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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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Off the Shelf

Sheffield's festival of books, words and ideas, taking place each October. Come back soon for our highlights from the writer talks, workshops and events in the 2026 programme.

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.

The Fringe at Tramlines

Fri. 24 July 2026 — Sun. 26 July 2026

Devonshire Green, 158 Devonshire Street, S1 4GT

Home to the official Tramlines Fringe, the Devonshire Green stage showcases an array of local talent over the festival weekend, all for free. On top of that, expect official and unofficial fringe events to pop up in bars and venues all over the city.

Chris Bush

The playwright behind the Park Hill-set musical Standing at the Sky’s Edge talks about tackling big ideas through theatre, and finding honest human stories that an audience can connect with.