When it comes to culture, Sheffield City Region certainly has plenty to offer.
Be it bands such as the Arctic Monkeys, Pulp and Def Leppard, natural resources such as the Peak District, a deep and steely proud history, its hosting of the Tour de Yorkshire, or Onwards & Upwards, a public artwork designed to bring the Tinsley Canal back to life, the region is investing time and money into culture and tourism, but for what benefit and why? Key members of the region gathered at MIPIM to debate those questions.
Sculptor Alex Chinneck, the artist commissioned to deliver Onwards & Upwards, a proposed series of four brick chimneys along the route of the canal, summed it up well.
“Public artwork is always seen as something that isn’t a necessity and is too often seen as a frivolity. When it is done with deep consideration and it is placed and not plonked it responds to the situation and utilises the opportunities and benefits of the location,” he said.
“It can give incredible returns. Anything that brings new people to a new place is largely a good thing. The benefits can transcend that of just being a visual experience. Public art can give a region a significant voice, a landmark and identity that draws people there.”
Iain Thomson, associate director of partnerships and communications at developer Harworth Group, agreed. He said culture was all part of the great battle to retain talent and to attract occupiers.
“Culture and leisure is increasingly becoming a big influence when we talk to major occupiers. As investors, we see the initial investment in culture coming back in terms of higher land prices, etc.”
Diana Terris, chief executive of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, said that politicians were now seeing the benefit of public art and the income that can be generated from it.
But she, like Chinneck, said it was about more than that. She said that culture and art was “hugely empowering” for local communities and was becoming increasingly important in local authorities’ work in combating health and social care issues, on which almost 70% of their budgets are now taken up.
“It helps people connect,” said Terris. “It helps people who might be suffering from social isolation or mental health issues and that is hugely important in this current situation because mental health is a massive problem for all councils. Events or connections to artwork make a big difference to people.”
Architect and founder of the Coda Group, David Cross, said that investment in culture and art as part of any regeneration project was vital as the real estate community needed to think about the way people live their lives now.
“They are experiential. They want to do things,” he said. “This is happening in every city in every town because people are looking for something different, something independent, something that is local, regional. We talk about Brexit and the end of globalisation – these are all just little stepping stones along the way to what we are doing to anchor our culture in place.”
Panel
■ Alex Chinneck, British sculptor, Onwards & Upwards
■ David Cross, architect and founder, CODA Group
■ Diana Terris, chief executive, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
■ Iain Thomson, associate director of partnerships & communications, Harworth Group
