Artists from near and far have brought colour, humour, mystery and life to the streets of Sheffield in recent years. By its nature, street art can be fleeting. But no one has a more encyclopaedic knowledge of what’s out there in Sheffield now, and what came before, than Andy Carter. Andy set up the fantastic Street Art Sheffield website in 2014 to document and map the many artworks that dot the city. Now, in autumn 2022, Andy’s starting guided tours to help more people explore the ever-changing canvas of Sheffield together.
On each tour, Andy will take you to a particularly colourful corner of the city. Over an hour or two, he’ll point out the area’s exciting murals and hidden gems, and share stories of artworks past.
We spoke to Andy to find out more what makes street art so exciting in Sheffield.
What do you think have been the most exciting developments in street art in Sheffield since you launched your website in 2014?
This is a tough one. Street art in Sheffield is constantly changing, including the spaces and artists that make up the scene. Highlights for me have been the Feature Walls festival in 2016 and more recently Out and About this summer. There's such a fantastic buzz in the city when new murals are being created.
Phlegm's Mausoleum of the Giants exhibition in 2019 is also worth a mention. This street artist developed his style on the walls of Sheffield and has gone on to become an international success. People were prepared to queue for hours to see his artworks come to life as 3D sculptures, a testament to how popular street art has become.
What makes Sheffield's street art scene unique?
We have an incredible street art scene. There's lots of very talented people here contributing to it. International artists have also been drawn to Sheffield to create unique artworks. Yet, like many things our city is great for, we don't make a lot of noise about it. My website, and now my tours, is my small contribution to changing that and raising awareness of our street art both at home and further afield.
Is there a particular place you’d recommend to a newcomer who wants to discover street art here?
Sheffield's street art scene is really spread across our city; murals can be found everywhere. However, for anyone new to Sheffield I'd recommend starting in the city centre in either the Cultural Industries or Devonshire Quarters. There's lots of great murals in these two areas, both large feature walls and smaller hidden gems.
If I had to pick one mural, it would probably be Pete McKee's The Snog on the side of Fagan's. I think this must be one of the most photographed walls in Sheffield. It's easy to see why, it's such a joyous piece and uniquely 'Sheffield'.
Book for upcoming Street Art Sheffield Tours.
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