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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 constantly bounce from one laboratory or seminar room to the next. With a little help from Sheffield's creative community, that work and those ideas are let loose in the city throughout the Festival of the Mind.

Every other autumn, academic and creative minds from Sheffield come together to host exhibitions, talks, screenings, performances and more, in venues across the city. Past editions of Festival of the Mind have also brought to town a Spiegeltent, a glorious 18th century structure that's acted as the festival's hub.

Come back soon to find out what's in store for the next Festival of the Mind in autumn 2026.

In the meantime, keep an eye on the festival's Facebook page for updates.

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Musica Antica Rotherhithe

Wed. 18 February 2026

Firth Hall

Immerse yourself in the Golden Age of Venetian Opera, rediscovered after 350 years – with period-accurate instruments.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

Wed. 14 January 2026 — Thu. 12 February 2026

The Light, The Moor, S1 4PF

A continuation of 28 Years Later, revealing a world in which the infected are no longer the greatest threat to survival, but the inhumanity of survivors is. Director Nia DaCosta turns the world created by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland on its head.

Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening

Sun. 1 March 2026

Firth Hall

Multi-instrumentalist, composer and champion of the Northumbrian pipes, Kathryn Tickell brings 'Ancient Northumbrian Futurism' to town.

Eddy Dreadnought

An artist working across performance, writing, drawing, video, and photography, aiming to ask questions about the world in a sensory, open and poetic way.