Festival of the Mind returns to Sheffield with mind-blowing free events across the city
A mind-blowing celebration of the University of Sheffield’s world-leading research is heading to the city centre this autumn, as Festival of the Mind returns with a variety of free live performances, exhibitions, films and interactive events.
A mind-blowing celebration of the University of Sheffield’s world-leading research is heading to the city centre this autumn, as Festival of the Mind returns with a variety of free live performances, exhibitions, films and interactive events.
The University of Sheffield's Festival of the Mind returns to Sheffield city centre from 6–15 November 2026, offering an array of free, family-friendly events, performances, experiences and exhibitions
The festival pairs local artists and creatives with academics to translate complex research - ranging from historical drink recipes and Roman glassmaking to fusion energy and interstellar nurseries - into engaging public events
Featuring over 40 projects across multiple city centre venues, this edition promises to be the most ambitious yet, marking the final Festival of the Mind under the leadership of outgoing Director Professor Vanessa Toulmin
The nine-day family-friendly festival, which has brought more than 200,000 visitors into Sheffield city centre since 2012, returns to venues across the city centre from 6 - 15 November.
Festival of the Mind 2026 brings Sheffield’s creative talent and cultural sector together with its brightest academic minds. Through collaborations in art, film, performance and more, local artists and academics will transform university research into engaging, entertaining and immersive experiences for the public to enjoy.
Returning for its eighth edition, this year’s edition promises to be the most ambitious yet. Highlights range from an immersive star-birth installation and tastings of centuries-old drinks recipes to an exhibition unravelling an ancient mystery and a live, crowd-sourced performance by dub pioneers The Black Dog.
By taking research out of lecture theatres and into public spaces, the festival gives people the opportunity to explore how university research helps tackle some of society’s biggest issues. From the frontiers of robotics and sustainable futures to explorations into history, culture, politics and the arts, there is something at the festival to spark imaginations of all ages.
More than 300 showcases across 43 projects covering exhibitions, interactive activities, talks, performances and screenings will take place in venues throughout the city, including the Millenium Gallery, the Winter Gardens, Persistence Works and, new for 2026, Channing Hall on Surrey Street. There will also be one-off events in the Sheffield Library Theatre and the Sheffield and District African Caribbean Community Association (SADACCA).
Visit the Festival of the Mind website for full programme details. While all the events and exhibitions are free to attend, advance registration is recommended for events and performances at Channing Hall.
Events and exhibitions from the Faculty of Social Sciences
- An evening of way/mark/ing - 12th November, 18:00 - 20:00 - SADACCA - Dr Andrew Belfield, School of Architecture and Landscape
How can art and activism rewrite the history of our city's spaces? way/mark/ing builds on the legacy of Sheffield historian and activist Mark Hutchinson with an evening of films, artwork, and a panel discussion. Join us in-person or via the live stream.
- Ashes to Ashes - Exhibition - Persistence Works, Yorkshire Art Space - Dr Camilla Allen, School of Architecture and Landscape
Ashes to Ashes is a body of artistic works created by the Heavy Water Collective and inspired by Dr Camilla Allen’s research on the cultural history of trees. The project explores themes of environmental change, impermanence and loss, with a focus on the impact of ash dieback on urban and rural landscapes.
- Calling Barnsley - Exhibition - Persistence Works, Yorkshire Art Space - Dr Ryan Bramley, School of Education
Step inside a larger-than-life phonebox, lift the receiver and listen to a collection of vivid and revelatory stories about, and set in, the town of Barnsley. Calling Barnsley is an interactive audio installation showcasing monologues adapted from interviews with people of Barnsley, and produced and performed by LUNG Theatre as part of the Storying Barnsley project. To accompany the installation, arts-based researcher Dr Ryan Bramley and LUNG Theatre will be running drop-in storytelling workshops where you can share your own stories. For more information visit sheffield.ac.uk/fotm.
