This website uses cookies. Read more about our cookie/privacy policy.

Accept and Close

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.

You might also like...

Gathering Landscapes: 150 Years of Collecting at Weston Park Museum

Fri. 28 November 2025 — Sun. 1 November 2026

Weston Park Museum

A look at the curious, beautiful, macabre and magical connections people have made to the land through over 400 objects from Sheffield’s collections. Curated by Heavy Water Collective (artists Maud Haya-Baviera, Victoria Lucas and Joanna Whittle).

Society of Explorers

A curious, enthusiastic and creative collective of 14-to-19-year-olds, chatting, making and curating art from their Site Gallery base.

Festival of Debate

Get informed, inspired and filled with ideas for positive change. With talks on big social, political, environmental and economic issues. The festival is taking a break in 2026 – come back for details of the 2027 event.

John Hoyland

Introducing John Hoyland (1934-2011), the Sheffield-born abstract painter who took on the international art world.