A Sheffield Landmark, Past and Present 

At Showroom and Work Station, we’re proud to be part of Sheffield’s rich heritage. Our home, once the Kennings Car Showroom built in the 1930s, has been transformed into one of the city’s most vibrant cultural spaces. Right in the heart of Sheffield, we celebrate the city’s spirit of creativity, innovation and community every day. From our cinema screens to our buzzing workspace, our story is woven into Sheffield’s cultural landscape — and we’re excited to keep building on that legacy. 

 In the Beginning…

• 1936: Building opens as Kennings car showroom.
• 1960s: Roof extension added.
• 1970s: Building closes as a garage.
• 1983: Sheffield Council acquires the building.
• 1989: Sheffield Media and Exhibition Centre Limited is founded.
• 1989: The Showroom Project launched by Sir Richard Attenborough.
• 1990: Initial building work completed by Sheffield City Council.

1990s Developments

• 1990: Completion of initial building work by Sheffield City Council.
• 1994: First Sheffield International Documentary Festival (Doc/Fest).
• 1995: Opening of Showroom Cinema’s Screen 1 & 2 by Sir Sydney Samuelson.  First films shown: Woody Allen’s Mighty Aphrodite and Hal Hartley’s Amateur.
• 1998: Opening of Screens 3 & 4 by Pete Postlethwaite.
  Building completion milestone.
• 1999: First Showcomotion young people's film festival, lasting 15 days.

2000s Achievements

• 2002: Voted favourite independent cinema by Guardian readers.
• 2004: Children’s Media Conference born from Showcomotion, focusing on the future of children’s media and bringing together hundreds of international delegates
• 2005: Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (ShAFF) begins, celebrating adventure, travel and extreme sports filmmaking.
• 2005–2006: The Constant Gardener becomes longest-running film (Oct 2005 – May 2006).
• 2006: Arctic Monkeys film music video for 'Leave Before the Lights Come On' on the rooftop.
• 2007: Voted Best Cultural Venue in Exposed Magazine Awards.
• 2009: First Celluloid Screams Horror Festival.
• 2009: Filming of Chris Morris' Four Lions on the rooftop.

2010s Growth

• 2011: The King's Speech – highest-grossing film at Showroom’s box office to this date, with nearly 14,000 attendees.
• 2012: Becomes a British Film Institute Youth Film Academy.
• 2014: Recognised as the cultural leader for the region with the award to form Film Hub North as part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network.
• 2014: Doc/Fest becomes an Oscar-qualifying festival and third-largest documentary festival globally (3,500 delegates).
• 2015: Celebrated 20th anniversary and launched fundraising appeal for cinema screen refurbishment.
• 2015: Named one of the 12 Coolest Cinemas in the UK by Culture Trip.

2020s Highlights

• 2021: We made it to the #1 spot on Time Out's 'The 22 best things to do in Sheffield', as well as ranking #43 in their list of 'The 50 best cinemas in the UK and Ireland'. 
• 2024: Workstation celebrated 30 inspiring years with a landmark panel event featuring South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard, looking back at the building’s role in Sheffield’s creative industries.
• 2024: Launched the inaugural Sheffield Film Festival, celebrating new and emerging filmmaking talent.
• 2025: Marked 30 years of Showroom Cinema with special anniversary screenings of Brassed Off, featuring a live performance by the Unite the Union brass band and appearances from cast and crew involved in the iconic film.