Exposed Magazine September 2023

HEARD about our NEW ‘HAPPY’

offers?

HAPPy DRINKS!

available until 6.00pm, MONDay TO FRIDAY

Treat yourself to a delicious cocktail or two!

CHOOSE FROM OVER 20 COCKTAILS TAGGED WITH THE 'CUBANA STAR' IN OUR DRINKS MENU FOR ONLY £6.00!

PLUS...

>> Selected bottled beers £3.50 - Corona and Super Bock.

>> Selected house wines £4.00 per glass or £17.00 per bottle. Choose from Pinot Grigio White, Pinot Grigio Rosé or Montepulciano Abruzzo Red.

>> Prosecco - £22.50 per bottle

>> Sangria or Sangria blanca - £22.50 per jug

*DOWNSTAIRS BAR EXTENDED HAPPY OFFER*

We have extended all of the above Happy Drinks offers for a further two hours, until 8pm, Monday to Friday in the downstairs bar

*only available in the downstairs bar

HAPPY TAPAS!

available until 6.00pm, MONDay TO FRIDAY

Call in and chill out at the end of a hard day, unwind and soak up our relaxed Latino vibe whilst enjoying our ‘Happy Tapas’ deals.

ANY 2 tapas dishes for £11.95

–– OR ––

£5.00 off

ANY Of our tapas set menus

Fantastic value when you dine early. APPLIES TO ALL TABLES SEATED AND ORDERING BEFORE OR AT 6PM.

EAT – DRINK – LIVE MUSIC – DANCE

AT

> Delicious, authentic Spanish & Latin American Tapas

> Exciting New Cocktail & Drinks Menu

> Brand New Happy Offers

> Live Music & Entertainment – Every Night

> Big Swing Events – Every Wednesday Night

> Popular Bottomless Brunch packages

> DJ & Club nights

> Dance Classes

> Table to Table Live Magic - Every Sunday

PA S RES TA URANT

For more about the complete Cubana experience visit www.cubanatapabar.co.uk

From Friday 1 December to Saturday 30 December 2023

AT NAPOLEONS

VIEW

PANORAMA RESTAURANT

FESTIVE LUNCH

VIP HOSPITALITY

owlertonstadium.co.uk 0114 234 3074

Penistone Road, Sheffield S6 2DE

CONTENTS

22: PLOTTING A ROUTE

Exposed pays a visit to Plot 22, the Castlegate DIY venue that’s become synonymous with some of the city’s best underground music events and empowering social programmes for vulnerable adults.

25: JOIN THE CLUB

Nothing short of a Steel City clubbing institution, we celebrate 25 years of The Tuesday Club by charting the night’s rise from mid-week student event to one of most popular showcases of electronic music up north.

30: PARTY TIME

A hearty Yorkshire welcome to our recently arrived student population! If you want a few tips on making the most of Freshers Week, we’ve got a few top tips in terms of events and how to save a few quid while you’re here.

60: THE

STIRRINGS

Ahead of an appearance at next month’s Off the Shelf festival, Sheffield writer Catherine Taylor discusses her recently released memoir ‘The Stirrings’ – an immersive snapshot of growing up in a northern city during the 1980s.

78: EGGS-PRESS YOURSELF!

This month’s spotlight on a local artist falls on Daniel Halksworth, who discusses early creative influences, the evolution of his style and his focus on depicting everyday objects (particularly the humble fried egg!).

GAFFERS

Phil Turner (MD) phil@exposedmagazine.co.uk

Nick Hallam (Sales Director) nick@exposedmagazine.co.uk

FINANCE

Lis Ellis (Accounts) accounts@exposedmagazine.co.uk

GRAFTERS

Joe Food (Editor) joe@exposedmagazine.co.uk

Ash Birch (Online Editor) ash@exposedmagazine.co.uk

Lizzy Capps (Content Creator) lizzy@exposedmagazine.co.uk

Marc Barker (Design dogsbody)

GI’ US A HAND PLZ

Iago Castro Charlon, Olivia Warburton, Heather Paterson, Cal Reid, Emma Taylor, Mark Perkins

THE BUSINESS STUFF

Exposed is published monthly by Blind Mice Media Ltd

Unit 1b, 2 Kelham square Kelham Riverside Sheffield S3 8SD The

COVER IMAGE: ELOUISA GEORGIOU PHOTOGRAPHY

When you’re running a new business, advice from a friendly face or an hour in supportive, like-minded company can feel like a lifeline. Since the spring, Business Sheffield’s been developing their new hub at Electric Works so that Sheffield entrepreneurs can have just that. With their growing number of in-person courses, new business owners can get invaluable support from experienced business experts and grow their networks of fellow businesses across the city.

Business Sheffield is always evolving its service to meet what’s needed in Sheffield right now. This Autumn, they’re launching two new strands of support for startups.

START-UP POWER HOURS

Thinking of starting a new business? Want to take your sidehustle full time? Making your dream a reality alongside your day-to-day takes a toll on your schedule – you need to learn the basics and set your direction fast!

Business Sheffield’s Start-up Power Hours are intensive sessions to supercharge you with everything you need to know to start your business. Led by experienced business advisor Alan Ball, they cover everything from registering your business and deciding on your legal structure to finding your premises and attracting customers.

You’ll get a chance to have your burning questions answered, and the opportunity to book a one-to-one with Alan for tailored support with your next steps.

The next round of Startup Power Hours starts on 11 September.

“The Power Hour startup workshop was a game-changer. In just an hour, Alan shared practical advice on starting a business, covering everything from ideas to getting funds, marketing and so much more. It was like a shot of useful entrepreneurial tips.

“The best part? It was made simple. Just clear guidance. By the end, I felt ready to start my own business. I recommend it to anyone who wants quick, practical startup help. It’s like a shortcut to getting started on the right foot.”

Linda Mirembe Nakimbugwe, aspiring entrepreneur in Alternative Therapies

TECHFORGE

Following a successful series of tech startup workshops, Chris Wheater and Morgan Killick are launching Business Sheffield’s TechForge Accelerator.

Designed for early-stage tech-centred businesses, this sleek sixsession programme will fast-track your journey from side hustle to startup. As well as guidance from experienced tech entrepreneurs Chris and Morgan, you’ll tap into the expertise of guest founders and join the TechForge Founders Network, plugging into the local ecosystem and investment world.

You’ll finish the programme with strong foundations for your startup, from a practical understanding of how to build your prototype to strategies for attracting investment, bringing in revenue and accessing the rich network of support our region has to offer.

The next round of the programme starts on 13 September.

“I recently had the privilege of attending a series of five tech startup workshops, and I can’t emphasise enough how invaluable the experience was! What stood out the most was the expertise of the presenters and their ability to distil complex concepts into practical, actionable advice. I’m grateful for the knowledge gained, the connections made, and the inspiration received.”

Alan Hunt, Software Engineer

To register your interest in either of these programmes or find out what else is going on:

Call on 0114 224 5000

Email businesssheffield@sheffield.gov.uk

Visit www.welcometosheffield.co.uk/business-workshops

Builder’s Brew

The family-run Builder’s Brew cafe can be found opposite Sheffield Cathedral, in the former home of Edison’s. As well as hundreds of Lego sets and thousands of bricks to indulge your creative side, the cafe also offers coffee from Sheffield roasters Forge, plus homemade cakes, sandwiches and snacks.

James Beech, who runs Builder’s Brew with wife Laura, told Exposed: “I loved Lego growing up, and since having kids I got back into it. We’ve got five kids between the ages of one and eight. For us as a family, Lego is the best thing. They can lose themselves in Lego for an hour or two, so we thought what a great idea it would be to have a really cool family venue where people can spend quality time together.

“It’s not just a kid’s venue either, it’s a grownup venue too! We’ve had tonnes of couples coming in and we’re going to be open during the evenings after the summer holidays for couples to come on date nights – we just want it to be a good hangout place. Hopefully it’ll be popular with students too, that’s the goal.”

For the incredibly reasonable price of just £3 an hour (per person), visitors can choose from hundreds of sets including popular Star Wars and Harry Potter builds, or, if you’re not into following the instructions, you can freestyle it using the cafe’s huge selection of bricks.

The two screens behind the packed deli counter show the sets on offer each day, with one featuring sets of 300 pieces or less, and the other showing more complicated 300-plus piece sets. If you’re staying for an hour, they recommend choosing one of the smaller sets, in order to make sure you have time to complete it.

The concept has already proved incredibly popular, with table reservations filling up fast. James said: “The first weekend was pretty busy considering we’d only just opened, the second weekend was even busier, then the third weekend was absolutely mad!

“Everyone that’s come has given us really good feedback. On the whole people have just found it a really good spot, which is super encouraging.

“We’ve not had a lot of sleep and have been open every day for the past few weeks. It’s my wife that does all the baking in the kitchen, so between us juggling five kids, baking the cakes and doing all the shifts, it’s been a lot.

“In terms of how the venue’s turned out and the response that we’ve had, in some ways we’ve been busier than we possibly could have expected, which is a really nice problem to have. It’s been really good. Obviously, it’s one big punt setting up a new business.”

James came to university in Sheffield in 2010 and like many before him, he decided to stick around. A far cry from cafes and Lego, he went to work in comms for a big American insurance company but had always held ambitions to own his own business one day. Once he and Laura had settled on the idea for Builder’s Brew, they applied for and received a business loan just before Christmas, finally allowing them to build their idea.

“We were hoping other people would think it was as good of an idea as we did, so the fact that it’s gone down as well as it has is really cool,” says James. “We don’t think there’s anything else exactly like us anywhere else in the city.”

Looking to the future, they’re hoping to get a license, as well as host kids’ parties, corporate events, functions and team away days. The site also has a big onsite kitchen which they plan to utilise by offering themed evenings, centred more around the food, while still focusing on the all-important Lego building aspect.

Builder’s Brew is open 4pm-9pm on weekdays and from 10am on weekends. Keep an eye on their socials for updates.

@buildersbrewcafe

Bookings: buildersbrewcafe.com

Since opening earlier in the summer, this one-of-a-kind city centre Lego cafe has been bustling with builders of all ages.

THINGS YOU ONLY KNOW IF YOU’RE A...

PROFESSIONAL TWITCH STREAMER

YOUR IDENTITY IS A SECRET

Your real name and address should be your best-kept secret. With internet harassment and doxxing, most streamers will strive their hardest not to accidentally leak their identities. There is a range of harassment streamers can face, from being signed up to newsletters to being stalked. This can be more intense for streamers in America, who can face swatting if their address ends up online. This is when people will call the police and generate an emergency law enforcement response against the victim under false pretences.

within the streaming world as well. However, on the other side, while other streamers can be friends, they can also be direct competition to you. It can be so draining scrolling social media and seeing all your peers achieving more success than you are, while wanting to be happy for them at the same time.

4 5

YOU WORK ON YOUR OWN TIME

While it’s so important to jump on trends and engage as soon as you can, one of the greatest things about being a streamer is choosing your own hours, and how often you want to work. The exception to this sponsorships, which will sometimes require certain hours and days, but they can be are fantastic as well; as a gamer, getting paid to promote and play video games I wanted to buy myself and play anyway is one of the best feelings ever. And sometimes the free stuff I get sent is so cool!

YOUR MENTAL HEALTH COMES FIRST

2 3

IT’S AN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

Your community is everything as a streamer. Without dedicated viewers, you don’t get paid! But the great thing about streaming is you get to have all kinds of people watching and engaging with you in your chat every day. For some people, when I go live to play videogames in the evening, they’re across the other side of the world, having a coffee while watching me because their day has just begun. It can be a really accepting place for people to be, and people within my community have made friends with each other. There’s something really lovely about knowing there’s people rooting for you on the other side of the world.

SOCIAL MEDIA IS A BLESSING AND A CURSE

I rely on social media every day as my job. Sometimes something that is small and insignificant to me, that I put very little effort into, will get tons of engagement and make a huge difference to my career. And social media is excellent for meeting other people

It’s so easy to forget about what’s really important when you’re constantly online and engaging and trying to be creative and come up with content that no one else has thought of. The nature of online gaming communities will often attract lonely people, who might lean on you and your community as a comfort in their lives. Sometimes this is rewarding but can also be draining, as without boundaries you can end up taking on some of the struggles of other people. It’s really important to know when to switch off as well. While it’s important to jump on trends, it can be hard to know when to disengage and turn off your phone, stop scrolling social media, and stay present in the moment. Some streamers never really stop working after they go offline.

Louise has been streaming for five years. She went full-time after finishing university in 2020 and currently works as a streamer for UK esports organisation Endpoint, who are also based in Sheffield. You can find her streaming on Twitch, or on socials as ‘poopernoodle’.

Once, there was a girl.

She lived on a council estate some 30 miles from Sheffield, which was fine. It was fine in a grey, nondescript, Groundhog Day way, nothing more or less, and she daydreamed about leaving most of the time. She also thought of writing. Writing wasn’t something people did there. And most people laughed out loud at the idea.

That girl was me.

I moved to Sheffield aged 18 – theoretically for a one-year journalism course at the now-defunct Norton College. It was a move fuelled solely by my inexorable desire to ‘get away’ before it was too late. It was a move funded by the results of three summer jobs, plus money scraped together by my mum.

