Bloc Studios was founded in 1996 by four art college graduates as an antidote to the then lack of studio facilities in Sheffield. Originally situated on Sidney Street in a former cultery factory, Bloc rapidly grew and ultimately filled that building, taking on more space as new tenants came. In 2001, armed with an extensive waiting list and under the management of Richard Bartle, Bloc eventually relocated to its current site on Arundel Street and grew from these humble origins into the thriving community it is today. Bloc remains an artist led initiative and is currently home to 65 artists and makers working in 55 studios and a variety of art mediums.