Bank Street Arts

Bank Street Arts was a contemporary art centre in Sheffield’s Cathedral Quarter. It grew from a small studio complex set up in 2008 into a lively venue with eight public galleries, thirty artist studios and a café. The buildings themselves were once Georgian offices for lawyers, now restored as Grade II listed spaces. The centre aimed to give local artists a base and most exhibitors came from South Yorkshire. In 2009 it opened daily to visitors and in 2010 became a registered charity focused on regenerating the city through art. Its programmes included residencies and exhibitions tied to major festivals such as the Sheffield Children’s Festival and Off the Shelf Festival. Inside, visitors found changing exhibitions across the galleries and studios where artists worked. The café provided a place to pause between shows. The setting in a restored terrace gave the place a calm atmosphere, close to Sheffield’s cultural heart.