Sheffield Modern: An arts festival inspired by architecture
Sheffield Modern is an arts festival inspired by the city's architecture and it's taking place from 22-24 November. The aim is to get people thinking about the shape of the city they live in and this year's programme is themed around two strands:
Social Housing at 100
Looking at questions around housing today, 100 years on from the Housing Act (also known as the Addison Act), which paved the way for large-scale council housing developments.
Return to the Workshop
Taking its name and inspiration from the teachings of the hugely influential Bauhaus art school, founded in Germany 100 years ago. The school's manifesto called for artists to bring the spirit of architecture into other art forms, unite disciplines, and "return to the workshop" in order to become "a world that builds".
There's plenty to get involved with. Here are some highlights...
A Saturday night at Sidney + Matilda with GRL. DJs inspired by the Bauhaus art school's legendary costume parties.
A sound installation in David Mellor's cutlery workshop in Hathersage, created by sound art collective SONA. Inspired by and experimenting with sounds from the factory floor and stages of the assembly cycle - stamping, filing, grinding, polishing.
A film by Andrea Luka Zimmerman, celebrating her community's resilience in the face of the impending demolition of their east London housing estate. Interweaving portraits, historical re-enactments, architectural studies and dramatised scenes.
Peter Barber: 100 Mile City and Other Stories
An exhibition by acclaimed British architect Peter Barber, who has dedicated much of his working life to designing social housing. Exploring issues presented by the housing crisis, and the role architecture might play in creating a more humane city.
Standing at the Sky's Edge: Stories Behind the Park Hill Musical
A talk with Chris Bush, sharing her experience of researching and writing a musical spanning three generations of Park Hill residents. With a panel of architects and former Park Hill residents.
A Saturday afternoon of hands-on creativity and fun, with a series of free family-friendly workshops in Site Gallery and Yorkshire Artspace exploring ideas around building, home and design.
Giant Dolls' House Project: At Home in Sheffield
A collaborative art project led by architect Catja de Haas, creating a community of dolls' houses made out of shoeboxes. With two workshops (at Foodhall and Yorkshire Artspace), followed by a storytelling session with Nana-Essi Casely-Hayford and installation.
Find the full programme here.
