Music hub project awarded £4.7m of lottery funding

Work to transform a Grade-II listed building into a regional music hub has been given a £4.7m funding boost.

Harmony Works Trust has been awarded the money from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to restore Canada House in Sheffield.

The building, which dates back to 1875, will be renovated to create a flagship music hub, providing high quality rehearsal, performance and education spaces for young musicians.

Emily Pieters, project director at Harmony Works, described the funding as "completely game changing" for the plans to open the centre in autumn 2027.

She said: "It is brilliant for Sheffield, for the region and for heritage, but it is also fantastic for children and young people, who are the prime beneficiaries.

"We are reusing these wonderful spaces, with high ceilings and natural light, that for many years have not been publicly accessible.

"There might be band practice, an orchestra, university students or pre-school children. All sorts of different organisations will be occupying the space."

She said the project would provide both Sheffield Music Hub and Sheffield Music Academy with a permanent home to allow them to continue their "brilliant work".

Adha Charles, 19, said Sheffield Music Hub had given her the chance to learn to play an instrument while at school aged nine and her love of performing had grown from there.

"I had always wanted to play an instrument but I had not had the opportunity before I had lessons at school.

"My clarinet teacher suggested I start at Sheffield Music Academy when I was 11. It was the first time I had had individual lessons and I was so excited, it was the best thing ever.

"I went every Saturday until I was 18 and then went to the University of Cambridge

"Music is my whole life, I would be so sad if I didn't get to perform and make connections playing with other people."

Canada House was originally built as offices for the Sheffield United Gas Light Company and played a key role manufacturing gas burners.

It remained offices for the Gas Board until 1972, and after lying vacant and facing the threat of demolition, was awarded listed building status.

Since then, Canada House has been Turn Ups nightclub, Bloomers pub, offices for Panache Lingerie and a Chinese buffet restaurant. It was last open to the public in 2011.

Helen Featherstone, from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: "It's projects like this, buildings that have been vacant for quite a long time, that we can invest lottery money in.

"This will really bring this building back into a vibrant use, which will hugely benefit young people from Sheffield and from further afield."

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