Forgotten Spaces Sheffield 2011: Shortlist – Cemetery Revelry by Caitríona McGhee
Cemetery Revelry remembers Sheffield General Cemetery by giving it a function which is relevant to today’s Sheffield the proposal, rather ironically, injects life into it by using it as a performance venue
Sheffield has an abundance of space, so much so that its urban fabric still bears the scars of its former industrial glory.
It is full of forgotten spaces; buildings, visible, tangible relics from its preceding industrial prowess.Sheffield General Cemetery is a vestige of Sheffield’s former wealth and industrialisation. It was built by Non-conformists who had become wealthy from the city’s industry.
The cemetery was once “undisputedly one of the most beautiful establishments of its kind in the kingdom, … a delightful spot for the perambulations of the living and a safe depository for the dead.” Whites Directory Report, 1837.
However, it is now wildly overgrown, damaged and somewhat vandalised with gravestones crumbling and buildings decaying. Cemetery Revelry proposes unlocking this ‘remote and undisturbed’ gem and sharing it with the city. This entry proposes to, rather ironically, inject life into this space by using it as a performance venue for music and theatre.
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Readers' comments (2)
ven crane | 20-Jun-2011 7:29 pm
There are in fact a large number of enthusiastic local volunteers and a couple of paid workers who work very hard to ensure that this space is neither forgotten nor neglected. There is an extensive series of tours and events, put on both by SCGT and outside agencies such as Creative Action Network.
You may wish to consider the cemetery's own website:
http://www.gencem.org/
or Creative Action's annual lantern Carnival , which has finished at the General Cemetery for the last six years or more: http://www.creativeaction.net/view.php?id=15
Then there is Sharrow SureStart, who participae in our regular craft events among other things.
This is our 250 member facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/search.php?k=100000004&id=70717814605&gr=2&a=7#!/group.php?gid=70717814605
And here's me publicising my own tour in the Star, we get an article or three in every year
http://www.thestar.co.uk/community/the-diary/a_victorian_mystery_1_3385312
So does this well used space actually need unlocking? Life injecting? Why don't you come and see us, we are more than happy to add to our repetoire of events.
Unsuitable or offensive?
ven crane | 21-Jun-2011 1:05 pm
There are in fact a large number of enthusiastic local volunteers and a couple of paid workers who work very hard to ensure that this space is neither forgotten nor neglected. There is an extensive series of tours and events, put on both by SCGT and outside agencies such as Creative Action Network.
You may wish to consider the cemetery's own website:
http://www.gencem.org/
or Creative Action's annual lantern Carnival , which has finished at the General Cemetery for the last six years or more: http://www.creativeaction.net/view.php?id=15
Then there is Sharrow SureStart, who participae in our regular craft events among other things.
This is our 250 member facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/search.php?k=100000004&id=70717814605&gr=2&a=7#!/group.php?gid=70717814605
And here's me publicising my own tour in the Star, we get an article or three in every year
http://www.thestar.co.uk/community/the-diary/a_victorian_mystery_1_3385312
So does this well used space actually need unlocking? Life injecting? Why don't you come and see us, we are more than happy to add to our repetoire of events.
Unsuitable or offensive?