I didn’t know a single soul, had only visited Sheffield once, and wasn’t precisely sure how I would pay for it. But arriving in Sheffield – a moment I may have slightly romanticised into a mental love letter over the years – felt right.

It felt like living in technicolour for the first time. Everything was exciting, from having my own bedroom to visiting The Leadmill and Gatecrasher nightclubs.

There were restaurants. More than one pub. Creative success stories were sitting in every bar, from writers to artists, musicians, actors, and designers , and it wasn’t even a big deal.

BY ELLEN BEARDMORE

of the blue, with a life-threatening brain tumour.

It was discovered in an eye test (thanks again, Boots on Fargate). Just days later, a brain surgeon removed the orange-sized tumour in a 13-hour operation at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital.

The good fortune of living so close to a neurological centre of excellence wasn’t lost on me. If I hadn’t moved to Sheffield, who knows what would have happened?

Over the years I have become more interested in the number of people with similar stories of moving here. So many people come to Sheffield – for university, work or love – and stay.

Some for a few years, others for a lifetime. Next year I will have lived here longer than anywhere else. I hope then I will be classed as a true Sheffielder.

I’ve tried hard to pinpoint what the real draw of Sheffield is, especially now as the founder of my own Sheffield copywriting business which aims to champion the city.

Sure, there’s the Peak District next door, the blunt friendliness of the population.

But I think a huge factor is that Sheffield hides many of its qualities just underneath the surface. You need to invest some time here before you discover the fantastic stuff.

Idyllic green spaces and parks were abundant. Then there was a sauce called Henderson’s Relish that everyone kept banging on about.

The journalism course ended, and I didn’t go home. In fact, I never did.

Sheffield exerted an irresistible pull. Emboldened by a new circle of friends, I fully immersed myself there.

For a few years, the necessity of paying the rent meant commuting from S1 to other parts of the north where the job of a trainee news reporter was going.

Eventually, I landed my dream job of working for Sheffield Newspapers, to cover the city.

Being a journalist gives you many different perspectives, plus the privilege of behind-the-scenes access. Thanks to this, I know, as any born-and-bred resident does, the city isn’t perfect. We aren’t great at shouting about the incredible things happening here – or we haven’t been. That seems to be improving recently.

There’s a vast disparity around equality: in all areas, racial equality, economic equality, and life expectancies.

As a long-suffering passenger and author of many articles about bus cuts, don’t even get me started on the standard of public transport. There’s crime and litter here too.

However, despite these points, Sheffield’s shine was never dimmed for me; it’s only grown brighter over the years.

Not long after landing that dream job, I was diagnosed, out

That might be the finest bagels served from a tiny shopfront, the nature reserve with stunning waterfalls, or the community projects which make a difference to people’s lives on a shoestring budget.

The food scene is one of the best in the country, while the innovative theatre made here will knock your socks off.

I walked home from a trip to Crookes last week, having spent the afternoon alone but still in good company visiting a few independent businesses. Just past The Old Grindstone pub, a corner view opens up where you can glimpse the city in the distance. It made me smile with recognition, joy and belonging right there in the street. That feeling is the closest I can get to explaining why I love Sheffield so much.

Sheffield is endlessly compared with Leeds and Manchester. I find the soul-lifting, proudly indie, vibrant character far superior. It also can’t be replicated with bigger shops.

These days, I also see the city through fresh eyes thanks to having a three-year-old daughter. I’m so proud she has Sheffield listed on her birth certificate. I adore showing her all it has to offer.

If one day she too has the urge to leave, I can only hope she finds somewhere that feels as completely like home as Sheffield has always felt to me.

Ellen Beardmore is a former editor and the founder of Edit Sheffield, which offers copywriting, PR, editorial and marketing services. Visit editsheffield.co.uk or email ellen@ editsheffield.co.uk for more information.

IT FELT LIKE LIVING IN TECHNICOLOUR FOR THE FIRST TIME. EVERYTHING WAS EXCITING, FROM HAVING MY OWN BEDROOM TO VISITING THE LEADMILL AND GATECRASHER NIGHTCLUBS.

PHOTOS BY ELLIE GRACE PHOTOGRAPHY

UPFRONT HIDDEN GEM NORTH TOWN KITCHEN

Nestled away at 699-701 Abbeydale Road, the inception of North Town was spontaneous. In response to the constraints imposed by the global pandemic, the dynamic duo recognised an opportunity to offer locals a beloved takeaway treat: coffee and cannolis! As word rapidly spread about this newfound gem serving delectable delights, the offerings expanded to include an irresistible meatball sensation: a delicious panino featuring Sicilian meatballs, San Marzano tomatoes, velvety taleggio cheese, homemade ciabatta, and a generous dose of affection.

This was the ideal gateway that enabled the enterprise to gather substantial momentum. Fortuitously, destiny played its part, and the adjacent unit became vacant. What initially started as a weekend popup store evolved into a distinctive dining escapade, firmly grounded in passion, expertise and a dedication to tantalize one’s senses.

The name lacks an elaborate backstory, simply being an againstthe-clock decision prompted by the need for a memorable URL. Nevertheless, the walls of 699-701 Abbeydale Rd are adorned with Italian history and Gian’s personal collection of ‘La Gazzetta Dello Sport’. They have breathed a whole new life into the former bakery and guitar emporium, transforming it into an intimate, quirky space bedecked with sports memorabilia and distinctive idiosyncrasies of its own.

North Town prides itself on serving up premium-quality food at an exceptionally reasonable cost. A distinct Southern Italian influence infuses their offerings – from Pesce Spada to Orechiette, an abundance of choices awaits. As you make your selections, an in-house sommelier stands ready to recommend the perfect wine, or if you’re enticed by their impressive vermouth assortment, their negronis reign supreme in the city!

In a nutshell, these close companions and partners in adventure have bring the enchanting streets of Naples to Sheffield through traditional Italian delicacies, exquisite beverage selections and, naturally, their playful sense of humour, extending an invitation to accompany them on a voyage to Campania and beyond.

So, treat yourself and venture through the doorway; savour the authenticity, flavours and panache that define North Town. You’ll be glad you did.

northtown.store

@northtownkitchen

0114 255 1242

S7 2BE

Founded by Gian & Pasquale, North Town brings contemporary Italian-style cookery to the heart of Sheffield.

ORCHARD SQUARE UNVEILS NEW LOOK FOLLOWING RECENT WORK

Refurbishment and latest line-up at popular Sheffield city centre destination

Orchard Square in the heart of Sheffield has revealed a new look this month, 35 years on from first opening in 1987, marking the start of a new era for the city centre’s open-air Square and occupants.

This month sees the completion of extensive refurbishment work within the Square, including new and improved paving throughout - plus the installation of awnings and a central canopy to provide this popular destination with a dedicated and weatherproof event space.

Commenting on the works, Orchard Square Manager Shay Murray said: “We are delighted to be unveiling the Square’s updated look following our futureproofing, refurbishment programme.

“The updated Square now offers our tenants and customers a more modern look and feel, alongside covered outdoor spaces, which has long been asked for and will be used for city centre events and gatherings - providing even more reasons for people to visit.”

Alongside the refurbishment, the Square now boasts a line-up of new tenants including, The Old Shoe, the much-anticipated city centre bar, offering one of the UK’s most diverse drinks list with a rotating selection of 20 draft lines, a huge range of ciders including products made on site, plus a vast and varied array of wines.

Award-winning, authentic Neapolitan pizza restaurant, Proove has also recently opened its doors in the Square, a place where customers can enjoy some of the finest pizza in town, alongside an array of drinks and cocktails from their premium bar.

And coming soon to the Square is Game Show All-Stars, from the owners of Sheffield’s Great Escape Rooms. Opening in September - this one is not to be missed!

The latest openings form part of Orchard Square’s diverse choice of food, drink, entertainment and retail outlets including, TK Maxx, Waterstones, Sheffield Plate independent food hall, Terrace Goods, Body Shop - and many more.

And to mark this exciting new era, Orchard Square hosted a weekend of celebrations with live music and entertainment during

August bank holiday weekend.

Shay continues: “We are proud to offer a vibrant community hub in the heart of Sheffield’s city centre for today’s visitors to relax, eat, drink and shop - and look forward to welcoming old and new customers alike over the coming weeks and months.

“This is an exciting time for Sheffield city centre generally, given various current regeneration work. Orchard Square is thrilled to be part of that programme – and pioneering this new era for our city. If you haven’t been to Orchard Square recently, we can’t wait to welcome you back.”

Alongside the refurbishment programme, Orchard Square has also unveiled its new branding - bringing signage, directory boards and the soon-to-be new website, in line with the updated look and feel. Further details can be found on Orchard Square socials @orchardsquare.

Following the closure of Castle Market in 2013, the once-popular Castlegate area of the city centre took a significant hit in terms of footfall, earning a reputation for being a dilapidated and uninspiring part of town as a result.

However, over the past five or six years, a collective of DIY independent venues on Exchange Street have brought some bustle back to the setting, running multi-purpose spaces for people to safely engage with music, art and all manner of creative pursuits, fostering an exciting underground scene in the process.

A key player in this revival is Plot 22, managed by Sheffield social enterprise RiteTrax. After meeting with co-founders Mike Thompson and Adam Seymour outside the venue, which housed a hair and nail salon during the market days, they welcome us into the intimate space. This intimate setting regularly hosts up to 120 ravers and gig enthusiasts, treating them to an eclectic range of performers and DJs spanning genres like techno, house, jungle, bassline, hip-hop, grime, dubstep, doom, punk, and drum & bass.

“The intimacy of the space is a big part of the experience,” says Mike. “We’re offering an

authentic rave experience, a great soundsystem, cutting-edge underground music across genres, and – very importantly to us – doing everything we can to make sure it’s a safe, welcoming space for people to come to.”

Following RiteTrax’s acquisition of the venue in 2017, Plot 22’s upper floors were eventually tailored into studios catering to artists and creative types – many of whose work decorate the once-magnolia salon walls – while its downstairs space focused on hosting a slew of memorable underground events, fundraisers, workshops and artistic fusions.

“The feedback we get is that it genuinely feels like a community here,” adds Adam. “I think that’s due to the size and layout encouraging interaction. We often get some of the biggest names in underground electronic music just hanging out in the smoking area between sets, chatting away to all of the customers. It’s that sort of place.”

Beyond hosting some of the

COMING UP AT PLOT 22

09.09: DAS BOOTY // London’s high energy party starters take over the Plot // £12-£15 @ RA

15.09: LILY MOORE // Soulful and authentic live music // £6-£12 @ Ticketweb

16.09: CASTLEGATE FESTIVAL // Exchange Street Collective host an allday street party with night events at Bal Fashions & Plot 22 // Free entry

20.09: LUKAH // The up & coming Memphis-based rap artist joins the Plot on his UK tour // £7-£10 @ Skiddle

22.09: DOZEH // One of Sheffield’s most exciting new party crews bring their signature bass flavours // tbc @ Skiddle

23.09: GROOVEYARD // Celebrating all things funk, soul and disco // Free entry in disco attire (£3 without)

28.09: MOLLIE COLLINS UP CLOSE & PERSONAL // The Rinse.fm resident & certified party starter stops by on her UK tour // £5 @ Skiddle

finest DIY raves in the region, the venue also serves as a focal point for the important work RiteTrax do to support vulnerable adults and aspiring creatives in the community.

Plot 22 hosts bi-weekly ‘music drop-ins’ for adults in recovery to come along and learn live music production, DJing, MCing, and more. They then provide the opportunity for attendees to showcase what they’ve learned at the monthly ‘Sober Socials’ – an alcohol-free event promoting a safe space for people to come and engage positively with live music and club culture.

This summer also saw the second of their ‘Get Started with Music Production’ courses ran in partnership with The Prince’s Trust. The free programme offers the chance for 16-30 year olds who are unemployed or on low working hours to learn from experienced music producers through a series of creative workshops.

Their journey hasn’t been without challenges. Weathering financial uncertainty due to the pandemic and navigating the ever-changing landscape of funding, Plot 22 came close to closing its doors on more than one occasion. Despite this, the challenges have only strengthened their resolve, and successful shows have since been flowing from an ambitious, eclectic summer events programme.

As part of the upcoming Castlegate Festival, the Exchange Street Collective (comprising Plot 22, Delicious Clam and Bal Fashions) will be hosting a free street party on 16 September, featuring live music, DJs, street food, skateboard jams followed by late-night DJ sets hosted at Plot 22 and Bal Fashions.

There’s also plenty for the newly arrived student population to get stuck into, with a series of nights planned to give Freshers the chance to experience what safe, inclusive underground club culture should look and feel like.

“We’re not like some venues that funnel 500 people into a venue and bombard them with bad music and shove shots deals into their faces,” explains Mike. “If people realise that’s not what they want, they can come here.