- Care is a Future-Oriented Act - Exhibition - Millenium Gallery - Ames Clark, School of Geography and Planning
Care is a Future-Oriented Act is a compelling installation centered around an intricate, patchwork jacket created by artist Nadia Mehdi. To emphasise that “care takes time,” the garment incorporates a rich tapestry of textiles, quotes and iconography. Drawing directly from Ames Clark’s research, the piece demonstrates how care reshapes our sense of time through slow, layered creation and collective voices. Through an immersive, durational performance, the installation highlights care not as a static moment, but as an ongoing, future-facing act.
- COVID’s Hidden Scars - Exhibition - Persistence Works, Yorkshire Art Space - Dr Martyn Griffin, Management School
COVID’s Hidden Scars is an immersive art installation developed by Dr Martyn Griffin from a six-year study into the psychological and emotional trauma experienced by critical care nurses during and after the pandemic. Centred around a recreated critical care bed, the exhibit incorporates a filmed performance, photographs, a handcrafted patchwork quilt and a large mural to reflect the study’s key findings. The artworks were co-designed with artists James Croft, Sally Ann Spencer-Grey, Rebel Roots Theatre Company and Yid Whells. You are invited to step into this quiet space to reflect on the unseen emotional toll borne by healthcare workers and their attempts to repair and heal.
- Cracks in the Façade - Exhibition - Persistence Works, Yorkshire Art Space - Hinna Abid, School of Education
Cracks in the Façade is a community-based creative initiative that empowers men to confront mental health challenges through collective art-making. In collaboration with Dr Will Mason, Hinna Abid, the Manor and Castle Development Trust and the Parson Cross community, artist Alastair Flindall and Neck of the Wood studio create a striking, collaged artefact. Composed of personal imagery, objects and texts, the exhibit lays bare the hidden emotional struggles - from loneliness and societal pressures to suppressed vulnerability. Visitors are invited to view the piece as a catalyst for open conversation, mutual support and breaking down longstanding stigmas.
- Furnace to Fusion - Exhibition - Millenium Gallery - Dr Emma Heywood, School of Information, Journalism and Communication
From the birth of the Industrial Revolution to the frontier of fusion energy – discover the region’s incredible transformation. Anchored by Samuel Forbes-Fairfax’s research, supervised by Dr Emma Heywood, this century-spanning film combines animation, archival footage and rich storytelling to connect our industrial past with a low-carbon future. Don’t just watch though: step up to our immersive display and listen to Sheffield as the beating heart of past, present and future innovation. Furnace to Fusion is a collaborative project by the University of Sheffield, UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and Human Studio.
- Space Glaciers! Deciphering the history of ice ages on Mars - Exhibition - Millenium Gallery - Dr Frances Butcher, School of Geography and Planning
Capturing the icy wonders of the Red Planet, Space Glaciers! is a striking metal sculpture by silversmith Holly Clifford. The piece translates the scientific research of Dr Frances Butcher, who utilises satellite imagery and surface elevation data to decipher the rich glacial and climate history of Mars. Space Glaciers! is situated in the Millennium Gallery foyer, outside Ambulo cafe.
- Understanding AI - 7th November, 10:00-16:00 (drop-in demos) / 16:30 (film screening) - Channing Hall - Dr Susan Oman, School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations
Live robotics demos, interactive digital exhibits, and artist-led zine workshops exploring the future of AI. Dive into the big ethical questions with our experts, and stick around for a special film screening and Q&A at 4:30pm.
- What Does Care Mean to You? Portraits and reflections on care - Exhibition - Millenium Gallery - Prof Katherine Runswick-Cole, School of Education
What does care mean to you? Through photographs and personal reflections, this exhibit shares the voices of people with experience of giving and receiving care. Come and find out more about different experiences of care in our lives and communities. The project was developed through collaboration between members of the public, photographer Les Monaghan, and the National Institute for Health and Social Care’s (NIHR) School for Social Care Research at the University of Sheffield.