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

Migration Matters

In 2007 Sheffield became the UK’s first City of Sanctuary – a place that welcomes and offers safety to asylum-seekers and refugees. It's fitting, then, that the city is home to the UK's biggest Refugee Week festival: Migration Matters.

Since 2016, the arts festival has celebrated the positive impact that migration and refugees have had on Sheffield and beyond.

Migration Matters 2024 takes place 14–22 June. Headliners are Grammy-nominated Afrobeat duo Amadou & Mariam, genre-hopping band Sirens of Lesbos, and prize-winning poet Roger Robinson. Elsewhere in the programme there's comedy, conversation, art, theatre, film and more.

Many events are free. For others, ticket options range from free (on request) to lower price, general, and solidarity (for those wanting to pay it forward). Passes are available, giving you entry to as many events as you like.

See below for our highlights for Migration Matters 2024. And see the full programme for lots, lots more.