PHOTOS: RHYS BELDING//BLUESHIFT STUDIOS

PHOTO: LAURENCE ELLIS

thursday 7 sept 2023

being as an ocean

£16.50, Doors 7:00pm

tuesday 19 sept 2023

the tuesday club: shy fx, notion, charlie tee & more

£14/16, Doors 11:00pm, 18+

tuesday 19 sept 2023

the tuesday club 360°:

goddard & dread mc

£10/12, Doors 11:30pm, 18+

saturday 28 oct 2023

sleeper

£23, Doors 7:30pm

friday 3 nov 2023

flash & the darkniss

£20, Doors 7pm

saturday 4 nov 2023

oh my god!

it’s the church

£18, Doors 7:30pm

friday 10 nov 2023

pigs pigs pigs pigs

thursday 5 oct 2023

pigs pigs pigs

£17.50, Doors 7:30pm

peace

£17.50, Doors 7:00pm

saturday 11 nov 2023

nation of language

friday 6 oct 2023

£20, Doors 7:30pm

friday 13 oct 2023

disco wonderland

the abba disco

£8.80/11, Doors 10:00pm, 18+

untold orchestra pres. a history of beyonce

£14/£16, Doors 7:00pm

sunday 12 nov 2023

pale blue eyes

£12.50, Doors 7:30pm

tuesday 14 nov 2023

the tuesday club 360°:

saturday 25 nov 2023

musical theatre rave

friday 20 oct 2023

£14.50, Doors 10:00pm, 18+

saturday 21 oct 2023

the bluetones

£25, Doors 6:30pm

tuesday 24 oct 2023

the tuesday club:

overmono (dj)

£12.50/15, Doors 11:30pm, 18+

wednesday 25 oct 2023

the dust coda

£14, Doors 7:00pm

friday 27 oct 2023

from the jam

£32.50, Doors 7:00pm, 18+

hamdi & sicaria

£8/10, Doors 11:30pm, 18+

thursday 16 nov 2023

the wonder stuff

£32.50, Doors 7:00pm

smoove & turrell + solar love society

£18, Doors 7:00pm

the tuesday club 360°:

tuesday 28 nov 2023

the pigeon Detectives

saturday 18 nov 2023

£20, Doors 6:30pm

sunday 19 nov 2023

skerryvore

£24.00, Doors 7:00pm

wednesday 22 nov 2023

jordan

£17.00, Doors 7:30pm, 16+

all shows open to the public (14+ unless stated otherwise) tickets available from foundrysu.com box office: 0114 222 8777

yung singh & y u qt

£10/12/14, Doors 11:30pm, 18+

thursday 30 nov 2023

starsailor

£24.50, Doors 7:00pm

friday 1 dec 2023

the view

£24.00, Doors 6:30pm

foundry, sheffield students’ union western bank, s10 2tg

foundrysu.com - foundry@sheffield.ac.uk

@foundrysheffield

scan for tickets

Founded in 1998 by three friends at the University of Sheffield, this esteemed brand has brought an array of top-tier electronic music acts to its spiritual home, The Foundry at Sheffield Students’ Union.

Over the years, an impressive roster of artists including Annie Mac, Disclosure, Rudimental, Bonobo, DJ Fresh, Jamie XX, Clean Bandit, Chase & Status, Roots Manuva, Sub Focus, Four Tet, Andy C, Flying Lotus, Skream, SBTRKT, Daphni, Rodney P, and AJ Tracey have graced the club’s stage, just to name a handful.

Opting for a Tuesday night rave might appear unconventional to some, but during its inception, this was the founders’ only option.

“We embraced the opportunity because Tuesday seemed wide open, and we saw it as a perfect way to passionately promote the music we adore. Surprisingly, although it defied expectations, the mismatched timing struck a chord with people,” explained Tom Schreiber, one of the event’s pioneers.

Against all the odds, the night continued to grow into the internationally recognised brand it is today, making appearances at such far-flung destinations as Snowbombing Festival in Austria and Outlook Festival in Croatia over the years.

The legendary sound ystem Valve, ran by drum & bass pioneers Dillinja & Lemon D, became a regular fixture at the Tuesday Club on weekends. At one point these nights were probably some of the biggest drum & bass events in the north of England, with people travelling from all over the country to attend.

A common thread throughout these events is the prowess of the resident DJ. Andy H, a World DMC finalist and co-founder of First Word Records, joined The Tuesday Club after winning a DJ competition in 1999. Since then, he’s primed the crowd for some of the dance music scene’s most eminent names on some of its grandest stages.

In celebration of TTC hitting a quarter of a century, we took a stroll down memory lane and spoke to some of the key players running the event today to reflect on its longstanding success and what the future might hold…

Nothing short of a Sheffield clubbing institution, The Tuesday Club marks its 25th birthday this year, making it one of the longest-running dance events in the country.

Alex O’Brien and Spencer Edwins, key figures in The Tuesday Club’s journey and its continuing development, discuss the event’s evolution and their visions for the future.

How did you both come to get involved with The Tuesday Club, and how has the ride been so far?

AO: I started MCing at Tuesday Club about 15 years ago. I did a few of the midweek raves and some of the Valve Soundsystem events. TTC was such a legendary event! In 2014, I started working at Foundry as the Ents Manager and have been involved ever since. I’m currently doing the bookings for The Tuesday Club and I manage the Foundry.

SE: I was first introduced to The Tuesday Club as a fresher in 2009 and straightaway felt at home with the music and the people. It was around 2010/11 when I first got involved as part of the student promo team and since then I’ve played TTC a number of times as a DJ too. It was exciting to be a part of something I felt so connected with, which led me to build a career in live music. Fast forward to 2021 and since then I’ve been the event manager and promoter of The Tuesday Club and live events at the Foundry. It’s been a wild ride!

TTC has become a staple in Sheffield’s nightlife scene. How do you think the club night has evolved over the past 25 years while maintaining its unique identity?

AO: The music has changed and evolved over the years, but our core values haven’t. We’re here to provide underground music events that span multiple genres on a Tuesday night. We try to provide some fan favourites people love alongside artists we rate, who some might not have heard of yet.

SE: For me, The Tuesday Club has always found the perfect balance of pushing new and exciting sounds in electronic music while staying true to its underground roots, appealing to a wide audience with big names and shining a light on up-andcoming talent. That formula has never changed; we just continually evolve the production with new technology to deliver the best experience possible.

Over the years, you’ve seen the emergence and decline of various music genres. How do you decide on the lineup and musical direction for each event to keep it fresh and appealing to both loyal fans and newcomers?

AO: When you run as many events as us, it’s hard to just stick to one genre. We try to mix it up as much as possible by running multi-genre events and not repeating similar events week after week. When we’re booking, we tend to stick to stuff that has a strong bass influence but also just artists that we love. That seems to work well for us.

SE: Dance music is constantly evolving and, for

us, that’s what makes it exciting. As it always has been at The Tuesday Club, we approach each season ensuring that we are representing the best in underground electronic music. It’s not always about the biggest names, it’s about who’s creating music that is exciting and forward thinking. We keep our ears to the ground, our eyes on the scene and go from there.

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations and plans for TTC as it enters its next chapter? How do you envision the club night evolving in the years to come?

AO: The plan is to bring the world’s most exciting dance acts to Sheffield. Same as it’s always been!

SE: At the core, we will always deliver the best in underground electronic music on a Tuesday night. We will evolve by continuing to push forward high levels of production to match the ever-evolving electronic music scene. This year, we are really excited to launch the new TTC 360°, which will bring the DJ to the centre of the dancefloor for an immersive rave experience.

Community and inclusivity are often important aspects of successful club nights. How has TTC fostered a sense of camaraderie and safety among its attendees?

AO: We try to make the events as welcoming and accessible as possible, so newbies aren’t intimated by something they don’t know much about. At Foundry we have done loads of work on inclusivity and accessibility, which you can find throughout our work. The line-ups are carefully curated to make sure there’s a good balance of people that are representative of the UK population. We also offer carer passes for people with accessibility issues, a zero tolerance to harassment policy, and we have a quiet space and highly trained first aid staff. We’re also in the process of buying an electric minibus that will take students home for just £1.50. That should be running from Freshers Week.

Lastly, could you share a teaser or sneak peek of what attendees can expect from the upcoming events and celebrations for the 25th anniversary bash?

AO: We’ve just announced the autumn/winter run of events with Overmono, Shy FX, Yung Singh, Sicaria, Hamdi, Notion, Goddard, Y U QT, Charlie Tee, and a couple of cool surprises that will be announced later. It’s looking like a good year at TTC.

SE: Season one for our 25th year is packed with some huge nights that will each bring something truly one-of-a-kind to our dancefloor. From kicking off the year with the legendary Shy FX, we are inviting some of the most boundary-pushing and on-fire producers and DJs to Foundry. We will be bringing some mind-blowing production and inviting some of the UKs best sound-systems to push these raves to the next level.

@TUESDAYCLUBUK

THE TUESDAY CLUB HAS ALWAYS FOUND THE PERFECT BALANCE OF PUSHING NEW AND EXCITING SOUNDS IN ELECTRONIC MUSIC WHILE STAYING TRUE TO ITS UNDERGROUND ROOTS

With over a decade of experience behind the Tuesday Club decks, legendary Sheffield DJ and TTC resident Andy H shares his insights into the event’s enduring appeal.

Hi Andy, for any newcomers to the city, could you quickly introduce yourself and what you’re all about?

I’m the resident DJ at The Tuesday Club and have been involved since a few months after its inception. I’m primarily known as a DnB/Jungle DJ, but my roots also extend to Hip-Hop. My DJ style is based on Turntablism, so I enjoy getting technical when DJing and steering clear of simply mixing one track into the next.

How did you come to get involved with TTC? Can you remember your first set and how it went down?

I started in the Interval pre-bar. It was a big part of the event in the early days and helped us introduce the sound, especially when DnB and Hip-Hop were relatively new to a lot of people. I remember those early sets going down well; the turntables were on the same levels as everyone watching, so it was easy to see exactly what the DJ was doing close up.

As resident DJ for over ten years, you’ve witnessed

countless memorable nights. Could you share a particularly unforgettable moment or event from the night’s history?

I still think one of my favourite nights was when Jazzy Jeff came to TTC. He played an incredible set, but what made it for me was when he took me to one side and told me to enter the DMC [World DJ championships]. I really didn’t have the confidence to enter, but being told to do it by someone of that magnitude meant I went home that night and started to practise. Really that was a turning point for my career, and it was all down to that night.

What’s a failsafe tune to get the crowd warmed up?

I love playing the warm-up sets. It is a real skill which took me years to learn. Taking people from coming into the room and out of the cold, engaging them with what is going on, then slowly getting them warmed up dancing in anticipation for whoever the headliner is while leaving somewhere for the headliner to go and do their thing. There is a real temptation to play too hard or energetic in the warm-up, but doing that would detract from the night as a whole and at the end of the day, it’s not about me. It’s always really good when the headliner comes over to thank you for setting the atmosphere in the club up for them.

The Tuesday Club has undoubtedly played a role in shaping Sheffield’s cultural scene. How do you feel the club has impacted the local community and contributed to the city’s reputation?

I remember in the early days when we were still gaining a reputation most DJs would turn up not expecting very much, travelling up from London for a Tuesday night in Sheffield unsurprisingly didn’t appeal to some people. It was always good to see them walk through a busy thousand-plus crowd of music lovers going for it. Gradually our reputation spread and new DJs were fully aware of what to expect. Before long we were getting DJs requesting to stop in Sheffield on their UK tours.

Beyond the dancefloor, the night is known having a positive impact on emerging artists and DJs. Can you tell us about artists who started out behind the decks at TTC?

Our tried-and-tested method of programming line-ups has always been to try and put big established names with newer less-established names and hopefully introduce them to people. Seeing a very young Skream or early Chase & Status show go down well with a crowd of people who have not heard

of them, then fast forwarding to seeing them headlining festivals is great.

The clubbing experience is not just about the music; it’s also about the atmosphere and the people. How do you think TTC creates an environment that encourages connection and memorable experiences? Obviously, over the time we have been running the way people listen to music has changed massively. Despite all the advances in technology, there is still something special about a room full of like-minded people enjoying dancing to music they love together.

Finally, what would be your perfect Tuesday Club lineup?

The Tuesday Club has always had a really strong relationship with Outlook Festival, and I have been heavily involved in linking the two over the years. For the 10th year of Outlook, they put together the Outlook Orchestra, running a kind of live mixtape of all the classic Outlook tracks. Seeing Pharoahe Monch followed by Jehst, Loyle Carner, Roots Manuva, Jenna G, Dawn Penn, joined by many more performing over a full orchestra was one of the best things I have ever seen. I would love to see something like that happen in Sheffield one day.

@andyhmusic

DESPITE ALL THE ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY, THERE IS STILL SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT A ROOM FULL OF LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE ENJOYING DANCING TO MUSIC THEY LOVE TOGETHER

We know Freshers Week can be daunting with a shedload of events and plenty of people shoving flyers into your hands on West Street, but here at Exposed, we care about you lot. As such, we’ve compiled a guide to some of the events kicking off this month so you don’t have to spend time scrolling through social media spam – plus there’s a few top tips and handy money saving deals in there an’all. Every little helps and all that…

MEADOWHALL STUDENT EVENT

When: September 29th, from 3pm.

