Considering it’s named Steel City, because of it’s once thriving steel industry which spanned the globe, it’s no surprise that Sheffield has a hugely creative and artistic scene. With a blend of the traditional and contemporary, the painted artworks and the metal structures, Sheffield’s city centre and it’s art scene combine seamlessly into one.
As a company based in Sheffield, we are advocates for art in and around Steel City. As well as permanent exhibitions, be sure to keep an eye out for one-off annual events like Art in the Gardens (around September) and the Great Sheffield Art Show (around November) too. But for now, check out our top picks below.
Graves Art Gallery
Named after local philanthropist J.G. Graves, this gallery sits above the Central Library and can be found in Sheffield’s city centre. Whether historic or contemporary art, the gallery hosts many permanent exhibitions and collections of British and European artwork. Featuring an eclectic mix of old and new from Turner to Damien Hirst, the gallery is a fascinating and stunning home for art in Sheffield.
Millennium Gallery
Home to the permanent Metalwork collection, this exhibition showcases Steel City’s industrial heritage and is considered to be one of the finest in the world, featuring work from multiple continents and cultures. It hosts year-round exhibitions, both permanent and temporary, and has a range of events and classes with the opportunity to learn new art skills or improve existing ones.
The Heart of Steel and The Steel Man
In Meadowhall shopping centre, look out for the magnificent Heart of Steel sculpture. This giant heart hosts many engraved names of those who contributed towards it and the British Heart Foundation. The heart is actually part of a wider project – it plans to sit inside the chest of The Steel Man, a proposed new 32-metre tall figure and landmark to tower over the M1 to mark the industrial and steel history of Yorkshire and Sheffield. To find out more about these projects, check it out here.
DH Scaffold – Metalwork and Scaffold Designs
As expert metalworkers and scaffolders, we care about how metal and steel can effectively feature in artwork and designs everywhere you go. We are a specialist scaffolding design consultancy who work with engineers and architects, and able to offer a range scaffold design packages for the construction industry. Whatever your design needs, we’ll be able to help and operate in and around the Sheffield area – get in touch with our team today for a design request or quote.