Former Sheffield hairdressers to be given 'new lease of life' by African theatre company's new youth academy

As a charitable organisation, Utopia Theatre has been working with Leeds-based Hammond Associates, a company which specialises in making empty commercial property available to artists, arts and community-based charities.

Mojisola Kareem-Elufowoju, CEO and artistic director of Utopia Theatre, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to secure a dedicated home for our Youth Academy.

"This will allow us to put a stamp on a building which is now destined to create even more opportunities for the next generation of creatives.

“It’s also important for us to be able to play our part in the regeneration and re-use of The Moor in Sheffield, so bringing a new lease of life to this area of the city is a real bonus. We are immensely proud of our Sheffield roots and it’s brilliant to be able to play our part in shaping the future of the area by making use of commercial space which is otherwise unused.”

Utopia Theatre is set to host workshops and performing arts classes for nine to 19-year-olds alongside a programme of mentoring and training. The youth group, which launched earlier this year, was formerly based at St Mary’s Church on Bramall Lane.

In the deal brokered by Hammond Associates, the new premises have been made available rent and service charge free on a temporary basis by landlord NewRiver Retail.

Founded in 2012, Utopia Theatre is also a resident theatre company at the Crucible Theatre.