Sheffield’s Migration Matters Festival is returning for the ninth time, with promises of the “best lineup ever” for attendees. As part of the UK’s Refugee Week, whose theme for this year is home, the nine-day event will be celebrating all things arts and culture.
Last year, the festival gathered crowds of around 13,400 people. Migration Matters’ Director, Sam Holland, hopes that this year’s festival will be even bigger. He said: “This year’s festival will include our best lineup yet. There is an increased focus on global music due to demand and after last year, where we achieved a new audience record with Kenyan band Sauti Sol.
“We’re also increasing our strand of exciting family events which introduce young people into the migration conversation with our second year of Mini MigMat. This is a programme curated by young people in the Youth Theatre of Sanctuary in partnership with SBC Theatre and The Montgomery Theatre.”
Migration Matters Festival
The festival will host more than 50 events in venues across the city of Sheffield and runs from 14 to 22 June.
The headliners for the festival include the Grammy-nominated husband and wife duo, Amadou & Mariam, who will be performing their Afrobeat hits. Attendees also have the chance to watch the Swiss band, Sirens of Lesbos, perform their genre-hopping songs.
Aside from musical spectacles, the festival will also put on a comedy night, interactive art exhibitions and installations, dance and drag performances, and Latin American film screenings. There is something for everyone!
For Sheffield’s food fans, the Food Walk Hong Kong will give visitors a tour of the Asian flavours that can be found around the city.
Holland added: “Whether you want to discover new stories about people of colour throughout history in South Yorkshire, or dance to African drum beats in the city streets, the festival will have something for you.
“We are committed to giving underrepresented communities a voice through our truly eclectic and diverse programme.”
Why the festival matters to the UK’s first City of Sanctuary
Migration Matters aims to showcase the positive impact of migration, refugees and asylum seekers in the UK’s first City of Sanctuary.
Joining returning curator Howl Yuan, spoken word poet Otis Mensah and artist Tasnim Siddiqa Amin will be taking on a central role within the festival.
Tickets are needed for some of the festival’s events including the opening and closing parties. However, many of the events will be free to increase accessibility and allow as many people to attend as possible.
