Sheffield’s Sharrow area was transformed last night with a visual spectacular for the seventh annual Sharrow Lantern Carnival.
Fire Spinners at Cemetery Park
It was another cold and dreary night in Sheffield. The recent burst of warmer weather and the promise of summer nights to come had been replaced with murky grey skies and a wintery chill.
On the outskirts of the city’s Sharrow area – often referred to by those who don’t know it as “shabby”, “tatty” and “run-down” – the streets were all but deserted, and as the sun set over uniform blocks of dated flats and Victorian terraces past their best, there was a decidedly gloomy feel.
The Sound of Samba
But if you listened closely on nearby London Road, you would have heard the sound of samba. If you had followed the beat of African drums and the gentler sounds of the local Opor Choir to Mount Pleasant Park, you would have been met with an altogether more exotic scene: handmade lanterns of every shape and colour, from giant geese with golden wings to glowing flames and pitchforks.
This is the Sharrow Lantern Carnival: a chance for the residents of one of Sheffield’s most culturally diverse and often misunderstood areas to take to the streets in the name of art, music and dance.
The Parade
Undeterred by the weather, the people of Sharrow wrapped up warm and embraced the carnival atmosphere. In a parade which ran from Mount Pleasant to General Cemetery Park – culminating in fire spinning and live music – onlookers and participants alike watched in awe.
Toddlers in pyjamas looked out from their windows, mothers clutching newborns waved from their doorsteps, and newcomers to the area marvelled at the blur of colour and noise which lit up the city streets. For one night every year, the Lantern Carnival is a chance to transform people’s perceptions of the area and show the creativity and cultural diversity which is at the very heart of Sharrow.
Transforming Sharrow
One person keen to stress the importance of the event is Luisa Golob, Managing Director of the group behind the carnival Creative Action Network (CAN). ‘People rave about it” says Luisa. “I know people who have moved to Sharrow because of the carnival, because it made them see the area in a different light. People who don’t live here think it’s dodgy, and it’s not at all.”
Changing Perceptions
Tom, 23, is one person who changed his mind about Sharrow after discovering events like the carnival. “I moved here a couple of years ago” he explains “and at first I thought it was a bit rough – on first impressions, it looks a little run-down, and I had heard that it had a higher crime rate than other areas of Sheffield. I lived in a house with three other guys, but we just didn’t feel comfortable going out.”
Tom’s first impressions are typical of people who don’t know Sharrow. “You never really know a place until you live there” he adds, “and once we’d been here a while, we started finding out about all these events – film showings, live music, art exhibitions, the carnival. And we realised there is so much going on people don’t know about. It has a great cultural scene, and there’s a real sense of community here. Everyone is really committed to events like this and to making the most of their community, and it’s definitely changed the way I see the area.”
“It’s important that individuals are passionate about their community”
While Luisa is sceptical about the notion of a Cameron-esque “big society”, adding – ‘it’s something I feel reluctant about, and I’m not sure how sustainable an idea it is’ – she is keen to see people being actively involved in local projects. ‘I think what’s important is that individuals are passionate about something in their community – that’s what makes things happen.”
A night in the making 
The event has taken a lot of careful preparation: funding has to be secured (it costs between £3000 and £5000 to organise each year) and the success of the evening depends on the on-going commitment of volunteers and local residents. It’s taken 5 months to plan and since January, families, couples and individuals alike have spent their Saturday afternoons lovingly cultivating their creations.
In the final lantern making workshops this weekend, people were adding the finishing touches to their projects and by late afternoon, the local junior school and nearby Highfields Trinity Church were home to an eclectic collection of objects. Using willow strips, masking tape and seemingly endless quantities of PVA glue, people of all ages have invested their time and energy in an event the community, and the city of Sheffield, can be proud of.
This year's theme was elements
A socialist movement
The carnival has been running for seven years, and was set up in 2004 by Sharrow organisation Creative Action Network (CAN). ‘CAN began with a group of friends who wanted to start a socialist movement’, explains Managing Director Luisa Golob. ‘They wanted to bring people out into the streets for peaceful reasons, and so they started up the carnival. They used to have a minute’s silence for peace – although we don’t do that any more.’
In recent years, Luisa explains that the group’s focus has shifted – “we’ve grown into a creative organisation” – but encouraging individuals and families to become more involved in their community through creative projects is still at the heart of what CAN does. From lantern making workshops to cook-alongs, tea dances and art exhibitions, Luisa and a team of artists bring cultural programmes, events and workshops to the people of Sharrow throughout the year.
It may take a lot of hard work and preparation, but for Luisa – and for the local community – it’s certainly worth it. ‘When I’m there it’s just incredible, I always feel so overwhelmed – I just want to cry. It really is a beautiful event.’