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

Migration Matters Festival

Fri. 19 June 2026 — Sat. 27 June 2026

Photo by Al Hussein-Abutaleb

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.

Migration Matters returns from 19 to 27 June 2026.

The theme for this year's festival is Forged by Migration, recognising how different communities have shaped Sheffield and contributed to its diverse international population. It's led by new festival director John Rwothomack, taking over from founder and now producer Sam Holland.

Migration Matters 2026 programme highlights:
  • Ghanaian-English afrobeats artist Fuse ODG
  • Live at the Apollo comedy star Desiree Burch
  • A symbolic play on Palestinian resistance in The Horse of Jenin
  • A screening of the Oscar-nominated Bosnian war drama Quo Vadis Aida?
  • Legendary dub producer Aba Shanti-I
  • A conversation with Afghan footballer Khalida Popal, the inspirational founder of activist organisation Girl Power
  • Opening and closing parties at Yellow Arch Studios
  • Joyful, participatory Afro-Brazilian and carnival dance workshops with Bellas da Silveira

  • A vinyl workshop covering the fundamentals of mixing, cueing and beat-matching using turntables

  • A Windrush Day listening session hosted by archivist and producer Ella Barrett for the Bantu Archive Programme at SADACCA – "think archive meets techno, oral history meets ambient textures

  • An immersive screening of shadow puppet film Hunter 77, based on the life of Joe Philips, a Jamaican immigrant steelworker living in Sheffield during the 60s, who spent eight years building a boat to sail home

  • A football shirt customisation workshop with Brown Girl Sport and Among Good People

For the first time there'll also be a free outdoor stage at Kelham Island Museum, spotlighting Sheffield artists across vibrant music, DJs, dance, exhibitions, international food, workshops and a special museum tour on Saturday 28 June.

Individual event tickets and festival passes on sale now.

Khalida Popal

Desiree Burch

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