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

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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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.

Slime Mother

Fri. 3 October 2025 — Sun. 1 February 2026

Site Gallery

An immersive, multi-sensory exhibition by artist and writer Abi Palmer. With film, text, sculpture and installation, inviting us to be more slug-like – to slow down, merge and connect – embracing the resilient strangeness of this complex gastropod.

Rob Lee

A graphic artist whose large-scale geometric murals invite interaction and inject a shot of vibrancy into the city.

ArtWorks

A collective of artists with learning disabilities.