Restoration funding in place for Sheffield’s Canada House
The grade two-listed city centre building has secured a further £3.5m from Arts Council England, to aid its transformation into a music education centre.
Refurbishment is expected to start later this year, with completion expected late in 2027.
It will house organisations including the Sheffield Music Academy, Sheffield Music Hub, Brass Bands England, Music in the Round, Choir with No Name, Orchestras for All, and Concerteenies, while also working closely with The University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, and The Sheffield College.
Owned by charity Harmony Works, this latest funding follows a pledge of £4.7m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and other support from the Architectural Heritage Fund, Sheffield City Council, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, and the UK Government’s Levelling Up Funding.
Originally constructed in 1875 as offices for the Sheffield United Gas Light Company, the building has undergone many guises, including as TurnUps nightclub in the 1980s.
Emily Pieters, project director at Harmony Works, said: “Alongside the funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we are now in a very strong position to fully refurbish Canada House and deliver on our long-term vision of creating a new home to inspire and nurture the creative potential of young people and their communities.”
Cllr Martin Smith, chair of economic development and skills committee at Sheffield City Council, added: “Not only will this benefit young people across South Yorkshire, but this further funding will also allow us to protect an important heritage asset.”
South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “From the Arctic Monkeys to Pulp, Yungblud to Kate Rusby, South Yorkshire has given music to the world for years.
“Not only do cultural institutions drive growth in our city centres, they also lead to happier, healthier lives for local people.”