About Open Up Sheffield

Since 1998, when Keith Hayman and Kate Jacob initiated Open Up Sheffield as a platform for artists to showcase their skills and share their creative disciplines with members of the public, there has been an annual open studios event.

The only exception was in 2002, when Tim Rose, Anna Gladden and Lesley Warren spent the year creating a not-for-profit limited company, “Open Up Sheffield’ and applying to Arts Council England for grant funding. Part of that funding bid was to provide money for a project manager… enter Ms Sharon Gill!

Sharon organised and developed the Open Up event for seven years, and with her guidance it grew into the largest open studios event outside London, with over 100 artists participating each year.

Sharon left in 2009 and we appointed Maxwell Singh to continue Sharon’s legacy, which he did until 2012, when funding ended.

The event then returned to its original ethos of being run by artists for artists, supported by a committee of practising artists and craftspeople, who all give their time and expertise voluntarily.

We are always open to offers of help!

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