A new Sheffield art experience is inviting you to throw paint around, express yourself and leave the cleanup to someone else…
Fittingly based in Sheffield’s Cultural Industries Quarter, Splash Art Republic has opened the doors to its new Arundel Street home, inviting visitors to pour, spin, flick and generally make a glorious mess with paint.
The family-run art experience, which already has sites in Nottingham and Birmingham, opened its third venue in Sheffield on 19 August. Taking over a former dance studio at 156 Arundel Street – previously home to The Holt café – husband-and-wife owners Nick and Jennifer have transformed the space into somewhere people can make art without worrying too much about staying inside the lines.
Splash Art Republic currently revolves around a handful of different ways of getting stuck in. Splash Art sessions see visitors given their own booth, canvas, paints, squeezy bottles and tools, with tape and pencils available for anyone who wants to plan out a more considered design before the paint starts flying. The experience lasts around an hour, with protective gear and goggles provided – mercifully, they also handle the cleaning operation afterwards.
“When we’re children, we’re encouraged to get stuck in,” says marketing manager Harriet Lockie. “As adults, we’re told to get a proper job and not make a mess. The best thing here is that we do the tidying up and the shackles are off for everyone else.”
There’s also Pour Art, where fluid acrylics are poured over bear sculptures to produce one-off marbled designs. Visitors can upgrade to larger bears and use leftover paint on smaller add-ons, while completed pieces are collected once they’ve had time to dry.
Spin Art is also being introduced soon, using pods where canvases are rotated with a crank while paint is poured or splashed onto the surface. Further down the line, there are plans to add a pedal-powered version using bikes, while UV sessions are also being explored for darker evenings.
Despite the potential for chaos, there’s some serious artistic know-how behind the scenes. Splash Art Republic has recruited eight local artists to its Sheffield team, including staff with fine art backgrounds, giving visitors access to people who know their way around the materials.
That flexibility is central to the idea. Someone can arrive knowing precisely what they want on their canvas or simply see what happens once bottles are opened.
Studio manager Nic points to one regular who had been searching for an art club but didn’t want the structured lessons involved. “Here, people can be artistic but without the boundaries or rules,” she says.
Co-owner Nick Scott says that distinction matters. “It’s a lot of fun, but we are an arts venue. The activities aren’t an afterthought: everything is designed around the experience.”
It slots in perfectly amongst its CIQ surroundings, an area already shaped by independent businesses, arts organisations and creative spaces. The team are keen for Splash Art to become part of that wider community rather than simply transplanting what has worked elsewhere.
“Sheffield has such a strong arts and culture scene,” says Nic. “We want to bring the community in and become part of it.”
Alongside individual bookings, the venue caters for children’s birthday parties, groups and corporate events, with sections of the studio or the entire venue available for private hire. Groups can also rotate between activities, while a dedicated party room is planned as work on the building continues.
Students get £5 off with valid student ID, while Wednesday and Thursday off-peak sessions are also £5 cheaper. The team have been speaking with Sheffield Students’ Union and see plenty of potential for shared pieces too, including duo canvases that friends, couples or housemates can work on together.
There are plans to take the concept beyond the standard sessions. The team has already received enquiries from charities and home-education groups, while the team hopes to develop dedicated sensory sessions following a trial at its Birmingham venue.
The space itself remains a work in progress and exciting updates are in the pipeline. A dedicated Pour Art studio is under construction, Sip & Paint is set to join the line-up and several further seated activities are being kept under wraps. The team also intends to apply for an alcohol licence, with hopes of eventually turning part of the venue into an art bar, alongside a new shopfront.
For now, the appeal is rather simpler: make something, make a mess and leave with the results. Splash Art sessions start from £25 per person, Pour Art entry starts at £5 with model options available to purchase from £15, and Spin Art starts at £60 per booth for up to two people. Everything needed to get started – canvas, paints, equipment and protective gear – is provided.
And artistic ability is very much optional.
“People who say they aren’t creative often come out with the best work,” says Nic. “Sometimes you just need that encouragement to make the first splash.”
Web: splashartrepublic.co.uk
Follow: @splashartrepublic
Visit: Splash Art Republic
156 Arundel Street
S1 4RE