Where: Meadowhall Get ready for a fun-packed shopping evening, with hundreds of exclusive student discounts and plenty of events to choose from; make sure you look good this semester! meadowhall.co.uk

MIDNIGHT MEMORIES –FRESHERS SPECIAL

When September 17th, tickets from £7

Where: Leadmill

The UKs biggest pop party returns home for another huge night dedicated to our (not so) guilty pleasures. This is a huge judgement-free party, where everybody is encouraged to be themselves! So, leave your inhibitions at the door and prepare to let loose. leadmill.co.uk

F*CK ME IT’S FRESHERS:

When: September 18th, tickets from £5 Where: Network

Loads of FREE UV Paint, Neon Glowsticks & LED Batons to create an immersive nightclub atmosphere like no other! With loads of party games, freebies, performers & entertainment, F*CK ME IT’S FRESHERS promises a memorable way to kick off your uni experience. Fatsoma.com

THE BIG FRESHERS LOCKDOWN SHEFFIELD

When: September 19th, tickets from £12.50

Where: Crystal 10 years in a row getting the “sold out” sign… it speaks for itself! One of the wildest student nights in the nation: DJs, promotions, cheap drinks… don’t miss out! Fatsoma.com

THE TUESDAY CLUBFRESHERS RAVE

When: September 19th, tickets from £16

Where: Foundry

Sheffield’s biggest midweek rave, The Tuesday Club, returns with a huge freshers eveny to kick off the year in style! Featuring

some of the absolute best in drum & bass, jungle, garage and bass music get ready for serious vibes coming to you directly from one of the city’s finest student venues, Foundry!

FRESHERS OPENING PARTY

When: September 17th, tickets from £3

Where: Corporation

Corporation Nightclub (often abbreviated to ‘Corp’) has been a student ritual for Sheffield Students for over 20 years! The large, four-roomed venue is known all over the city for their legendary student nights, making it the perfect location to celebrate. Fixr.co.uk

SHEFFIELD FRESHER’S MARKET

When: September 19th

Where: Sheffield University

Browse a host of local and independent businesses from across Sheffield selling vintage clothing, plants, and books, as well as discovering places to eat, relax, and have fun around our fantastic city.

FLOAT ALONG FESTIVAL

When: September 24th, tickets from £35

Where: Various venues

Headlined by essential Dublin post-punk outfit The Murder Capital, The Leadmill hosts two stages of incredible acts for Float Along Festival 2023 – a multi-venue celebration of alternative rock, pop and everything in between across Sheffield City Centre. floatalong.co.uk

FRESHERS’ FAIR: FREEBIES GALORE!

When: September 20th

Where: Sheffield University

Grab loads of fabulous freebies and discounts and play to win fantastic prizes at SU’s massive Freshers’ Fair. Joining us on the day will be Coca Cola, Domino’s (with their pizza slice giveaway), German Doner Kebab, Glass Onion Vintage, Heavenly Desserts, Leadmill, National Express, Starbucks, Vodka Revs, Yorkshire Tea and Zaap Thai...to name but a few. Freebies for days!

WATERBEAR PROVIDING THE LIVE MUSIC KICKS!

Landmark music education college WaterBear, has unveiled the highlyanticipated line up for Freshers Week (1822 September), a celebration of music and creativity to welcome the new 2023 cohort. The college is also preparing to open the doors to its Sheffield campus for the very first time, bringing new life and sound within the walls of the former Gatecrasher nightclub.

Kicking off the first night in Sheffield at Sidney and Matilda on Monday 18 September will be the Manchester-based electropop artist and multi-instrumentalist Youngr, and soulful Doncaster R&B artist Rumbi Tauro. On 19 September, WaterBear Sheffield will also be hosting a live Q&A at their campus with Jeremy Pritchard, of Everything Everything, a multiinstrumentalist and five-time Ivor Novello winner who will share with students his knowledge and experiences of his life as a musician. Concluding the celebrations on 22 September at Sidney & Matilda is Sheffieldbased Frankie Beetlestone and Luxury Goods, an impressive outfit with a unique alt pop arrangement also from Sheffield.

PSST… WANNA SAVE SOME DOSH?

If you're looking for some affordably priced eats, popular city centre food hall Kommune have a welcome offer for students during Freshers Week (19-24 Sept 2023). Pop along with your student ID to the Castlegate venue and enjoy 20% discount at selected vendors: Kommune Bar, Edo Sushi, Fat Mex, Project D, The Monkey Jar, and Urban Pizza & Pasta Co. You can also enjoy a beverage or two from Sheffield's finest craft beer shop Hop Hideout while you're at it!

Elsewhere, vintage clothing hotspot Glass Onion offer 15% student discount off all orders if you register for the perk with a Student Beans account. Check them out at glass-onion.com.

You can also purchase a Pledge Card at selected True North venues – The Old Grindstone, The Common Room, Forum Kitchen + Bar, The Punch Bowl, The York –and you can grab 20% off everything for the remainder of the year – all day, every day! On top of this, each venue hosts their own student night each week, offering 2-4-1 on drinks from 5pm.

TOP TIP: FIND A LIVE VENUE

Live music lies at the very heart of the city’s culture. From the big-hitters like Leadmill, Corp and The Foundry to the smaller capacity gems like Delicious Clam, Sidney&Matilda, Record Junkee, Yellow Arch and The Washington, there’s an array of places to enjoy gigs throughout the week. There’s plenty of quality rave spots dotted around the city centre too, and you’ll find some of the best DJ sets at popular underground nightclub venues such as Hope Works, Dryad Works, FØRGE, Plot 22 and the legendary Tuesday Club taking place at the Students’ Union each month.

During your time here you might hear it referred to as “Hendo’s” or simply “Relish”. But this famous sauce had been made in Sheff since the 1880s and is a very important part of local culinary culture; it’s inspired poems, artwork, songs, and more than a few questionable tattoos. Glutenfree, vegetarian/vegan-friendly and rated so much by Sean Bean that he’d get it delivered around the world when filming for long periods abroad. You can also grab it in the crisp form: bags of ‘HENDO’S’ are readily available across city centre bars, shops and cafes. Enjoy!

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As you explore Sheffield, you're bound to find yourself in a True North boozer at some point. The much-loved brewery and pub group boast 11 top venues spread right across the city and with over 30 years of experience looking after us Sheffield folk, you know that whether you’re on a big night out, a cosy afternoon pint, or a spot of mid-week quizzing, you’re in safe hands.

From The Riverside in Kelham Island to The Broadfield on Abbeydale Road, and from The Forum in the city centre to the York up Broomhill, they’ve got a venue for every occasion. What’s more (and this is the important bit), amongst their portfolio of pubs, they even have a select range of five student-centric Pledge venues.

At any of these five venues, Pledge card holders can benefit from a handy 20% off all day every day, plus each venue hosts their own student night, offering 2-4-1 on drinks from 5pm.

Students can join for just £4, and their Pledge card is valid for the whole academic year. Picking one up couldn’t be easier either. Simply purchase a Pledge card in any Pledge venue, or order online and pick it up in venue.

And if that wasn’t enough, for Freshers Week, if you’re already a Pledge member – bring a friend to sign up when you renew and you’ll both receive a free pint. Lovely stuff.

Cast your eyes to the right for a quick nosey at what the five Pledge venues do best...

SCAN ME TO GO TO THE PLEDGE SITE

THE OLD GRINDSTONE

Best for: A big night out

The Old Grindstone is a Sheffield student staple. Following a refurb last year, it now boasts private themed karaoke rooms, some of the best BBQ food in Sheffield, a karaoke night on the 2nd Friday of every month, live music on the 3rd Tuesday of every month, a quiz every Sunday, and midweek brunch. Not bad, eh?

Address: Crookes, Sheffield S10 1UA

Website: oldgrindstone.co.uk

THE COMMON ROOM

Best for: Watching sports

This one’s for the sports fans. With 50 screens throughout the venue showing all the biggest sporting fixtures, 11 fullsize American Pool tables, fried chicken, stacked burgers and vegan junk food, you won’t miss a minute of the action. They even hold a quiz every Monday night and midweek brunch offers.

Address: Devonshire Street, S3 7SB Website: common-room.co.uk

FORUM KITCHEN + BAR

Best for: A classic night out - DJs and dancing

If you’re making the student pilgrimage to the city centre, you’re not going to want to miss The Forum’s carefully crafted cocktail menu, bottomless brunch every Saturday, late-night DJs, and Wednesday night quiz.

Address: Devonshire Street, S3 7SB

Website: forumsheffield.co.uk

THE PUNCH BOWL

Best for: Sunday dinner

Simply put, it’s home to one of the best roasts in Sheffield! With a wide range of beers, it’s a cosy way to recover from the weekend.

Address: Crookes, S10 1TH

Website: hpunchbowlcrookes.co.uk

THE YORK

Best for: A quiz night with housemates

You’re going to want to know your housemates, you’ve got a year with 'em after all. So what better way to break the ice than a few beers at The York’s Monday night quiz.

Address: Fulwood Road, S10 3BA

Website: theyorksheffield.co.uk

2-4-1 SCHEDULE

Monday: The Common Room

Monday: The York

Tuesday: The Old Grindstone

Wednesday: Forum Kitchen + Bar

Wednesday: The Punch Bowl

STEP INTO VINTAGE PARADISE AT GLASS ONION’S £5 MEGA MARKET EXTRAVAGANZA!

South Yorkshire vintage haven Glsas

Onion are hosting a thrifty mega market like no other - and you're all invited! On Saturday 16 September, prepare to be party of history as they open the doors of their original treature trove, Unit 2 at Dodworth Business Park, Barnsley, S75 3SP, for a one-of-a-kind shopping spree taking place from 10am-5pm. The much-loved brand, known for being one of Sheffield’s largest vintage stores known with a strong commitment to sustainable fashion, will be pulling back the curtain on its closely-guarded warehouse space and inviting you to dive headfirst into the ultimate bargain shopping experience: the £5 Mega Market Event! Brace yourself for a day filled with rare items, jaw-dropping deals and endless tubs of garms to peruse.

Attendees will be able to immerse themselves amongst a wide range of sustainable fashion items, each tagged with a mind-boggling price tag of just £5. Yes, you read that correctly – every single piece, no matter what type or brand, can be yours for a mere fiver!

Discover a vast array of vintage treasures, ranging from timeless sweatshirts, iconic t-shirts, vintage jackets that tell stories of their own, cosy fleeces, classic denim, and snug knitwear – the list goes on. You’ll find plenty of renowned brands like Dickies, Carhartt, Nike, The North Face, Patagonia, and Levis will gracing the racks with their presence. Plus, don’t worry about missing out on your dream find – Glass Onion Vintage will be replenishing the stock throughout the entire day!

Hurry and secure your tickets now, starting from a mere £1 (second release £3) – a fraction of the value that could be uncovered. With limited capacity available, act swiftly before the tickets vanish. And here’s an insider’s tip: snag an Earlybird ticket (£5) to enjoy exclusive access to the treasure trove before the general admission at 11:00 AM. Talk about a VIP shopping experience!

Getting out to the warehouse is a breeze. If you’re coming from Sheffield city centre, a mere 30-minute or so

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE

drive will land you at the heart of this vintage paradise (limited onsite parking is available). And for those embracing public transportation, just hop on a short train to Dodworth from Sheffield Train Station (also taking around 30 mins). Simples.

Mark your calendars, set those reminders, and prepare to bag some unreal bargains.

When: Saturday 16 September // 10am-5pm // Unit 2, Dodworth Business Park, S75 3SP Online: @glassonion.sheffield // glass-onion.com

ALL VINTAGE = £5

For the first time EVER we’re opening our vintage warehouse doors to the public for our huge £5 Mega Market Event!

Join us Saturday 16th September 10am-5pm

Glass Onion Vintage HQ, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S75 3SP

Only a 30 min train and car journey from Sheffield

Scan for tickets Limited availability glass-onion.com

@glassonion.sheffield

HAVE A SLICE OF THAT

Popular Sheffield pizza restaurant Proove opened a new Orchard Square venue last month, serving up their famous Neapolitan pizzas, as well as cocktails and craft beers, with dine-in, takeaway and delivery options all available.

The Orchard Square restaurant, based in the former home of Clarks shoe shop, becomes the company’s second Sheffield location following the opening of their Broomhill site in 2015.

Prior to opening, Deepak Jaiswal, director of Proove Holdings Ltd, said: “Orchard Square is an iconic location in Sheffield between the new Heart of the City project, the legendary Leopold Square and our amazing theatres in Tudor Square, which is being transformed into a hub of restaurants and bars.

“We have always been committed to quality in our ingredients, our dishes, and our service! Only the best 00-grade flour is used in our dough, and we like to team it with the crème de la crème, Fior Di Latte mozzarella.

“That is unless our guests fancy a gluten-free or vegan meal, in which case we offer a dedicated menu. Our chefs all have top-notch tastebuds and are passionate about proper pizza, and they’ve personally crafted a menu that will make you want to order everything.

“The new restaurant menu will include everything from Broomhill and a full small plates menu including arancini, crocche and Italian fries.”

Guarantee a table by booking at proove.co.uk. Walk-ins also welcome.

@proovepizza

STRIKING BACK

Plans submitted for new bowling, karaoke and laser tag complex in Sheffield city-centre

Ten Entertainment have submitted plans to Sheffield City Council to transform the former Argos store on Angel Street into a new bowling and entertainment complex.

