The Sheffield Participatory Arts Network (SPAN), set up in 2012, is an open network of community arts groups, music groups, and workshop leaders. It is a place to find out about Sheffield’s myriad music and arts events; to find out how to take part in music groups and bands; find out when and where music, dance, and arts workshops are taking place; and to stay connected with Sheffield’s cultural underbelly.

We work with local artists and musicians to put on workshops, arrange events, and facilitate new collaborations. SPAN seeks to support cultural empowerment, and works with local community organisations, refugee and asylum seeking groups, music networks, and the University to this end. SPAN ultimately seeks to increase opportunities for collaboration, interaction, and exposure in the community arts scene in Sheffield.

Throughout 2013, SPAN will host a series of monthly ‘workshop days’, in which arts groups and performers from around the city will lead workshops in their practice, alongside performances from local groups and artists. These days function as taster sessions for on-going workshops and events taking place in Sheffield, as well as opportunities to try a range of new activities in an open, unintimidating environment.

We will also be working with specific musicians and dancers who will be leading workshops in their practice, and will be helping organise and promote their activities.

The SPAN website is the hub of our events, our workshop organising, our events promotion, and our online activity. Through creating a user log-in, the entirety of the websites functions and content will be interactive and personalisable. Users will be able to directly engage with events, workshops, and their leaders and groups online, and keep up with the myriad community arts activities that take place in Sheffield.

Project Team

• David Judge (Project Leader – University of Sheffield)
• Sam Parkin (University of Sheffield)
• Ryan Bloor (Developer – The Digital Humanities Institute)