This website uses cookies. Read more about our cookie/privacy policy.

Accept and Close

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

What's On

Our Sheffield culture calendar. Filled with picks of the city’s arts, culture and heritage events, both in-person and virtual. Plus reviews and festival guides.

Victorian Christmas Market

Multiple dates

Kelham Island Museum

Gather under the gaslamps and celebrate the start of the festive season as the much-loved Victorian Christmas Market returns.

The Festive Festival

Sun. 7 December 2025

A joy-filled day across two beautiful, candlelit Neepsend venues: The Mowbray and Victoria. With maker stalls, coffee, Christmas cocktails, savoury and sweet treats, choir singing, children's story sessions, and lots more.

NVM Festive Social

Thu. 11 December 2025

National Videogame Museum

Join the National Videogame Museum for their Festive Social. An evening of games, gifts and crafting, including a unique workshop with artist Tom J Newell.

Slugs & Slug Life Film Screening

Fri. 12 December 2025

Site Gallery

A double bill of short film Slug Life (2018) followed by horror feature Slugs (1988). Inspired by Abi Palmer’s exhibition Slime Mother, on now at Site Gallery.

Sheffield Artist Maker Exchange Winter Makers Market

Sat. 13 December 2025

Sheffield Artist Maker Exchange, 108 Prospect Road, Heeley, S2 3EN

Join Sheffield Artist Maker Exchange for an afternoon of festive crafts and a celebration of local makers.

Ukrainian Christmas Market

Sat. 13 December 2025

Millennium Gallery

Celebrate a Ukrainian Christmas with folk songs, handmade gifts, authentic food and more.

Peter Blundell Jones: Architecture, Landscape and the City

Mon. 21 July 2025 — Sun. 14 December 2025

Western Bank Library

An exhibition celebrating the life, work and legacy of the late British architect, writer, and teacher Peter Blundell Jones who taught at the University of Sheffield School of Architecture.

Merchants & Friends Community Market #2: Festive All-Dayer

Sun. 14 December 2025

Merchants House, Merchants Court, 43 Mowbray Street, S3 8EN

A Christmassy market for people who care about good food, community and art and design. Raising funds for S6 Food Bank.

Penny McCarthy: How to Look Through Time

Sat. 12 July 2025 — Sat. 20 December 2025

Graves Gallery

Artist Penny McCarthy sets out to find new ways to consider time, loss and preservation.

Crafted

Sat. 25 October 2025 — Wed. 24 December 2025

Millennium Gallery

The Millennium Gallery’s annual selling showcase returns this autumn. Celebrating excellence in making across the region and beyond.

Celebrating 150 Years of Weston Park Museum

Weston Park Museum

This summer, join one of our city’s best-loved museums as it kicks off celebrations for its 150th anniversary. Including chance to play retro games, build a giant 3D map of the city, create decorations for the museum's big birthday party, and more.

Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio

Tue. 11 November 2025 — Wed. 31 December 2025

Showroom

The most extensive film ever made about one of the greatest artists of all time. Featuring masterpiece after masterpiece and with first-hand testimony from the artist himself on the eve of his mysterious disappearance.

Home

Sat. 22 November 2025 — Sat. 3 January 2026

Cupola Gallery

Cupola's Christmas show. Exploring the meanings of home – from domestic space, family belonging and identity to shelter, comfort and place. Opening on 21 November with chance to meet the artists and get festive with wine, nibbles and mince pies.

A World in Dots – Mark Kemp

Fri. 5 December 2025 — Mon. 5 January 2026

The Circle, 33 Rockingham Lane, S1 4FW

An exhibition from ArtWorks member Mark Kemp. With his signature pointillist style using bold colour to create immersive, fantastical landscapes.

Unquiet Landscapes

Fri. 5 December 2025 — Sat. 10 January 2026

Yorkshire Artspace: Persistence Works

An exhibition taking us on a journey into landscapes both real and imagined, psychological and metaphorical. Opening up a terrain that reflects our relationship with the landscape today.

Mark Wallinger in Conversation with Sacha Craddock

Wed. 14 January 2026

Millennium Gallery

A screening of three films by Turner Prize–winning artist Mark Wallinger. Followed by a discussion and Q&A with Wallinger and art critic Sacha Craddock.

New Horizons: Growing Sheffield’s Art Collection

Sat. 18 October 2025 — Sun. 25 January 2026

Millennium Gallery

Sheffield’s art collection has evolved since it was founded 150 years ago. This exhibition presents highlights of artworks that have joined the collection in the last 10 years. By Lubna Chowdhary, Grayson Perry, Bridget Riley, Marlene Smith and more.