If approved, the new site – which is set to include a bowling alley, laser tag, escape rooms, karaoke and a restaurant/bar area – could open at the end of this year and create 50 jobs.

A spokesperson for the Bedford-based entertainment group told Exposed: “Ten Entertainment are excited to be opening in Sheffield, most likely at the end of 2023 or Q1 2024. Whilst the investment will not be disclosed you can be assured that it is a significant sum which will deliver a state-of-the-art venue and a great experience for our guests.

“It will bring a good number of Jobs to Sheffield, approximately 50 people.

“Sheffield is a city that Ten has wanted to operate in for a long time and now we have the perfect site in Angel Street which has excellent transport links and is close to Hallam University.”

While plans are still to be approved, the signs are promising as workers are already busy on site.

GET DISCOUNTS WITH TRAVELMASTER

Throughout September, TravelMaster are partnering with local businesses around Abbeydale Road to offer exclusive offers when you show a TravelMaster Smartcard or ticket.

Simply show your TravelMaster card for the following deals…

Bare Alternative: 10% off all refills

Coles Corner: 10% off food, excluding pop-ups

Gravel Pit: 10% off

Turner’s Bottle Shop: 10% off from Sunday – Friday

Over the Yard Arm: 10% off food and drinks

Follow #ExploreSY for more details and sign up here for updates: sytravelmaster.com.

CRUNCH TIME

It’s a legacy that transcends generations, the unmatched accompaniment for a pint down the local, and an ever-present feature amidst scenes of socialising, unwinding and merriment up and down the country.

With over 50 years of experience in the food and drink industry, the Morrisey family, operating under the banner of Snack Brands LTD, have been keeping the heritage of these beloved savoury morsels alive with their traditional hand-cooked scratchings, known as ‘Uncle Albert’s Porkshire Pigs’, which they’ve been selling for over thirty years.

Behind the business are Brian and Alex Morrisey, a father-and-son team from Sheffield. Brian cut his teeth working for iconic Yorkshire brands such as Bassett’s Sweets and Tetley Tea before the family moved into the pub trade in 1991, initially purchasing the East House pub on Spital Hill, and later The Riverside on Mowbray Street, formerly called The Brown Cow. In fact, if you look carefully, you should still be able to make out the old ‘Morrissey’s’ pub sign on the first floor of The Riverside.

It was after acquiring The Wortley Arms in Wortley Village that the family became involved in the bar snack business, initially supplying their own brand of pork scratchings to other pubs. Their three best-selling Uncle Albert’s products – Porkshire Pig Pork Scratchings (the quintessential classic), Porkshire Pig Pork Crackling (double-cooked indulgence) and Pork Crunch (a lighter, crisp-like variation) –swiftly propelled their snack enterprise into the forefront. This trajectory continues today, with Alex poised to carry the legacy forward and grown the business for the next three decades.

Part of that growth plan involves expanding on their retail offering, selling products directly to consumers, pubs and smaller shops via their website. Strangely enough, it’s an opportunity that presented itself to them most clearly during Covid lockdown. “When the pubs closed, that was the majority of our business gone overnight,” says Brian. “However, after a bit of time, people started setting up bars in their back garden and because they wanted the full pub experience,

we started getting orders for one-kilo bags of scratchings. We’re looking to build on that.”

“The wholesale side of things is pretty steady,” says Alex. “But moving forward, we want to grow our eCommerce, dealing directly with the pubs outside of the local area who wholesalers are unable to reach and making sure people can buy from us via online platforms such as Amazon, Ebay and Etsy, which they are now able to do.”

While their marketing horizons may have expande d, Brian tells us that when it comes to a timeless snack, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. “Pork scratchings are eternal. There have been plenty of new entrants into the market, and we’ve diversified slightly by also offering our own range of Nuthatch Nuts, but the nostalgia and love for traditional pork scratchings continues. We want to keep those values alive and continue supplying local people and businesses in South Yorkshire and further afield.”

Should you wish to indulge in traditional pork snacks, crisps, and nuts from Snack Brands, feel free to reach out to them at 0114 2881520 or visit www.snackbrands.co.uk to request a complimentary sample.

For decades, amidst evolving culinary trends and changing tastes, one iconic snack has stood unwaveringly at the forefront of the UK’s pub culture – the humble pork scratching.

MUSIC: JARRED UP

promotions.

“Afterwards, I was just doing Blackwaters. We formed and soon got on a big management company, who were saying that we were gonna be the next Libertines, who were under the same management as us.”

“We were doing really well and we got all these mad support slots, tours, streams, all that kinda stuff.”

On a cozy summer evening in the Shakespeare’s beer garden, Exposed’s Sean Johnson sat down with James Watkins, figurehead of Jarred Up, a renowned music promotions organisation based in Sheffield, to talk Tramlines Fringe frenzies, hosting punk gigs in back-gardens and what the future holds…

“What I was doing before, in relation to Jarred Up, kinda makes sense because I’m in a band and I’ve played a lot of shows with promoters. I’ve seen both sides of the coin. The experience of playing in a band enabled me to run successful events as a promoter.”

In fact, it was during a Blackwaters recording session in Grenada with Youth from Killing Joke that the foundations were first laid.

“Back where I’m from in London, he’s involved with an arts space called South London Arts Lab.”

“It’s kinda weird to explain what an arts lab really is. It can be anything you want it to be. It’s a collective of creatives, doing a load of different stuff: jam sessions, DJ sets, gigs, radio shows, etc.”

Jarred Up have taken the Sheffield live music scene by storm. They are at the centre of local gigs in the city, providing a platform for emerging bands to perform at a multitude of venues. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what you should expect to hear or see from one of their lineups, because each gig offers a unique, thrilling experience.

“I like to book artists that are off-centre, not anything too poppy or mainstream. It’s not that I don’t listen to mainstream music, but I want to put on acts with a bit of edge, a bit left-field,” says Jarred Up founder James Watkins.

‘Off-centre’ certainly seems an appropriate account of the most recent Jarred Up gigs, particularly their Tramlines Fringe weekend shows, where an array of exhilarating underground bands performed under the Jarred Up banner at both The Washington and Shakespeares.

Attending a Jarred Up show feels like being part of a movement, a creative vessel

showcasing some of Sheffield’s best underground live music acts. The nights range from volcanically charged punk gigs to astutely cool acoustic nights and even eccentric yard parties.

As the drummer for popular Sheffield punk band Blackwaters, renowned for their raucous DIY shows, James is no stranger to live music. However, his first venture into events promotion dates back to his adolescent years, when he hosted a series of outrageous parties in South London.

“Way, way back, before Blackwaters or Jarred Up, I use to put on events at Tooting and Mitcham FC in South London, which my mum runs.”

“There was this 200-capacity function room inside the stadium, and she let me have a party there and invite loads of mates, who then invited loads of their mates. I hired out a bouncer and everything, it was mad!”

Despite the intensity of these events, they laid the foundations for James’ venture into live music

After hearing about the arts lab, Max Tanner, front man for Blackwaters, suggested that the band start a similar project up in Sheffield, where they had recently relocated.

In 2018, Jarred Up Arts Lab, named after the Blackwater’s song ‘Jarred Up Generation’, hosted a series of notorious DIY gigs in their back garden.

“We got the idea from Jon McClure, from Reverend and the Makers. Reverend were on our management and we wrote a lot of songs with Jon. Jon’s quite a punminded guy and he basically said to us, ‘Do a fucking party in your back garden!”

The manic nature of these yard shows, where the booze flowed as freely as the stream of crowdsurfing bodies making their way from the living room into a garden mosh pit, helped establish Jarred Up as pioneers of mayhem in the city.

To this day, some of the featured artists at the early yard gigs, such as Nervous Pills, Django Jones and the Mystery Men, Calva

Louise and The Dronny Bottom Buskers continue to perform on Jarred Up lineups.

From that point onwards, James realised the potential he had to host gigs in Sheffield, a city which he describes as having “a ridiculous number of bands compared to the amount of people living in the city”.

It was during the pandemic when he started to develop Jarred Up Arts Lab into a fully-fledged music promotions company.

“It was my mum who suggested that instead of trying to start a million new hobbies, why not progress something that you’ve already got going?”

As lockdown restrictions started to ease, James felt that it was necessary to ensure that Jarred Up was firmly present in the minds of gig-goers upon the return of live music. After a successful all-Sheffield Tramlines Fringe lineup at Shakespeares in 2021, including Femur, Floodhounds and Richard Carlson Band, James set his sights on organising a monthly gig night to take place at The Washington.

“What I noticed about The Washy was that it’s like a creative ecosystem within Sheffield. It seems like, right, all this lot are here, that lot are there, everyone’s involved in art, or bands or DJing; they all know each other and don’t have a problem with each other, but they’re all in their own crews and don’t really interact.”

“I thought, I’m gonna put a show on with this lot from here, with that lot from there, and then everyone’s crews will come to the same show. Nobody’s too cool for school; we’re all on the same page.”

“I 100 percent think that there’s a strong sense of community in Sheffield and as a promoter here, you don’t necessarily have to have lots of money, or have loads of people working underneath you – you can be successful with it on your ones.”

The Washington provided the platform for James to book bands with little financial risk, propelling Jarred Up as a focal force within the Sheffield live music scene. The gigs progressively got busier, better and bumpier, and Jarred Up have since gone on to host shows at other Sheffield venues, including

Yellow Arch Studios and Sidney and Matilda.

Tramlines 2023 was anything but quiet for Jarred Up, as they took over The Washington on the Friday and Shakespeares on the Saturday. The latter once again featured an all-Sheffield lineup, with a range of acts, including experimental melody makers Ye Woodbeast, the sonically-fuelled Flat Stanley and poetic pop posse Minds Idle, before closing with a hard-hitting, tremulous punk trio.

“I always try and finish with a bang; Mickey Nomimono, Drastic//Automatic and Nervous Pills were on last. It was sick.”

In addition to the frequent gig nights, Jarred Up also run a weekly open mic night at Picture House Social, a culture magazine called Jarred Up Mag and a record label, Jarred Up Records, which aims to provide a platform for bands to reach new audiences.

First to sign to the label were Nervous Pills, with the ferocious noise revellers Femur soon following. More recently, Minds Idle and Leeds band Yutaniii have joined the roster, with more soon to follow.

James has high hopes for Jarred Up’s forthcoming projects, particularly after their hugely successful Tramlines Fringe weekender and the announcement of various established out-of-town acts performing under the platform, The goal is to further broaden the platform’s scope, with even more gigs, as well as a Jarred Up festival, set to take place in 2024.

“The label came from my experience being under management with Blackwaters. It gave me an insight into labels and how music releases work.

“There were a lot of bands in Sheffield who were friends of ours, whose music we really liked. We wanted to give them a bit of guidance.

“We’re not these big industry players or anything, we just had a bit of insider knowledge of working with music labels and we wanted to put bands that we liked in environments or conversations that they might not have been a part of before.”

All upcoming shows are listed at @jarreduphq

From following the indie crowd to carving his own musical path, Ash Birch caught up with Sheffield artist Yarni in his former Night Kitchen studio to hear about his journey from indie band drummer to sonic traveller, plus a healthy dose of 90s football and some Simon & Garfunkel chat!

New music recommendations often come at me out of leftfield these days, so when one of the school dads raves to me about a local producer at the school gates, I’m obviously all ears.

One such suggestion led me to self-proclaimed ‘sonic traveller’ Yarni and his eclectic mix of electronica, jazz-funk, deep house, trip-hop and soul instrumentals.

As it turns out, I actually already know Yarni, real name Benji Harris, from his time in mid-noughties indie rockers The Field, and this is how I find myself in his studio just off Shalesmoor, surrounded by a mausoleum of musical gadgets.

MUSIC: YARNI

I don’t mean to give the impression it’s cluttered. Far from it. There’s no mess of unruly cables and discarded pedals. Like most things Yarni, there’s a care and thoughtfulness to the space; everything has its place.

“Physical stuff is what I grew up with – that’s why I’m surrounded by things,” says Yarni, who, when he’s not experimenting with sound as his alter-ego, works as an electrician. “You can do what I do on a laptop at home, but the joy in it for me is when something’s slightly broken, or it’s not working right, and then you capture that. That’s the bit you can’t replicate with a computer.”

Far from his studio in the old Night Kitchen building, Yarni grew up in Intake before moving to Meersbrook and had what he describes an “absolutely normal 90s childhood”, spending time playing on the school fields that backed on to his house and getting up early to watch James Richardson sipping espresso in a piazza on Football Italia.

He said: “I’d be sat there, watching this amazing, atmospheric, smoky football. I always went to Sheffield United games, but that was like a completely different world. One of my earliest memories is Paul Gascoigne moving to Lazio.”

While Gazza’s Serie A exploits and football in general punctuate his early years, his earliest musical memories are also set against the backdrop of home and an old upright piano belonging to his mum.

“My mum and boyfriend at the time used to just sit there and noodle away,” says Yarni. “Neither was really trained, I just remember them being able to play well together.

“My mum was really into Simon and Garfunkel. That’s the one musical reference that’s been a constant, literally from

MUSIC: YARNI

five years old to now. I think I got my sense of melody from them.”

