Theatre Deli takes over empty spaces in city centres and transforms them into artistic hubs. Currently operating in Arley Street, Sheffield, and in London, Theatre Deli works to develop diverse audiences and artistic communities by providing safe, suitably resourced environments. We asked David Ralf of Theatre Deli to tell us more.
“We have been in Sheffield since 2014 in different locations, initially taking over the old Woolworths in The Moor and creating an artistic space there. We had been operating in London since 2008, but this was our first venture outside the capital. We built a community of theatre artists and they followed us to our second venue in 2017, into a big warehouse run by local people. The lease came to an end in January 2022; we got all the way through the pandemic and then we had to leave.
“London has the third largest number of theatres in the world after New York and Paris, and it makes sense there to have short-term leases, but, in Sheffield, the story started to look very different. We wanted to put down some more permanent roots and have formed a great collaboration with CADS in Cuthbert House, which will hopefully last a long time.
“We have just got funding to refurbish the space, so it’s a very exciting time. We’re in and we have a wonderful designer in Nicole-Rose Munhawa. We are getting people in to see what they can use the space for, building it around their needs. They include theatre companies, groups based around particular backgrounds, amateur dramatic groups, community groups and charities.
“The pandemic was not easy for any arts organisation and we were in a precarious situation. We have a model of inviting people into our spaces and it was really tough to close and see everything grinding to a halt. We were very fortunate in London in being able to open quickly with Covid precautions in place, but we didn’t really open fully until August 2021.
“There is no town quite like Sheffield! It’s really extraordinary, the number of artists and groups we have worked with over the years. The good news is that lots are getting in touch. We will have a local programme, for sure, and we are also bringing groups from elsewhere in the UK into Sheffield and the venue.
“Arley Street is a fantastic area, where people welcome everyone in. It’s exciting to engage the local community and see their interest in the building. For Small Biz Saturday, we are getting involved in the local part of town, making sure people know what we are doing and come into our spaces.”
More info: https://www.theatredeli.co.uk/
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