Rosie Brennan visits one of Sheffield’s most vibrant creative spaces to discover how a quiet industrial corner became home to a thriving artistic collective.
If you’ve ever crossed the delightful Ball Street Bridge, in the beating heart of a neighbourhood often dubbed one of coolest in the country, you may have unknowingly passed a hub bursting with artistic energy. Home to 30 artists’ studios, KIAC is a vast space teeming with sculptors, painters, photographers – even set designers for festivals.
When I met artist Kieran Flynn for a tour of the space, I quickly realised how fascinatingly unique the building is – and couldn’t believe it had been under my nose all this time. “The idea is that we exist to give artists a space to work – it’s a not-for-profit collective,” he explained.
The colour and creative chaos you might expect from 30 artists working under one roof was certainly present. As Kieran guided me through the individual studios, I was amazed by the variety of work on display. You could see the artists’ personalities come alive through their art – stories and inspirations physically embedded in each sculpture and painting.
“We’ve got people from all over in here… the space is massive,” Kieran said. “It’s a fun place to be – there’s a nice community of people.”
Each studio felt like stepping into a different character’s mind. At one stop, a huge canvas splattered with colour stood out – the work of Julian Wright. “Julian,” Kieran told me, “he’s a lawyer who spends a lot of time in London. I always think it’s quite interesting that someone who spends a lot of time in a suit comes in and paints in this style.”
A few steps on, the next studio featured picturesque scenes of nature by Anthony Downing. “Anthony – he works for the Environment Agency, so a lot of his work is landscape-y, based around being in the Peaks,” Kieran pointed out.
Then we passed the striking, sometimes chaotic work of Peter Smith. “Peter. Bonkers. Talks to himself like you would not believe,” Kieran said, with a small grin.
Sculptor Simon Wigglesworth-Baker, who is also based at KIAC, joined us mid-tour between leading adult learning art classes. He spoke about future plans to expand the collective’s community work.
“I think, with artists doing so much stuff in the community now – like murals – people want to know where those people are coming from. Most are coming from here. This seems like a good opportunity to expand – not just the studios, but what we do as an organisation in the community. That’s starting with two brand-new murals. One’s on Hicks Street, near the ‘Welcome to Neepsend’ sign. The other’s at Grafters, the machine tool place – they’ll be at the start of August.”
A revamp of the website is also in the works, with hopes to shout even louder about the incredible artists working there – and to share more about the opportunities available to the wider public.
Alongside its studios, the building also houses spaces for community art activities, from pottery workshops and life drawing to film nights. For around £20 for two hours – or £25 for a session with a live model – the collective, according to Simon, are “the only people in Yorkshire doing sculpting from life”.
Last month, they hosted an exhibition – We Love What You’ve Done With The Place – at Soho Yard, featuring work from 11 artists including two pieces by Kieran.
That’s just the start of things, and it’s well worth keeping an eye on what they’ve got coming up. I left feeling that KIAC is something an underrated creative powerhouse in the city – and whether you want to get stuck into a class or just soak up some local talent, there’s loads to get involved with.
kiac-sheffield.org
@kiac_studio
40 Ball St, S3 8DB
