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

Festival of the Mind

Amazing work goes on behind university walls. New ideas and the learnings of pioneering research bounce from one laboratory, lecture hall and seminar room to the next. With a little help from Sheffield's creative community, Festival of the Mind lets the University of Sheffield's latest research and ideas loose in the city every other year.

Taking place for the fifth time on 17–27 September, Festival of the Mind 2020 will be a creative and interactive live and online showcase of local creative talent and world-class academic research. More than 100 collaborators are presenting new work on this year's themes – sustainability, extinction, hope, artificial intelligence, climate change and health – across ten inspiring days.

The dazzling Spiegeltent has been the focal point of Festival of the Mind in past years. While it won't physically land in Barker's Pool this year, it's being recreated in virtual form, hosting podcasts, films, talks and performances online, for free. Meanwhile Futurecade will immerse visitors in virtual reality both online and in person at Millennium Gallery (advance booking required to allow for social distancing).

Scroll down for our highlights from the Festival of the Mind 2020.

Full programme.