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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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FORGE Warehouse, 148 Effingham Road, S4 7YS

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Theresa Bruno

Mixing ready-made objects with new media, artist Theresa Bruno plays with power structures and consumer trends.

William Mitchell mural

One for fans of concrete: a public artwork by prominent post-war sculptor and some-time Tomorrow’s World presenter William Mitchell, sitting in the shadow of John Lewis.

Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover: Publication Launch with Bahbak Hashemi-Nezhad

Thu. 29 January 2026

City of Sanctuary Sheffield, 37-39 Chapel Walk, S1 2PD

Join Arts Catalyst for a celebration of Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover, a new publication by artist Bahbak Hashemi-Nezhad. Developed with over 40 refugees and asylum seekers, the book centres on belonging, safety, rootedness and language.