New music centre wins more funding

A new music education centre has been given a second major funding grant for the restoration of a building.

Harmony Works in Sheffield has now been handed £3.5m by Arts Council England in addition to a previous award of £4.5m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The money will pay for the redevelopment of Canada House in the city centre, which has been earmarked as the home for organisations devoted to music.

Work on the project will begin later this year and be completed by late 2027.

Harmony Works project director Emily Peters said: "We are absolutely thrilled to receive such strong backing from Arts Council England. We are now in a very strong position to fully refurbish Canada House and deliver on our long-term vision of creating a new home to inspire and nurture the creative potential of young people and their communities."

Canada House was built in 1875 as offices for the Sheffield United Gas Light Company. Since then it has been used as a nightclub, a pub and an oriental buffet restaurant.

Pete Massey, Arts Council England's Yorkshire director, added: "Sheffield is a city with a rich history of musical excellence, so it's great to see Harmony Works secure this vital investment from government to create a fantastic new hub for music education."

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