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

Festival of Debate

Founded in 2015, Festival of Debate is an annual series of panel discussions, debates, Q&As, artistic responses, keynote speeches and other public events in Sheffield, exploring politics, economics and society. It’s coordinated in collaboration with over 50 partners across the city, from grassroots campaign groups to the city’s largest institutions.

Past keynote speakers have included Yanis Varoufakis, Reni-Eddo Lodge, Ed Miliband, Prof David Nutt, Owen Jones, Melissa Benn, Afua Hirsch, Francesca Martinez, Polly Toynbee, Nick Clegg, The Guilty Feminist, John Pilger, Grayson Perry, James O’Brien, Julian Assange, Paul Mason, Steve Silberman and George Monbiot.

Unfortunately their 2020 event programme was cancelled in late March due to the Covid-19 crisis but they’ve launched the brand new Festival of Debate Online, providing a digital platform for discussion and debate of the key social, political, environmental and economic issues of the day.

See the Festival of Debate Online programme.

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Commissioner Conversation: Cheryl Taylor

BBC Children’s Head of Content Cheryl Taylor discusses how a major broadcaster copes with the current crisis. Plus children’s author Laura Henry-Allain considers what influences in her childhood led to her way of thinking, creating and working.

CMC 2016 Keynote: Chris Riddell

Illustrator, author and political cartoonist Chris Riddell is passionate about the act of creation, politically committed, and in 2016 was meeting thousands of young people from every background across the UK in his role as Children’s Laureate.

Home in Britain

Mubeenah Waheed, Aniqah Majid and Loma Jones explore the concept of Home in Britain through poetry by Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan and Nat Raha. And discuss ways that creative expression provides a home of sorts for those who are marginalised/disempowered.

CMC 2014 Keynote: Malorie Blackman

An inspirational creative keynote talk from Malorie Blackman OBE – bestselling author and then children’s laureate – titled ‘The right to be seen, the need to be heard’.