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

Photos from Off the Shelf 2022

Autumn in Sheffield is pretty much synonymous with literary delights, as Off the Shelf Festival of Words 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.

Look out for our top picks from the 2025 Off the Shelf programme in the coming months.

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Algorithmic Pattern

Fri. 12 September 2025 — Sat. 20 September 2025

A festival and conference on algorithmic pattern-making. Exploring procedural approaches in human culture – from heritage arts and crafts like textiles and bell-ringing, to the contemporary likes of live coding and generative art.

Bassfest Summer Festival

Sat. 19 July 2025 — Sun. 20 July 2025

Don Valley Bowl

Dedicated to drum and bass, house, bassline, and beyond.

Novel

An absolute gem in Crookes, Novel's owners Kate and Joe create a personal touch with their recommendations, particularly when it comes to contemporary fiction. The shop also hosts the Graphic Novel Reading Room upstairs.

Beth Davies

"Everybody’s life is worthy of poetry." The Sheffield Poet Laureate for 2024–2026 talks to us about creative community, accessibility in poetry, and the potential for inspiration in everything.