Kelham Makes: Make Your Own Leather Pouch

Wed. 28 January 2026

Kelham Island Museum

In this workshop, you’ll create your own unique leather pouch, perfect for storing jewellery or coins in.

Workshop: Pigment & Paint Making - Colours inspired by John Ruskin

Sat. 31 January 2026

Millennium Gallery

Join artist and pigment specialist Lucy Mayes for a hands-on exploration of historical colour, inspired by John Ruskin’s 19th-century palette.

Slime Mother

Fri. 3 October 2025 — Sun. 1 February 2026

Site Gallery

An immersive, multi-sensory exhibition by artist and writer Abi Palmer. With film, text, sculpture and installation, inviting us to be more slug-like – to slow down, merge and connect – embracing the resilient strangeness of this complex gastropod.

Workshop: The World of Earth Pigments – From Rock to Paint

Sun. 1 February 2026

Millennium Gallery

Discover the art of sourcing, processing, and creating paint from locally derived iron-rich earth pigments with artist and pigment specialist Lucy Mayes.

Evening Workshop: Charm Necklaces

Thu. 19 February 2026

Millennium Gallery

Design and create a unique charm necklace using a selection of beads and charms in this hands-on evening workshop.

Exhibition on Screen: Turner & Constable

Tue. 10 March 2026 — Tue. 31 March 2026

Showroom

Celebrating the 250th anniversary of their births, this new documentary explores Turner and Constable’s intertwined lives and legacies alongside the groundbreaking Tate exhibition.

Sheffield Ceramics Festival

Sat. 18 April 2026 — Sun. 19 April 2026

Kelham Island Museum

Browse the wares of around 50 ceramic artists, potters and sculptors from South Yorkshire and beyond.

Open Up Sheffield

Multiple dates

Sheffield's annual artists' open studios festival, taking place over two weekends and a bank holiday in May.

Pint of Science Festival

Mon. 18 May 2026 — Wed. 20 May 2026

Three nights of science fun. Academics bring their research out of the lab for a series of talks, demos and experiments in pubs, bars and creative spaces. Info for Pint of Science Festival 2026 coming soon.

Exhibition on Screen: Frida Kahlo

Tue. 19 May 2026 — Sun. 31 May 2026

Showroom

A journey through the life of a true icon. Discover her art, and uncover the story of her rebellious, passionate life. With new material from the curators of the groundbreaking Tate Modern exhibition Frida Kahlo: the Making of an Icon.

Migration Matters Festival

A celebration of culture, compassion, and the positive impact migration and refugees have in Sheffield. Held on and around Refugee Week each June – come back soon for details of Migration Matters 2026.

Children's Media Conference

Tue. 7 July 2026 — Thu. 9 July 2026

Showroom

The UK’s premier event for everyone in kids TV, media and entertainment. With a free exhibition, Playground, bringing together interactive digital art and maker activities for children to play with.

Future Now Festival of Creativity

Wed. 1 April 2026 — Fri. 31 July 2026

An annual showcase of work by Sheffield Hallam University’s graduating artists, designers, filmmakers, animators, writers, architects and performers.

No Bounds

Fri. 9 October 2026 — Sun. 11 October 2026

A weekend of bleeps, beats and sweaty grins – bringing together music, visual art and technology. Come back soon for details of No Bounds 2026 – earlybird tickets on sale now.

Festival of the Mind

A biennial festival of new ideas. Bringing together the city's creative community and its academic minds through exhibitions, talks, screenings, performances and more. Stay tuned for dates and details for the next Festival of the Mind in autumn 2026.

Gathering Landscapes: 150 Years of Collecting at Weston Park Museum

Fri. 28 November 2025 — Sun. 1 November 2026

Weston Park Museum

A look at the curious, beautiful, macabre and magical connections people have made to the land through over 400 objects from Sheffield’s collections. Curated by Heavy Water Collective (artists Maud Haya-Baviera, Victoria Lucas and Joanna Whittle).

In Conversation: On the Border of my Peaceful Home

Tue. 24 June 2025 — Wed. 23 December 2026

Graves Gallery

An exhibition curated by artist Kedisha Coakley, bringing together artworks, objects and specimens from Sheffield’s collection to explore the relationship between empire and the trade in fruit and flowers.

Lick of Paint

A mural and street art festival. Returning for a second edition in 2027. Expect smaller creative events from the team throughout 2026 though – watch this space for details!