On the heels of the most adventurous and successful edition of No Bounds Festival, the director of Sheffield’s beloved Hope Works, Liam O’Shea, announces that the club will close its doors at end of February 2025. The closure facilities a new chapter for the South Yorkshire music scene allowing No Bounds to flourish.
Over the past 12 years Hope Works acted as the central hub for the Sheffield underground electronic music community, as well as home for No Bounds Festival, both of which have expanded to become internationally respected, award-winning projects under the direction of O’Shea.
With the closure of the club, O’Shea will focus on building up No Bounds to be even bigger and better than before, while simultaneously using his 20+ years industry experience working in community settings to advocate for more opportunities to develop a career in music for young people from all backgrounds.
‘I have devoted 12 years to Hope Works. It has been my passion, an act of determined resilience to create something in Sheffield like no other. A uniquely programmed beacon of hope and restless freedom in the Steel City.
“Hope Works stands for something, it has elevated Sheffield’s standing on the global electronic music stage to new generations. It has also been recognised & respected internationally by artists around the globe.
“As well as being championed for its unique, friendly atmosphere, programming style and joyously irreverent expression of the spirit of Rave, I’ve been told by so many people how Hope Works was the soundtrack to their university years or it introduced them to REAL rave culture.
“It has to be said that running an underground music venue in today’s ever shifting & volatile nightlife landscape has been challenging. We haven’t been immune to the difficulties facing so many grassroots music venues. We survived COVID and have delivered hundreds of parties since 2012.
“However, for me to continue to expand my work into new areas and have time for my family, sadly Hope Works as a venue will be put to rest.” Liam O’Shea, Hope Works founder told Exposed.
Along with the closure, a series of events will celebrate Hope Works’ legacy which tie in all elements of the community under one roof one last season.
The club has chosen to mark this moment with an educational project. A statement of intent as the focus shifts towards nurturing our future generations who we hope will one day lead their own musical movements and revolutions from South Yorkshire.
This initiative will celebrate the venue’s significant impact on club music culture in Sheffield and the wider region, while also providing an opportunity to reflect on its legacy and explore the future of the scene.
No Bounds and Hope Works have collaborated with Electronic Music Club and Pattern & Push to create a week-long series of free electronic music workshops inside of Hope Works, led by a team of artists and industry professionals.
The project runs from 27th to 31st January 2025, and is aimed at young people between the ages of 14 and 25 who live in Sheffield or Rotherham.
To mark a triumphant ending Hope Works is reaching out to their many friends and artists who’ve played over the years and encourage any among you to reach out.
Please get in touch if you’d like to play.
The closure also allows No Bounds to explore a slew of other exciting venues in Sheffield and Rotherham, which will enable new ideas, new collaborations, differing programming options, a further creative exchange.
The heart of No Bounds is about challenging norms, stereotypes, and tackling new obstacles, this also means adapting to new generations and what they need. We have a chance to explore our evolving cultural landscape in new and exciting ways in the spirit of collaboration and co-creation informing our choices as we go.
No Bounds will return to Sheffield and Rotherham in October 2025 in a new and exciting form continuing to explore the places, spaces and cultures that surround us, continuing to tie in the region’s communities while inviting the best music and art from the global community into Sheffield and Rotherham.
Stay tuned..!
Workshop Programme
27-31.1.25 – Music education project for schools and youth clubs @ Hope Works.
Closing Party Series
31.12.24 – NYE Rave-Up – The Last Ever Hope Works NYE Rave-Up!
24.1.25 – Ulterior (the final edition)
25.1.25 – TBA
31.1.25 – Off Me Nut 15th Birthday
1.2.25 – TBA
2.2.25 – TBA
7.2.25 – TBA
8.2.25 – La Rumba x Dubshack 8th Birthday ft Mala & Tash LC on Siani Sound
9.2.25 – TBA
14-16.2.25 – Boiler Room Big Weekend
21-23.2.25 – Hope Works Closing Weekend
