I was commissioned by RivelinCo as one of their Neighbourhod Artists in the summer of 2025.
“This ambitious project aims to use creative methods to ask thousands of people living in six North Sheffield neighbourhoods questions about how they feel about where they live, and what they might like to change. The data will support co-design of an exciting, responsive community arts programme led by RivelinCo in collaboration with community partners, throughout 2026 and beyond.
The neighbourhoods are Hillsborough and Malin Bridge, Stannington, Parson Cross, Winn Gardens, Foxhill and Wisewood.”- RivelinCo
I was selected to be the Neighbourhood Artist for Hillsborough. I came up with the idea to create Hillsborough Corner Shop, a nostalgic market stall filled with locally made produce, where answers to the consultation questions was the only currency accepted!
I delivered a programme of 12 workshops with local community groups to create produce for the corner shop. I worked with: the RivelinCo Young Creatives, ArtWorks SY (adults with learning disabilities and/or autism), Age Uk dementia care group, an over 50s watercolour class and several drop in workshops for families and the general public. Using papier mache, collage, painting, drawing and printing, we created over 500 items of stock which included paper flowers, fish, fruit, veg and a weird and wonderful variety of products!
We opened the shop at Hillsborough Exchange, an indoor shopping precinct in Hillsborough. I built a covered market stall compete with till, florist section, baskets of produce and fishmonger to really make it look like a real market stall.
Members of the public had a chance to shop the “locally made” produce and pay for it at the till with answers about their area. In return, for their feedback they got to take away a lovely peice of community made art. Our performers Stan Skinny, kept everyone entertained with some fruit juggling, market calls and ukulele songs.
We had amazing feedback from the project and spoke to over 500 people over the two days of the shop opening, as well as approximately 150 more during the workshop programme. It was such a fun project to run, and I can’t thank RivelinCo and the people of Hillsborough enough for having me!
You can read more about the other Neighbourhood Artist Projects here:
