If contemporary art’s your thing, be prepared to feel like a kid in a candy shop if you visit Emma Hudson’s one of a kind gallery in Sheffield. When Emma first set up shop in leafy Nether Edge, she settled on premises with a rock-solid community pedigree: an old sweet shop. She kept the name for her fledgling business and four years on, The Old Sweet Shop now hosts the wares of over 100 contemporary artists, including Sheffield’s finest and most exciting talents. Not bad going for a business that was almost started by Emma’s own admission, ‘by accident’… I caught up with Emma to find out more about the dream job she does daily.
How did you get started?
Back in 2006, I got the urge to start working for myself. I was looking for businesses on the internet with my brother, then one day, saw a To Let sign on a shop in Nether Edge. It was an old sweet shop, on the corner of a crossroads. Instinctively I knew the location was perfect for an indie business.
How does the shop’s history affect what you do as a gallery?
The shop used to be Payne’s Sweet Shop and was at the heart of the community in Nether Edge for many years. My landlady’s actually from the Payne family. I think because I’ve tried to keep the sweet shop character, the gallery is accessible to people as a shop, rather than a traditional ‘white cube’ gallery. That’s really important: it’s more difficult for people to walk into a gallery than a shop.
How do you choose and curate what goes in the gallery?
To be honest, it’s about quality. What the Old Sweet Shop provides is a showcase for predominantly local artists to exhibit and sell their work. When I set it up, there were few other places where that could happen locally. There aren’t any limits really… the shop has evolved naturally has taken on an identity of its own. It’s kind of like walking into someone’s living room!
What’s been your biggest challenge?
The floor falling in a week before our big December opening weekend springs to mind! Luckily my friends came to the rescue and helped us out, meaning we could open before Christmas after all.
What are the high points and low points about running your own gallery?
I guess that the stress of running your own business 24/7 is a high point and a low point, because you’re on your own with that. I love not knowing who’s coming through the door, the great conversations and the friends I’ve made through people coming into the shop. Neighbours bring me biscuits and local customers have become friends! That’s the great thing about living and working in Sheffield.
What drives you to do what you do?
I’m not an artist myself, but I like nothing better than working with artists – it’s the next best thing. I’m full of admiration for artists’ practice, and for me, I get a buzz when I sell their work.
What next for the Old Sweet Shop?
I’m expanding the online side of things. I have a brand new website which is nearly complete now, with an online shop. Many of The Old Sweet Shop artists have helped by providing graphics for the website, as I want to replicate the feel of the shop to people online who may not have visited it in real life. I’d like the collaboration with artists to be a continuing feature of the site. We will be doing an official launch very soon.
I’m also planning on developing the exhibition space in the shop so we can hold larger, stand-alone shows. So watch this space!
What advice would you give to other would-be creative entrepreneurs?
Be prepared to breathe, eat and sleep your business. But it’s totally worth it for the satisfaction that you get from fuelling your passion and being your own boss, especially working within the creative sector. If you are thinking about starting a venture, becoming freelance or working for yourself then definitely do it and take the risk.
Inspiring words from a talented gallerist who took the plunge and worked hard to get it right, giving Sheffield artists a platform for their work, as well as something back to the community in Nether Edge. If you’ve liked what you’ve read, get on over to the Old Sweet Shop and partake in their special pic n mix of local shop meets contemporary gallery.
The Old Sweet Shop, 1 Nether Edge Road, Sheffield S7 1RU is open:
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 10.30am – 6.30pm
Saturday 9.30am – 5.30pm
Sunday 11am – 4pm
Tel: 0114 255 8515
I love this place – specially the ethos of it being a shop rather than a gallery, which can feel very intimidating. x