In his teens, he began to marry that sense of melody with rhythm, learning the drums and starting a band at City School with his friends.

“I ended up having a few drum lessons, which are ridiculous. I get it, and I like a bit of jazz music, but I stopped the drum lessons very quickly and just listened to Rene from The Stone Roses and Jon Bonham. I’d spend hours and hours trying work out what they did.

“I got a four track off my mum and a £50 guitar from Wizard and learned the basics of recording, making shocking demos.

“Leaving school, I was absolutely convinced I was going to be a rock star drummer. I was the least talented but most driven member of the band, so I was absolutely determined to do it. I was willing to sacrifice everything to rehearse; whereas for other people it sometimes became a chore and priorities changed, but mine has always been music.”

At this point in time, in the mid-noughties, there were some pretty notable Sheffield indie bands making huge waves on a national and global scale, but Benji and his band The Field never felt part of it.

“We were disconnected geographically from all the bands in North Sheffield, but we wanted to be part of a movement.

“Unfortunately, we got brandished with the ‘Lad Rock’ label. We had one really bad review saying we’d got a load of football hooligans coming to watch us. Partly true, but there wasn’t any violence.

“One of the lessons I’ve carried with me is that as soon as you follow a trend, you’re behind. There’s no point. I don’t listen to a lot of new music now, and I maybe suffer for it, but I don’t want to be influenced by scenes and trends.”

Towards the end of the noughties, as the band was beginning to fizzle following line-up and name changes, Benji began DJing alongside his friend and now Ibiza resident, Danny Beck. This began to scratch the electronic itch Benji had developed through another early musical influence, his auntie’s Hacienda tapes.

“I started to realise I preferred it,” says Yarni. “I bought a MacBook with Logic and tried to work out what Toddla was doing.

“Sheffield is known for indie bands, synth pop and extreme experimental stuff like Cabs [Cabaret Voltaire], but also really hard electronic music like bleep, jungle and niche; so, for me, being electronic and melodic, there was no real outlet for it in Sheffield.

“I tried to emulate bassline tracks. It was completely different to my indie upbringing. As an experiment in becoming a producer it was worthwhile, but this was a period of time when I was just lost.”

Through DJing and putting on nights, he began to find his feet again. He created Yarni, named after the 90s Croatian footballer Robert Jarni (pronounced Yarni), and realised he didn’t need to be part of a scene.

“When I created Yarni, I set out a ten-point bullet list and I’ve done nine of them. I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved on my own terms. There’s been no compromise. I’m just an indie kid that likes extracting things and seeing if I can bolt them together.”

“I try to extract sounds. I don’t listen to a song and go, ‘I want to write a song like that.’ It’s more, ‘How did the Beatles record that organ sound?’ I’ll just go down a rabbit hole and see if I can plausibly emulate that and put that into something else. It’s cherry picking.”

Four albums in, while comparisons can be made to the

likes of Bonobo, it’s this approach that makes Yarni that intangible thing – he’s unique.

Even now, his sound is still constantly evolving, and he’s often inspired by what’s going on his life and other cultures that he’s visited and learned about.

“It’s like a diary,” he says. “They’re all [the albums] representations of where I am in my life.”

“The first album, my nan was ill so that’s quite dark. The second album is a Japanese concept album and I brought stuff back from my time there. The third album is called Pigna, which is Sicilian for pinecone and the symbol of Sicily.

“Sicily has had so many people pass through it that it’s a massive melting pot of culture and they use the pinecone, which opens outwards, to represent them opening their arms. That was the idea behind the album, because I’m opening my arms to collaborations.

“In lockdown, I sent messages to Facebook musician groups looking for woodwind and brass players. Fortunately, three people sent some parts over and I was spoilt for choice. Recently, Yarni has been experimenting with taking his music out of the studio and into Sheffield venues as both a two- and three-piece band.

“I’ve got grand visions and long-term, I want to find a singer and writer who aligns with me. It’s the missing piece of the jigsaw.

“I’ve got to 36, and this is the first time in my life where I’m really happy with where I am and what I’m doing. I know who I am. I know I can’t please everybody. I know most of my flaws and can work with them. I’m not a punky 17-year-old who likes Libertines anymore. I’m a 36-year-old, who also likes the Libertines – but also Steely Dan! Stream/buy the new EP at yarni.bandcamp.com

MUSIC: TALA LEE-TURTON

Following the huge success of her debut production, No Time Like The Present, Barnsley-born, Bolshoi Ballet Academy alumna Tala Lee-Turton returns to Sheffield on 11th November with parler femme – a dance-based triple bill celebrating innovative and inspiring stories about women. Last month, Exposed spoke to Tala about what to expect from another intriguing event combining live performance, film and immersive technologies.

Hi Tala, great to catch up with you again! The last time we spoke it was ahead of 'No Time Like the Present' – an openair dance production which you brought to the Botanical Gardens. Could you refresh us on what that event was about, and how it was received?

I’m still over the moon about how well No Time Like The Present was received. The production drew in a significant amount of first-time dance and/or performing arts-goers, which is something I’m proud of. But what stays with me the most is how moved people were; I’ve received a lot of feedback from audience members who connected with the work on a very personal and emotional level.

For those readers who didn’t catch you in these pages last year, could you provide a bit of an introduction to yourself and your dance story so far?

I’m a creative producer for dance, on stages, screens and in immersive spaces. I graduated from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Moscow, in 2016, and I founded Tala Lee-Turton Productions in 2020 to produce and perform my own work. My work to date has been supported by Arts Council England, Screen Yorkshire, Sheffield City Council, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and The Genesis Foundation.

You’ll be returning to Sheffield in November, this time to the Playhouse at Sheffield Theatres, where you’ll be presenting a

brand-new contemporary dance production, parler femme. How is this event structured and what are the main themes you’ll be exploring?

parler femme is a dance-based triple bill, celebrating innovative and inspiring stories about women and experienced through live performance, screen-based and immersive technologies. The production tells a collection of stories about lived experiences, performed, choreographed, or directed by different creative team members, all of whom express aspects of womanhood that mean something to them.

The work is structured in three parts. Act I is a compilation of award-winning short dance films

by female filmmakers, including the first film I ever produced, Chinese Laundry. I’m proud to say, Chinese Laundry was very well received, winning multiple awards, including the Activism category at the French Riviera Film Festival (FRFF) and the gold medal in the Made in Sheffield category at Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (SHAFF).

Act II is the premiere of multi-layered dance and music duet, Here Lies, a magic realist tale about two estranged sisters, reconnecting after the death of their Grandmother. I perform en pointe alongside an artist who plays the cello, an Iranian folk instrument called a ghaychak, vocalises and uses a loop pedal.

I’m also bringing back No Time Like The Present for Act III. It’s a cast of five dancers performing to a synth-pop score, exploring power and femininity, and the indoor version is a huge development from the outdoor performances we did last August and will look completely different.

I have a fabulously talented creative team and crew performing and staging parler femme. We’re also involving local communities, inviting young people and community groups to participate in workshops ahead of each performance to help them engage with creative activities and potentially even be part of our production.

You’ve spoken before about how you’re keen to challenge traditional boundaries and conventions of the ballet industry. How does this production do that?

I’m committed to building a world receptive to culturally and socially disruptive creative

voices – that’s the dream. So, I aim to ask a lot of questions through my work, and in particular in parler femme, by facilitating spaces for female dance artists and creatives to express some personal truth about themselves.

I love to celebrate unapologetic self-exploration because I’ve found that, in contemplating ourselves as artists, we open up a dialogue with audiences via which they become active participants in the contemplation. It’s beautiful to be engaged in a collective conversation.

What would you say to anyone who might hold pre-conceived ideas as to what a contemporary ballet performance might entail?

I really encourage audiences to approach parler femme like going to the cinema. In the same way that movies transport you into other worlds, times and spaces, this production is aiming to do the same. Ballet is part of the language the creative team and I use to build these worlds, but it is not the

I LOVE TO CELEBRATE UNAPOLOGETIC SELF-EXPLORATION BECAUSE I’VE FOUND THAT, IN CONTEMPLATING OURSELVES AS ARTISTS, WE OPEN UP A DIALOGUE WITH AUDIENCES VIA WHICH THEY BECOME ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE CONTEMPLATION

only one. We are being ambitious, implementing immersive technology and pushing viewing dynamics to create a work that is very far from a traditional ballet production; this is an experience that is different from sitting and watching a production in a theatre or at home on TV. Audiences will

also get the opportunity to engage in a question and answer session after the performance.

What has the preparation for show been like? How many hours of training and organisation does something like this consist of? The production has taken three years to develop. It began with preparation for my previous work; I knew that, even as I was developing No Time Like The Present, that I wanted to tour a triple bill. I started writing an Arts Council England bid immediately after finishing the No Time Like The Present production run last year and submitted it hours before Christmas Eve! It’s been non-stop creative and operational planning up until now. We start research and development for the extended reality elements of the work in September at an XR Stories residency that I’m super excited about and then we start full rehearsals in October. During all this, I train daily (technique

class in styles such as ballet and contemporary dance) and I’m working on other creative projects. I’m not even sure how many hours all that is.

What are you hoping people take away from parler femme?

I simply hope people connect with the work as much, if not more, than they have done for my previous work. I also hope that new audiences continue to discover a love of live dance through my work and that they embrace the conversation that parler femme offers on female perspectives.

@talaleeturton

Tickets for the performance at The Playhouse at Sheffield Theatres on 11 November are on sale now sheffieldtheatres.co.uk or talaleeturton.com. The production also heads to Elsecar Heritage Centre, Barnsley, on 16 November.

Photo: Xenia//Zavod Studio

THE JOY OF MUSIC

Exposed catches up with Tom Daggett, the newly arrived Director of Music at Sheffield Cathedral, who’ll be leading an ambitious programme to bring the joy of singing to children across the region.

You moved to Sheffield and started in the role earlier this summer. How have you been settling in?

I immediately felt at home in Sheffield. There’s a warmth here, and I’m getting used to people calling me love! I already love everything from the hills (keeps you fit!) to the quality of beer in the pubs (the best I’ve ever had!). I’m settled and really excited about what the future holds here.

Could you tell us a bit about your previous work with St Paul’s Cathedral and how you’ll be bringing the National Schools Programme to Sheffield?

I started the programme for St. Paul’s Cathedral to take choral music to children in places where it’s not likely to be seen or engaged with often. I was able to see first-hand the joy and transformation that music brought to children and the vision for Sheffield is very much a case of continuing that work.

How are you implementing this in practice?

A lot of it is about changing the usual access routes. Traditionally, choirs have had schools attached to them or children may have parents who’ve been able to sponsor them with music lessons. Auditions can also be seen as quite highfaluting and competitive.

I think there’s a different role for cathedrals, which is to see the whole of the region as packed and ready. We will resource schools around the government’s music curriculum requirement, also offering potential for things like after-school choirs. Through singing, we hope to introduce children to other opportunities: local school choirs, local youth

choirs, and organisations like the Steel City choristers.

How do you see the cathedral itself playing a role in this process?

There are a few ways. For example, we’ll bring schools to the cathedral for end-ofterm singing services and offer routes into the cathedral’s choirs. Interestingly, I’ve discovered since being here that a surprising number of people from Sheffield haven’t actually been to the cathedral. People might feel a religious distance or a notion that these communities are exclusive. However, it’s meant to be a place for all and we’re very passionate about showing that.

Overall, I’m really keen that whatever work we do in schools is pointing them on towards something else. Our goal is to instil a lifelong love of singing. It’s not really about flying in with

some beautiful choral music and giving children a one-off experience. We’re more about rolling up our sleeves and trying to bring some lasting benefit for the kids.

So, your approach is more geared towards a lifelong engagement with music? Precisely. We’re committed to a comprehensive, long-term perspective. Music isn’t a fleeting experience; it’s a lifelong journey. Unlike sporadic workshops or short-term instrument learning, we’re fostering a deep-rooted connection with music that endures throughout life.

I like to call it a “toddler to teacher” mentality. A child could begin by attending our Rhythm Time session at Sheffield Cathedral, starting at a young age. As they grow, they can join our Little Lights Choir for ages four to seven. If their enthusiasm for singing persists,

they might even become choristers at the cathedral, or if a child in one of our partnered schools shares that passion, they too could join us as a chorister and be more actively involved. We’ve accounted for the changing voices of boys, as they transition into adolescence. By offering roles for tenors and bases, we ensure their continued participation despite their vocal changes. Similarly, we provide opportunities for higher voices. The hope is they can become choral scholars, eventually becoming teachers themselves.

I’ve seen these programmes impact students in meaningful ways. It’s not about finding X Factor contestants, but rather providing opportunities for growth. Kids who have limited exposure to the world beyond their surroundings benefit greatly from singing. Through music, they gain confidence, stand taller, and excel in other areas of their lives. The positive effects are immeasurable.

What else will you be getting involved in your role as Director of Music?

I oversee all musical aspects at Sheffield Cathedral. This includes rebuilding cathedral choirs, recruiting young choral scholars, managing children’s choirs, and building a new music department. I’m currently bringing in new talent like James Mitchell, who’s experienced in contemporary collaborations with DJs and composers. This is in addition to managing to managing the school singing programme, coordinating choral directors, training teachers, and driving across different areas to ensure its success. It’s keeping me nice and busy!

