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

Migration Matters Festival

Migration Matters 2024, photo by Smart Banda

In 2007 Sheffield became the UK’s first City of Sanctuary – a place that welcomes asylum-seekers and refugees, that offers a hand to people in need of safety. Held around Refugee Week each June, Migration Matters Festival is a celebration of diversity and the positive impact migration and refugees have in Sheffield.

The festival launched in 2016, the year of the Brexit referendum and Syrian refugee crisis. Each year the Migration Matters programme brings communities together over fantastic, globe-spanning variety of theatre, music, dance, workshops, exhibitions, and more.

Come back soon for dates and details of Migration Matters 2026.

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Thu. 9 April 2026

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Sheffield Folk Sessions Festival

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Pixiematosis

Thu. 30 April 2026

Lantern Theatre

Puppetry for adults and older children. Everything was perfect in the midnight garden – until the pixies realised they were being exploited by a greedy gardener. With charming puppets, odd automata, mime and occasional strong language.

Chim'Di

A Nigerian artist based in Sheffield, who creates abstract Afro-centric and Afro-futuristic paintings. Here she talks about the importance of authenticity, family and community to her creativity.