A major exhibition hosted at Sheffield’s Millennium Gallery will showcase written and
recorded testimonies gathered from across the city about residents’ experiences of the
Covid-19 pandemic.
Part of the city’s memorial activities, the Stories From The Pandemic exhibition will take the
form of rooms in a ‘lockdown house’, with visitors invited to interact with exhibits via TV,
radio, coffee tables, pictures on walls and other household objects. Drawn from the
extensive range of stories that have been gathered during the project.
Tim Feben from Sheffield-based social enterprise Opus, who has been leading on gathering
testimonies from Sheffielders and designing the exhibition, said: “You can’t help but be
moved by some of the stories of hardship and loss, and this exhibition won’t shy away from
these sometimes hard-to-hear stories. But equally it’s a tribute to the city’s resolve to also be
able to share the experiences of people who, against all adversity, rolled up their sleeves
and made a difference.
“I hope this exhibition might help us see the people around us in a new light and with a
renewed sense of empathy and connection”
Running alongside the exhibition, there will be a free programme of creative workshops and
‘compassionate conversations’ to offer people a chance to reflect, share their own stories
and build confidence to support others through hard times.
The programme will culminate in a weekend-long free creative session, featuring a host of
demonstrations, hands-on activities and mini workshops that support participants to express
their reflections and leave notes and tributes that will be incorporated into the recently-
announced city centre permanent Covid Memorial. Designed by architect and sculptor
George King, the sculpture will be unveiled at Balm Green Gardens near the City Hall on or
around the National Day of Reflection on 23rd March 2023.
Ruth Nutter of Compassionate Sheffield said about the programme of workshops and
conversations: “Owing to the isolating nature of the pandemic, many people haven’t had the
chance to share and learn about each other’s experiences.
“Whether you lost someone during the pandemic, or even had a baby born in lockdown,
these are massive things to go through and we thought it right to create a safe space where
people can visit the exhibition and then gather to discuss their own reflections and
experiences with other people who have also experienced similar things.”
For anyone who is unable to attend the exhibition, a collection of stories from across Sheffield
will be published on the Stories From The Pandemic website, including video recordings and
written testimony. They will be published after the exhibition has closed, in line with the
National Day of Remembrance (23rd March). Sheffield City Archives will also make the full
collection available for future generations.