Find out more at sheffieldcathedral.org/ music

PHOTO: GRAHAM LACDOA

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A MEMOIR IN NORTHERN TIME

In the prologue of Catherine Taylor’s memoir, The Stirrings, we find the author at the age of 13 in Sheffield’s General Cemetery on a drizzly autumn night. The year is 1980, and if a crumbling Victorian graveyard shrouded in darkness isn’t enough to raise a shudder, the presence of the Yorkshire Ripper looms menacingly over proceedings – a shadow of evil lurking among the large weeping ash trees and cracked, overgrown graves...

Interview: Joseph Food

“I’ve had this book in my head for about 30 years,” says Catherine. “I thought about writing it as a novel, but I couldn’t really see it that way. The fact that the Ripper was caught behind my school is something that has always stayed with me. There was also this personal link to my father leaving, and it felt like a very unprotected period of my life. When Sutcliffe died in 2020, I wrote a piece for Granta Magazine – Bleak Midwinter – and around that time, I decided to turn it into a book.”

The violent backdrop of the Yorkshire Ripper murders – and the grim if not predictable responses from regional police forces and the nationwide press – starkly portrays the anxieties and judgments that plagued the daily lives of women in northern cities like Sheffield. Depressingly, the natural path of reflection that comes with memoir writing has led Catherine to compare eras and question how much progress has been made over four decades

on. “We think so much has changed, but when it comes to how the media portrays sex workers and women in general, I’m not sure how much has. There’s this distinction between an innocent woman and a non-innocent woman depending on how they live and what they do. As I continued to write, other issues arose that seemed so contemporaneous: the right to strike, the right to protest, police corruption at Hillsborough and Orgreave, and, of course, the misogyny I’ve alluded to.”

Throughout The Stirrings, Taylor continues to skilfully interweave wider socio-political events with the personal stories that shaped her life. The Yorkshire Ripper, The Miners’ Strike, The Falklands War, anti-nuclear protest, Thatcherism, postpunk music, Hillsborough and Orgreave: these epoch-defining events overshadow and mingle with the writer’s own traumas and developments.

The title reflects this approach, partly

inspired by the local name for The Sheffield Outrages – a series of violent incidents and labour disputes between workers, employers and police during the 1860s – and partly a reference to the transformative journey from childhood to adolescence. “It’s important to me that the book serves as a touchstone of Sheffield’s radical history, but there’s also a double meaning as it’s a good, slightly ambiguous title for a coming-of-age book.”

Taylor says that the motivation to pen her memoir wasn’t drawn from any desire to exorcise personal demons, but she did find it a process that allowed her to gain new perspectives on specific eras of her life. While certain periods were useful to revisit, others were undeniably challenging. Amongst other trials and tribulations, the book delves into her parents’ divorce, the memory of a friend’s tragic death, and her experiences of bullying at school. Naturally, some of these were hard passages to write, but she also found that the act of writing empowered her to release the hold that some of these memories had over her.

“It can make you looks at things differently and from another angle,” she reflects. “It was quite difficult, obviously, to revisit my parents’ divorce, particularly since they’re both dead now. But one of the wonderful things about writing the book was that my mother came back to me and was kind of restored to me; I was reminded of what an incredible person she was. I also realised that some of the things that I wrote about, like being bullied at school, don’t have power over me anymore. Other events I realised I had buried for a long time, just locked away. They were the most difficult parts to write.”

While there are traumatic events depicted with searing honesty, you’ll also find plenty of light to go with the shade. An aspect that will engage local readers is Taylor’s immersive portrayal of Sheffield, the city where the majority of her memories unfold. Her surroundings initially reflect the equally dismal childhood experience of divorce –‘grey, grim, and wet: steep roads, forbidding buildings’ – but the dichotomy of the city’s post-industrial bleakness and its evolving cultural offering becomes a compelling setting that mirrors Taylor’s personal maturation.

As we follow her deeper into the 80s, the narrative is peppered with fondly recalled landmarks and experiences that illuminate and pay homage to the city’s unique character. The reader is transported from sticky, swinging dancefloors in The Limit to regular encounters with Phil Oakey – and his famous fringe – in the bookshop owned by Taylor’s mother: “That wasn’t a one-off, by the way – he was an account customer!”

It was important to me that I balanced the book,” she explains. “I wanted people to

be able to find it funny and relate to parts of it. Places like The Limit were such a big deal for us, a real rite of passage. Sheffield is an extraordinary city, ringed by the Peak District, which is so unique. But it also has the brutalist architecture which became famous, so obviously Park Hill, but I also loved the Egg Box, which was the infamous extension to the Town Hall. The Hole in the Road! I write about how a Christmas tree would always just appear there, as if by magic, and you had these amazing glass fish tanks filled with exotic fish. And of course, the church that I mention on Bramall Lane, St Mary’s, which was blackened from years of soot from the factories, and then they cleaned the damn thing! It kind of ruined it for me, in a way…”

The author will be returning to Sheffield next month, to discuss The Stirrings at Off the Shelf Festival. We sign off the interview with Taylor speaking fondly of her love for a city which despite holding some challenging memories also nourished her with the places, people and inspiration that fundamentally shaped her.

“I feel deep love and affection for Sheffield. It’s really a part of me. My sister still lives there and her daughter’s just moved up with her children, so it’s kind of nice that yet another generation is going to grow up in the Steel City. History is all around in a place like Sheffield, and I still see it as a radical place. People will come out and fight for what they believe in. I’m proud of the city and proud to come from Sheffield. I don’t think I ever say that enough, but I am.”

The Stirrings: A Memoir in Northern Time is published by Weidenfeld & Nicholson

PHOTOS: NIGEL THOMPSON

SCULPTING SUCCESS

After swiftly growing in popularity over the past two years and even featuring in an episode of Channel Five’s ‘Our Great Yorkshire Life’, Only Clay is preparing to take over Kellham Island Museum for a third instalment this month, celebrating the very best in handmade ceramics.

A collection of the finest potters from up and down the country will again gather in the Steel City to showcase an array of beautifully curated artisan tableware amongst dramatic sculptural pieces sure to add a theatrical flair. A wide scope of creativity will be on show and there will be something to suit every artistic taste.

Handmade pottery itself has won a place in the current boom of food exploration and sustainability; the plate you eat off is as important to the dining experience as the food, the venue and the company. The chosen location of Kelham Island, known as the heart of Sheffield’s industrial past, is bristling with exciting cafes, pubs and restaurants, including the Island café and Millowners Arms pub, which both can be found onsite at the venue.

Only Clay prides itself as being a place for old and new friends alike to get together and share their love of ceramics,

whilst allowing for a glimpse into the life of a potter. Across the weekend, there will the opportunity to vote for your favorite stall, which will automatically enter you into a raffle with a chance to win a unique memento to take home. There is also a ‘Potter’s Prize’ on offer for the stall who secures

the most votes.

Beyond the exhibition, the organisers of Only Clay, Steve Booton and his family, have this year partnered with Alder Bar on Percy Street to host an aftershow party, open to the public and potters alike, giving you the chance to chat to your favorite artists with the backdrop of live music and a sociable atmosphere.

Expressing her excitement ahead of the event, exhibiting potter and helping hand to the organisers Penny Withers told Exposed: “I just feel a terrific sense of pride that all these great potters are coming to Sheffield.

“We do a lot of travelling around, up and down the country to go to ceramic fairs and we’re hosting some very fine artists. There are many sensational Sheffield-based potters showing as well, I think that’s very important.”

Although ceramics will, of course, be at the heart of the event, it won’t be all about the clay. You will be able to make the most of what else is on the doorstep, with free entry to the Kellham Island Museum across the weekend allowing you to immerse yourself in captivating ceramic art as well as a fascinating piece of industrial Sheffield history.

Only Clay will take place at the Kellham Island Museum 23 and 24 September 2023. For more information, visit www. onlyclay.co.uk.

The Schoolrooms is the perfect cafe to kick start your day in the Peaks or just take a break and enjoy a hearty meal Café & kitchen open Monday – Sunday, 9am – 5pm.

INTRODUCING

Assembly, our all new, late night, neighbourhood Bar & Bistro, working the evening shift on behalf of The Schoolrooms.

With the help of our newly acquired, talented chefs, our aim is to provide a superb dining experience for all occasions, putting a modern twist on traditional British dining.

Open Wednesday to Friday evenings 4pm til late Saturday 1pm til late Sunday for drinks only from 1pm - 8pm.

Opening at Sheffield Cathedral this month, local charity The Archer Project is proud to present ‘Wish You Were Here’ – a thoughtprovoking photography exhibition that aims to raise awareness about homelessness, the brutality of rough sleeping and its dire consequences.

The exhibition is a powerful narrative of the lives and experiences of individuals who have found themselves homeless or vulnerably housed. People who have experienced rough sleeping have collaborated with The Archer Project to share their stories through this remarkable collection of photographs and personal accounts.

Curated by creative marketing and design agency Black Eye Project, in a manner reminiscent of a seaside gift shop’s doorway, it invites visitors to embark on a journey through the hidden realities of our community. This innovative approach not only captures attention but also encourages contemplation and dialogue about the systemic issues surrounding homelessness in the UK.

Jim Lobley, Executive Creative Director and Founding Partner of Black Eye Project said of the exhibtion: “We wanted to create an exhibition which would genuinely excite the public. So, using our advertising & design skillsets, then leaning on friends with even greater talents, we’ve collectively curated a show we’re very proud of. More importantly, if it doesn’t raise the profile of the charityI’m going to eat an exhibit.”

Tim Renshaw, Chief Executive The Archer Project added: “This is our third year of exhibitions giving space to people who are or have been homeless to tell the story of why and how homelessness, and particularly rough sleeping happens. We have been humbled by the reaction and feedback we have had to date. This year we invited the Black Eye Project to work with the stories and pictures and we believe the way they have presented them really packs a

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punch and highlights the urgent need for societal change.”

The inception of the Archer Project charity dates back to 1990, and today it provides aid to homeless and vulnerable individuals in both Sheffield city centre and the surrounding urban area. They hold the belief that forging connections, comprehending personal circumstances, and considering the broader context offer more effective solutions to challenges. The Archer Project extends its assistance encompassing education, mental wellness, healthcare, reintegration into the workforce, and guidance towards securing permanent housing.

At the foundation of the Archer Project lies the invaluable dedication of volunteers, including individuals from both active employment and retirement. These volunteers generously contribute a few hours per week to engage in the project’s activities. Additionally, some businesses in Sheffield contribute by donating staff hours for consistent volunteer efforts. For further information on this, please reach out to: ContactUs@archerproject.org.uk.

You can view Wish You Were Here at Sheffield Cathedral between 8-22 September archerproject.co.uk // @archerproject

Richard working with ID8Photography, Mark Harvey, to capture his former sleeping site

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Theatre Deli have announced their upcoming autumn season, promising a wide range of the finest alternative theatre from across the country.

With a line-up celebrating local talent, don’t miss A Good Night Aht, a heartfelt play inspired by performer Phil Green’s experience of growing up in and moving away from a Yorkshire pit village. Fans of Inside No. 9 need to see Sheepish Productions’ gripping Yorkshire noir The Last Motel. Representing the Steel City, Avital Raz explores infertility, faith and inherited generational trauma in Unnatural Cycles – A Ghost Story.

From further afield, the awardwinning Dugsi Dayz, a Somali take on The Breakfast Club from Side eYe Productions, will have you in stitches, while fun interactive game show The Blue Badge Bunch educates kids in what it is like to have different disabilities. Unravel the mystery of a strange boy who claimed he had been locked in a cell for seventeen years in Animikii Theatre’s timeless performance The Kaspar Hauser Experiment, or join Yorkshire artist Alys Williams to dance in the kitchen even in the darkest times in The Light House, a defiant and hopeful love letter to life.

Looking for a great night out? Follow Will Jackson as the mate of honour planning the perfect wedding in “gleeful, glittery one-man rom-com” Confetti. For a date night with a difference, try Lying Together by Sheffield duo SexLiesandImprov, a black comedy about sex and deception inspired by the audience’s confessions. Identities blends hilarity and heart-wrenching reality in a play about boobs - the good, bad

and the silly. Award-winning Canadian poet Rose Condo returns to make you a sandwich and feed your creativity in the heartwarming How to Starve an Artist.

Trick or treat? Halloween includes something to scare all ages, from spooky stories for 2-5-year-olds to a adults-only screening of Nosferatu (1922) with live musical accompaniment. Bring your own blankets and immerse yourself in the original audio broadcast of the War of the Worlds before finishing the evening in style, as Powerhouse Band lead the darkly decadent Halloween Masquerade Ceilidh - Sheffield’s best Halloween party!

This season also sees the return of the popular Baby Comedy Club hosted by Sheffield comedy legend Daniel Inniss, along with movie favourites in the monthly Dementia Friendly Cinema and interactive game Blood on the Clocktower.

For creatives out there, don’t forget that Theatre Deli continues to offer hundreds of hours of free support for artists, producers and anyone with an interest in making their own work in the form of monthly Producer Meet Ups, Open Stage Night, Deli Drop Ins and Free Space Fridays.

