Heeley Bank Centre, Sheffield

Heeley Bank Centre is a Grade ll listed Victorian School Building, owned by Sheffield City Council, sitting on the boundary between the Arbourthorne and Heeley areas of the city. The site was vacated as a school more than 20 years ago and has since been actively and successfully used as a work base and community space for various creative producers and groups in the area. These included the First Circle artists group who tenanted space on the first floor, and a mix of other local groups including a private climbing wall and the local branch of the Workers Educational Association (WEA). The City Council decided in 2007 to sell the site as part of a city-wide internal review of community building assets. In April 2008, the City Council decided to close the building down, forcing the vacation of all tenants.

ci:p were appointed in 2008 to assess the potential future of the building as an art space and cultural hub for the neighbourhood, involving a thorough site survey and business planning exercise. The study determined that the building was a viable community resource, helping the client body to lobby the local authority for investment and re-instatement of the facilities. This work is ongoing.