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

Off the Shelf

Photos from Off the Shelf 2022

Autumn in Sheffield is pretty much synonymous with literary delights, as Off the Shelf festival of books, words and ideas returns to the city. The festival hosts a programme packed with talks and readings from world renowned authors and poets, famous folk off the telly, and a few knowledgable locals.

Each year, the festival absorbs audiences in topics ranging from pop music to politics, fine art to feminism.

Come back soon for dates and our highlights among the writer talks, workshops and events in the 2026 programme.

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Porter Book Shop

A chalkboard out front invites “stuff fans” into this small but stacked secondhand bookshop on the independent high street of Sharrow Vale Road.

Open Up Sheffield

Multiple dates

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

Sheffield Space Centre

Sheffield Space Centre opened its doors in 1978, around the time Star Wars fever first took over the world. It’s been at the centre of the city’s science fiction universe ever since.

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.