. These sessions were based on themes that emerged in the feedback during the strategy engagement work.

    Additionally, we supplied £14,000 as a freelancer budget for the activation events, enabling organisations to commission freelancers for their event delivery. We will ensure that freelancers are represented and involved in our work going forwards.

    How are you supporting young people?

    We knew young people had to be a key focus in our activation series, and one of the events was delivered by Create Sheffield, an organisation that seeks to engage and connect people who share a passion for supporting the city's young residents. The event was open to anyone who works with children and young people in Sheffield and is interested in the benefits of culture and creativity. An incredible 130 people were in attendance.

    We have also encouraged cultural organisations to engage with the See It Be It campaign, which works with educational institutions, employers and businesses to give young people meaningful encounters in the working world. You can get involved with this campaign here.

    Furthermore, there will likely be a spoke dedicated to supporting young people in the Hub and Spoke model, with the aim of increasing children’s accessibility to culture, from casual participation to employment.

    How are we building on the MOBOs? 

    In quite a few ways!

    • The council has secured additional funding from Public Health England and the Ed Sheeran foundation, working in partnership with Sheffield Music School / TRACKS to assist projects similar to those delivered as part of the MOBOS.

    • SADACCA have had Cultural Pipeline Fund support to help explore the future of the G-Mill venue.

    • Local groups such as SLAMBARZ, which supports 14–25-year-old aspiring music artists, have had support through Creative Communities fund.  

    Read more about the city’s expansion on the MOBOs in this article, and you can now sign up to the upcoming Music City event. This event has been inspired by the MOBOs, the exciting plans for Harmony Works and Sheffield’s music heritage, and it will bring people together to explore how music can be celebrated and supported as an essential component in the fabric of the city.

    The subsequent fringe event will have music, food, products and performances that showcase Sheffield’s Music of Black Origin talent. *Tickets now available!*

    Will it be possible to meet someone from Culture Sheffield to discuss how to plug into the Culture Strategy?

    The best way to plug into the Strategy at the moment is by coming to our events and getting involved in the discussion. The attendees of the grassroots music venues event are already in the process of establishing the network and planning their next meeting, which goes to show that action is being taken as a result of these events and is testament to the passion of people in this sector.

    We will soon be releasing the next social to take place in May where you can hear more about how to plug in, and we’re doing our best to ensure that your voices are heard through events such as the Hub and Spoke co-creation, enlisting the opinions of people involved in culture in the city. We are keen for everyone to feel like they can use the Culture Strategy to help them with their aims and ambitions.

    When we are clearer about the direction of this leadership model, organisations will have the opportunity to be a part of the central hub or get involved as spokes, and we will be able to track and celebrate Strategy delivery work across the city.

    We know that everyone is already delivering many of the aims of the Culture Strategy in different ways, so we are focussing on helping to improve connection and communication, monitoring progress and tracking outcomes.

    We also appreciate the longstanding critique of SCC communications being driven by feedback forms, but in a team with limited capacity, these really are a useful way for us to hear your voice and act accordingly, so please keep engaging with us and sharing your thoughts in this way.

    Final Note

    Thank you for reading, and a huge thanks to everyone who has made the Strategy happen so far. It’s early days and yet so much has already been achieved thanks to the drive of people in this sector. There’s a lot on the horizon and we’re just getting started.


    With best wishes,

    The SCC Culture Team

  • Sheffield Heritage and Cultural Assets Pipeline Report

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    Sheffield Heritage and Cultural Assets Pipeline Report

    One important part of activating the Culture Strategy was for us to understand the buildings and facilities which have/could have creative uses in Sheffield. We have completed the first piece of work around this, building a draft asset pipeline containing information about key cultural and heritage assets in the city. This project was co-funded by the University of Sheffield.

    The tool includes information around building ownership, condition, risk, and investment need, and can be used by Sheffield City Council moving forwards to help make decisions around support and investment.

    While many across the sector did respond to our recent survey, we recognise that not everyone did in this initial round. We intend to keep the survey open on HaveYourSay to allow others to reach out to us about their spatial needs. Please continue to use this survey to get in contact.

    A report summarising the key findings from this first stage, including how the process will work moving forwards, has also been drafted and is available to download.

    With best wishes,

    SCC Culture Team.

  • Culture Sheffield - Activation Event Series

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    Huge thanks for everyone who was involved in this series. Want to be among the first to hear about future events updates? Follow our channels here.


    Ignite Imaginations: Finding New Paths, 27th February 2025

    This conference was aimed at inspiring resilience in others and encouraging entrepreneurial thinking within the creative community.


    Music Venue Alliance: A Model for Sheffield? 4th March 2025

    This event brought together grassroot music venue operators to start a conversation about a venue network, how it could work and what they’d want to achieve.


    Unearthing Our Joy with Utopia Theatre, 8th March 2025

    An evening of performance and networking, followed by an activity where attendees shared their ideas on what’s missing in Sheffield’s arts scene.


    Funding Info & Advice Session, 11th March 2025

    A morning of fundraising info, talks, and advice. We heard direct from funders including ACE, the Heritage Lottery Fund and Film Hub North.


    Co-Create the Hub and Spoke Model, 12th March 2025

    In this session we invited discussion and feedback on a new co-delivery framework for Culture in Sheffield: the Hub and Spoke Model.


    Activating Culture for Children and Young People, 13th March 2025

    Create Sheffield seeks to engage, inspire, and connect people who share a passion for supporting our young residents.


    Freelancer Skills Workshop Series, 17th March - 4th April 2025

    Skills sessions for creative freelancers have taken place based on feedback in the Cultural Strategy engagement work.


    Screen South Yorkshire: Building for Growth, 20th March 2025

    Screen Yorkshire and Film Hub North are conducting a survey for sharing thoughts on the needs of our screen sector. This session presented the results.


    Music Marketing Toolkit Day, 26th March 2025

    This unique event brought together music marketing specialists to offer free advice on all aspects of promoting music.


    Sheffield Community Connections Evening, 26th March 2025

    This event brought together community leaders, artists and cultural practitioners to celebrate the great work already happening in our communities.


    Thriving on Creativity in Sheffield, 26th March 2025

    This event informed, inspired and connected the creative health and wellbeing sector. It was open to anyone involved in creative health and wellbeing in Sheffield.


    Culture & Climate: Sheffield’s Response, 27th March 2025

    The Sheffield Culture & Climate Network led an inspiring event focused on shaping a greener future for our sector.


    Culture in Space, 31st March 2025

    Studio Polpo helped map the issues and opportunities around the physical spaces that cultural organisations occupy in the city.

Page last updated: 17 Jun 2025, 11:24 AM