Shadow Culture Minister and South Yorkshire MP, Dan Jarvis, has visited Sheffield as part of his tour of the regions.

Jarvis was keen to head to the ‘Steel City’ and meet with Arts organisations and leading figures in the Sheffield Arts and Creative Industries scene as he looks to complete his report into Arts provision across all English regions.

The Barnsley Central MP explained, “Sheffield is a vibrant city that has culture at its core. The City council has done really important work with local businesses and Arts organisations, to ensure that even though we find ourselves in tough economic times, the Arts’ footprint remains as strong as possible across the city.

“When you walk around the Crucible and Lyceum theatres, you can feel the history the moment you enter. People from across the country come to Sheffield to view productions at these famous theatres. We should be proud that in South Yorkshire we have such a strong cultural offer to the country. When you walk through the stunning Millennium Gallery you are offered the opportunity to immerse yourself in Sheffield's rich culture and history. I believe it is important to make sure that continues.

“I was also delighted to meet with Laura Sillars, the Chair of Sheffield’s Culture Consortium. This is something that cities outside of London are starting to formulate to very good effect. Traditionally with the Arts, many organisations felt their artistic impression could be diminished if they were seen to be working with other Arts organisations competing for the same audience. Now, the sector has realised that in order to best endure George Osborne’s economics, a coming together through a culture consortium is necessary and highly useful.

“This has provided Sheffield’s Arts sector with the opportunity to share programming, resources, ambitions and staff as well as mobilise a wide range of participants in the Arts.

“Perhaps the best example of this is the Sheffield Children’s Festival which now includes over 34,000 children from across Sheffield. The city has led the country in putting together a festival that is funded by businesses and allows young people access to the Arts from an early age.

“The city of Sheffield is proving that the Arts can be a driving force for local regeneration and the regional economy and the Labour Party and I am determined to do all we can to support their brilliant work and I look forward to returning next month to support the Sheffield DocFest".