Sheffield metalwork festival
Silver Chip Forks by Victoria Kershaw
Galvanize Sheffield is a month-long metalwork festival held in venues around the city (until 6 December)
Originally set-up to highlight the city’s metalworking heritage, the festival has now become a regular fixture on Sheffield’s art calendar and an important showcase for new work. Exhibition highlights this year include In Their Own Words at Bank Street Arts, an unusual show that marries work by 36 jewellers with poems by 36 writers, each couple making/writing something in response to the counterpart’s work. Look out also for Pewter Live (at Butcher Works) organized by the Worshipful Company of Pewterers and showcasing new work by members as well as local talent from Sheffield’s Freeman College.
The festival also includes open studios, workshops, behind the scenes tours, and lectures. Visitors can explore Butcher Works, a restored cutlery and grinding factory now housing artists’ studios and an exhibition space, visitors can explore the building on 21 November and join in a series of workshops there on 14 and 15 November led by silversmith Victoria Kershaw. The Sheffield Assay Office will also be opening up to the public and is hosting a series of tours, as well as a metal valuation day and a workshop on hallmarking. The David Mellor Cutlery Factory and Wentworth Pewter are two other big local names involved in the event.
www.galvanizefestival.com/programme/
