This website uses cookies. Read more about our cookie/privacy policy.

Accept and Close

The Sheffield culture guide written by in-the-know locals

Going Public

Going Public: International Art Collectors in Sheffield was a project conceived to explore how public galleries and philanthropists can better develop meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships. It launched in 2015, led by Museums Sheffield in partnership with Sheffield Cathedral, Sheffield Hallam University's Sheffield Institute of Arts Gallery and Site Gallery.

The first edition of Going Public brought work from some of Europe’s finest private collections of contemporary and 20th century art to Sheffield in a citywide series of exhibitions, accompanied by a major summit. It continued in 2016 with Going Public: The Napoleone Collection, an exhibition at the Graves Gallery of highlights drawn from the collection of Valeria Napoleone, the foremost collector of work by women contemporary artists. And it returned in 2017 with Going Public: The Kirkland Collection, curated by Jack Kirkland from his personal collection.

See below for a series of videos featuring interviews with the collectors, in which they discuss their individual approaches to collecting art.

You might also like...

Jo Peel

Capturing stories of cities in paint.

Eddy Dreadnought

An artist working across performance, writing, drawing, video, and photography, aiming to ask questions about the world in a sensory, open and poetic way.

Society of Explorers

A curious, enthusiastic and creative collective of 14-to-19-year-olds, chatting, making and curating art from their Site Gallery base.

No Bounds

Fri. 10 October 2025 — Sun. 12 October 2025

A weekend of bleeps, beats and sweaty grins – bringing together music, visual art and technology. Details for 2025 to be confirmed.