The venue opened on Arley Street venue in March 2023, after closing their Eyre Street venue in January 2022 and includes a café/bar and is open from Monday - Friday, 10am - 6pm. Keep your eyes peeled for further line-up and ticket announcements across the season at theatredeli.co.uk

Starting this month, Miniver Academy will be running drama classes for children and young people aged 7-18 on Wednesdays at Theatre Deli Sheffield. Whether you’ve acted before or just fancy giving performing a go, this group is fantastic for growing confidence, meeting new friends, and learning theatre-based skills.

“My goal with Miniver Academy has always been to create a drama group that I myself would have really enjoyed attending as a child,” says Megan Young, group leader and drama teacher at Miniver. I’m very lucky to be doing what I love and sharing my passion for theatre while also seeing students gain confidence and develop as young performers during their time with us.”

Their aim is to introduce the magic of drama to new talents while nurturing the growth of young actors, allowing them to refine their skills and shine on stage. Each class revolves around original short scripts tailored to facilitate learning and performance development. Coupled with drama games and activities, the sessions promise a weekly dose of enjoyment and skill-building.

Classes are taught by qualified theatremakers with experience at the Edinburgh Fringe, sold-out London shows, and tours across England. Your first week is free, so why not try something new this September?

STARTS WED 6TH SEPT AT THEATRE DELI SHEFFIELD

Ages 7-10: 5pm-6pm

Ages 11-18: 6pm-5pm

Following the free trial week, classes are £5 per 1 hr session

Register interest by filling out an online form at minivertheatre. com/miniveracademy or email miniveracademy@gmail.com

BLOOMING WITH CREATIVITY

Art in the Gardens Returns to Sheffield’s Botanical Wonderland

Annual event Art in the Gardens, one of the largest outdoor art markets in the north of England, returns for its 20th year on 2-3 September at Sheffield’s beautiful Botanical Gardens.

Visitors will be able to experience collections of work from artists and craft makers from Sheffield and across the UK, all taking place in the idyllic surroundings of the gardens.

Artist Wendy Carlton has exhibited her work at Art in the Gardens every year since the event started in 2003 and will be showcasing again at the Central Dome Pavilion.

Wendy said of the event: “The first Art in the Gardens went ahead in 2004 and has catered for both professional and amateur artists throughout its 20-year history, with the Open Art Exhibition and Celebrity Portrait competition. The flourishing and popular event means such a lot to many local and national artists who return year upon year.”

Exhibits and stalls will include fine art and crafts, ceramics,

jewellery, sculpture, paintings, portraiture, glass art, wire art, papercut art, original print works, plus the annual Open Art Competition, a Home and Gardens showcase, Sheffield Young Artists display, and a fantastic selection of food and refreshment stalls.

Wendy continued: “Sheffield Botanical Gardens is a fantastic location, and the pavilion is the perfect setting for my paintings. The vast walls, tropical plants and stunning Victorian glazed roof provide the perfect backdrop for my large, colourful paintings which nestle among the greenery.

“I am proud that my

customers have seen my work develop from the stylised large flower heads of the original logo to my current ranges of meadowlands, abstracts, landscapes, and an array of custom-made homeware products printed from my art. Art in the Gardens is a fabulous event, my favourite to take part in. I see it as my ‘Happy Place’ and long may it continue!”

Councillor Martin Smith, chair of the Economic Development and Skills Policy Committee, is also looking forward to the return of the annual celebration of art: “Art in the Gardens is a highlight of Sheffield’s cultural calendar,

bringing artists and makers from across the UK to one of our most beautiful green spaces.

“The event is a fantastic opportunity for visitors to discover work from wellestablished and up-and-coming artists, as well as pick up original pieces of art, prints and crafts.

“Sheffield truly is a creative and innovative city at its heart, and I hope that we’ll see lots of people come to celebrate art and creativity in all its forms over the weekend.”

IN A NUTSHELL

• Location: Sheffield Botanical Gardens, Clarkhouse Road, S10 2LN

• Times: 10.30am-5.30pm Saturday and Sunday.

• General admission tickets for over 16 years cost £6.00 plus fees and under 16 years tickets are free.

• Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.

• Tickets must be bought in advance via Eventbrite, there will be no ticket sales on the gate.

THROUGH THE LENS

LILI

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First of all, could you introduce yourself to the Exposed readership?

Hi, my name is Lili (Lilian). I am a 31-year-old female photographer with a passion for following and documenting the UK music scene, particularly the underground culture across the North. My work spans from natural club settings to portraits of artists.

What initially sparked your interest in photography, and how has your style evolved since you started?

From a young age, I have been fascinated with photos. One of my favourite things to do was going through family photos

with my grandad. I have fond memories of watching slideshows featuring images dating back to the 70s and hundreds of Kodak film photos of various family members. I used to make little booklets for imaginary viewers, and I still have a photo album from my toddler years. Inside the album, there’s a message I wrote in the year 2000 (when I was 8 years old) welcoming readers, which still makes me giggle now. My grandad gifted me an old Praktica camera that he used to use, and I still treasure it to this day. Throughout school and university, where I came to do Creative Art Practice in Sheffield, photography remained my

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preferred medium. However, following university, I suffered a confidence knock creatively. For a long time it was an idea I used to voice, that I wanted to start taking photos again, and it was only last year – 8 years later – that I sucked up my fear and picked up my camera again. I started pushing myself and have been blessed to have people around me supporting me and believing in my work. I haven’t looked back.

My style is still evolving; I don’t think it ever stops and I find myself on the path to where I have a clear idea as to how I would like to execute my images generally. My images used to mainly be based on capturing a clear image of the face/body as a portrait. Nowadays, I try to think more dynamically, to incorporate the surrounding scenery and bring out the intimacy of the subject. I love to use darkness to bring this out and amplify aspects of the subject, which is why I love to shoot within a club environment. There’s always an intimately personal moment to capture on a floor shared by strangers.

Could you share the story behind your favourite shot to date?

One of my favourite shots to date is taken at Forge nightclub. Ross From Friends is playing, and the shot is of people on the front barrier, rising up to the drop setting in. Each face has a story to tell whilst they’re all collectively on that barrier together, soaking that shared moment in their own personal way.

Another favourite has to be of Alex Turner at an Arctic Monkeys gig. Like many other Sheffielders, I grew up listening to that band, and the nostalgic value – memories I have attached to key moments in life – made the experience of shooting them in June at Hillsborough all the more poignant. I was stood in that pit, taking photos, soaking up that atmosphere, and feeling all the emotions while clicking away. Afterwards, I sat outside having a nice reflect on how special it was. That whole set of images will always connect me to that experience!

How do you adapt your approach to suit different genres of photography – from portrait to live shoots, for example?

I prefer my subjects to be candid. I feel true authentic emotion is best captured this way. Luckily for me, events where people are experiencing their favourite

sounds hit their core is teeming with moments filled with energy to be caught. I like to blend in and try to be an invisible as possible, almost to give room for that moment to happen before the subject notices me. Generally, I quite like angles and symmetry present in my shots. I like things to line up in large shots.

Personally, I think the sign of a really great photographer is if you convey a posed portrait in a candid manner. I think a variety of factors lend themselves to capturing the essence, so to speak, such as how you interact with the subject, how comfortable you make them feel, their personality, equipment, techniques, lighting you use, and essentially your creative eye. This is something I continue to build on myself.

What would be your dream event to document?

We’ve all got to have dreams! I have certain venues and people I would love to shoot. If we’re talking people, Billie Eilish is up there for me. I love everything she stands for. Venue-wise, I would love to shoot Rolling Loud, Kappa, Primavera and Coachella abroad, and I would love to go on a tour with an artist. For those of you who know me, I live in Nike and would love to work with them. UK-wise, it’s got to be Glastonbury.

What advice would you give to aspiring photographers who are looking to refine their craft and find their own style?

I’m still on this journey myself, and I don’t think it ends. My advice would be to work through any fear, and creatively follow what speaks to you the most and give you that buzz over any speculation of what people may think. Chances are people thrive off refreshed approaches and will love it, and that’s the only way you will continue to follow the right direction towards a style true to yourself.

Lili’s debut exhibition opens 22-24 September at Mondo, 7 Smithfield. On the opening evening an array of artists featured in her work will perform between 7pm-midnight. These include Mondo Resident Dan G, Kabal residents, Ashley Holmes, Zubs, and Cicely. Donations are encouraged to support the Mondo fundraiser. Free entry.

@LILI_TAKESFLICKIS

ARTISTS SPOTLIGHT DANIEL HALKSWORTH

HOW DID YOUR ARTISTIC JOURNEY BEGIN?

Like many artists, I’ve drawn all my life, though if I can pinpoint something that sparked my interest it was my dad, who was trained as a draughtsman and once drew a sketch of Gimli, the dwarf from Lord of The Rings, for me when I was a kid. I was fascinated by the level of detail in the drawing, especially the chainmail which I used to spend ages looking at. I started doing GCSE Art but dropped out because it was taking up my lunchtimes, so taught myself to paint in oils in my spare time. I was also really into video games and following the progression of 8-bit graphics to the HD graphics of today, I’ve always been impressed with the representation of reality. When I was young, I used to make up my own video games and draw characters. 8-year-old me actually devised a whole game based on Atkinson’s called ‘Department Store Dan’, so that’s definitely had an influence on my paintings.

HAS YOUR STYLE SHIFTED OVER THE YEARS? IF SO, HOW?

I’ve always painted in a realist style, but elements of pop art have crept in, with the use of a punchier palette. I’ve experimented with various different subjects over the years, some darker than others. My partner and art-ing sidekick Caz have to live with my paintings drying on the walls, so we now tend to paint stuff that we would want and are happy to sit with. I had a 1.5m egg on a black background in a tiny flat for several months while it was drying and it was oppressive in our space, so for the next few after we made a point of keeping light and fun, introducing bubblegum pink into the mix! I’ve become more specialised in food-based art in recent years, due to demand and also because I think we’ve all been a bit obsessed with eating and food shopping, first during the pandemic and now with the cost-of-living crisis. We tend to come up with ideas in the pub, spend a day composing and staging stuff, and then I’ll paint.

POP ART OFTEN DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM POPULAR CULTURE AND CONSUMERISM. DO ANY ASPECTS OF MODERN CULTURE INTEREST YOU AND DO THEY INFLUENCE YOUR ARTWORK?

My presence online is mainly on Instagram, and with that comes real-time feedback on my work; I get to see what strikes a chord with people. Something that made me smile was when I opened the eggs up for bespoke commissions, people started requesting personal tweaks: more or less crispy, double-yolkers, split eggs, peppered eggs, and all variations in-between. There’s something nice about the interactivity with a live audience as I’m painting. If we’ve had a good month, I can be more adventurous in what I paint – like a decent fry-up or some fancy sushi. If we’ve had a lean month, I’m more likely to be painting baked beans or a Greggs! While there’s a lot of joy in food, it’s also a point of stress for many, especially with the cost of living, and I think that’s a theme I’m going to explore more.

AS MENTIONED, FOOD AND EVERYDAY OBJECTS ARE PARTICULARLY PREVALENT IN YOUR WORK. WHAT IS IT THAT INFLUENCES YOU TO PAINT THESE –ESPECIALLY FRIED EGGS?

Wherever we went as a family, I was always given pencils and paper to entertain myself, and I drew whatever was in my line of sight – things like my grandad’s cigarette card collection, various booze bottles, beer mats and comics, which I always tried to capture as realistically as possible. I’d watch my dad try and be as accurate as possible with his technical drawings, so that’s probably why I went down the realist route.

The eggs came about by accident. I had studies of various things that I’d painted over the years, which we had to flog cheaply at the start of the lockdown to help pay the rent. Caz lost her job around this time, and I was in the transitional stage of becoming a full-time painter, but opportunities to exhibit completely stopped. I listed several paintings for sale at slashed prices on Instagram and that’s when things really took off. Several people wanted my painting of a fried egg, so I offered to paint some more. I did a half-dozen, which sold immediately, followed by another batch, and things just snowballed - I should probably open a greasy spoon!

Exposed caught up with Daniel last month, discussing early influences, the evolution of his style and what inspired the focus on everyday subjects (particularly the humble fried egg!)

DO YOU HAVE AN ARTWORK THAT IS PARTICULARLY SPECIAL TO YOU?

The painting that is most special to me is a portrait I did of my dad writing at his desk. He was a history teacher at my school in Chesterfield and wrote a book about Sutton Scarsdale Hall, which is a place he’s been fascinated with since he was a kid playing around the ruins. The portrait is how I’ve always known my dad: sat at his desk late at night either marking homework, writing his diary or penning notes for his book.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANY ASPIRING ARTIST READING THIS?

There are plenty of avenues to get your work out there that don’t include the traditional gallery route. Instagram has been a hugely helpful tool for me in terms of connecting with people. Look out for local opportunities, get involved with the people and places you feel comfortable with, and don’t feel pressured to live up to the expectations of places that you don’t feel comfortable with.

Also, it’s a cliché, but do what you enjoy. You’ll not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re happy in what you’re doing and put yourself out there, the right people will find and support you.

The exhibition at The Dorothy Pax runs until 4th September.

@daniel.halksworth danielhalksworth.com