Wednesday night is the time when the city will come to life, aiming to attract people from across the area with a vibrant mix of street entertainment, live music and late night opening at shops, museums and galleries.

Wednesday NIght Live! will be a weekly event throughout the duration of the Vivienne Westwood exhibition at the Millennium Galleries - from June 4 to September 17.

The idea is to promote the city's cultural highlights, encourage people to make the most of the warm summer evenings, and boost the local economy with a new platform for shops, attractions, bars and restaurants.

The initiative is one of the first to emerge from the Economic Masterplan, launched earlier this year.

"The city centre has undergone a remarkable transformation. We now want our businesses and retailers to benefit from this environment," said Ian Bromley, chief executive of city development company, Creative Sheffield.

The council's head of culture, Anne Gosse, said: "Wednesday Night Live! is a wonderful opportunity for residents of Sheffield and visitors to experience the city's cultural highlights. The city centre will be a hive of activity every Wednesday throughout the summer, and we're excited about the level of interest we've received so far from businesses and the public."

Many high street and independent shops, including Marks and Spencer and John Lewis, will be opening late. Bars and restaurants will be offering special deals for Wednesday night customers.

There will be live music and street performances across the city centre. And the Winter Garden and Millennium Galleries will be staying open until 9pm - opening up the exhibition to people who might not usually have a chance to see it.

M&S manager Brian Littlejohn said: "We will be opening late on a Wednesday evening, which should dramatically increase footfall around the city centre. We will actively encourage other retailers to open late to help drive the Wednesday evening economy."
Creative Sheffield, which is driving the initiative, hopes it will gather momentum as it progresses.

Director Brendan Moffett said: "We're keen to promote Sheffield city centre as a great place to visit, and Wednesday Night Live! is sure to help us do this.

"City centre businesses are jumping at the chance to be part of this, and to help us bring the city centre to life this summer. For companies that aren't already involved, it's not too late, they just need to give us a call to find out how."

Contact Hannah Brailey at Creative Sheffield on (0114) 223 2345.