New Venue Secures a further £1 million

11 April 2025

SYMCA commits more than £1 million towards the redevelopment of our new city centre venue.

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has announced it is investing more than £1 million in additional funding towards the redevelopment of S1 Artspace.

The move, part of SYMCA’s continued investment in South Yorkshire’s cultural industry, is to support the refurbishment of the newly acquired Grade II listed premises in an historic area of Sheffield city centre.

A £1 million Gainshare grant has been awarded by SYMCA to support the regeneration of the site, which has stood empty for over a decade, and bring it back into public use as a major new cultural venue. This follows a grant of £50,000 in 2024 to develop the projects business case.

In addition, S1 Artspace (S1) has been awarded a further £10,000 Project Viability Grant from the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) to support the development of the scheme. This grant will enable S1 to further refine its vision for the site and ensure that the building’s unique architectural and historical features are preserved and celebrated.

Oliver Coppard, South Yorkshire’s Mayor, commented: “From the Arctic Monkeys to Self Esteem, from the Crucible to Warp Films, from Doncaster’s Danum to Barnsley’s Cooper galleries, Joe Scarborough to Peachzz…  South Yorkshire’s cultural and creative talent punches above its weight.

“But for a long time we haven’t had the infrastructure to support our creative talent. Now, not only will the S1 Artspace hub provide this much-needed focal point for our cultural industries, it will make an invaluable contribution to our heritage by supporting the wider transformation of Sheffield’s Castlegate area into a vibrant destination for visitors and local people.”

This latest investment follows the commencement of essential repair works on the building by heritage specialists, Pinnacle Conservation. These works, which began in February 2025, are focused on securing the structural integrity of the site, addressing water ingress, and removing outdated interior alterations. Once complete, S1 will launch a public consultation to share its plans and invite public feedback on the project’s design and future use.

Louise Hutchinson, Strategic Director of S1 Artspace, said: “This additional funding is an important step towards realising our vision for S1 Artspace’s new home. The support from SYMCA and the Architectural Heritage Fund demonstrates the confidence in our plans and the importance of cultural investment in the region. We are incredibly grateful for their support, which is helping us make progress towards transforming this remarkable building into a dynamic and accessible cultural venue for Sheffield and beyond.”

S1’s redevelopment forms part of a broader city centre strategy to revitalise Castlegate, an area rich in heritage and cultural significance. The project will complement the regeneration of the Castle site, forthcoming Harmony Works venue, and other initiatives aimed at strengthening Sheffield’s cultural infrastructure.

Further details on the next stages of the project, including public consultation events, will be announced in the coming months.