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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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The Art of Storytelling - Nicholas Jubber (author and storyteller)

Wed. 20 May 2026

Playhouse

Launching a day of music inspired by myths, legends and fairytales, author and storyteller Nicholas Jubber explores the enduring appeal of enchanting folk tales, often laced with a monstrous darkness.

Sheffield Indie Book Festival

Sat. 25 April 2026 — Sun. 26 April 2026

New for '26. Celebrating stories, and the shops and publishers who keep them alive. With talks and workshops from Bethan Woollvin, Steve Webb, Kavitha Rao, Michelle Tea, Sheaf Poetry, and more. Organised by Sheffield's indie bookshops.

And Other Stories

An indie publishing house, boldly trying to transform the world of books.

Akeem Balogun

Writer Akeem Balogun talks to Annalisa Toccara about his short story collection about human survival, and why he co-founded independent publishing company Okapi Books.