The Festival of the Mind is a celebration of ideas, culture and collaboration. It’s open to everyone and it’s FREE.
The University of Sheffield has teamed up with the city’s creative community to design a magical week of performances, talks, exhibitions and activities.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Keith Burnett
Message from the Vice-Chancellor:
My father used to say that the richest people in the world are those who take pleasure in ideas. These individuals have an inexhaustible source of pleasure that they can tap into at any time.
Our University and our city are overflowing with ideas. Now, with Festival of the Mind, we have the perfect opportunity to come together and celebrate that.
The festival is the result of months of hard work and true collaboration between University staff and Sheffield’s vibrant creative community. There is something for everyone, from family events in Weston Park to entertainment after dark in the beautiful Spiegeltent in Barker’s Pool.
So I hope you’ll come along and take part in the celebrations. The Festival of the Mind promises to capture the spirit of invention and collaboration, the love of ideas that makes Sheffield such a wonderful place to live and work.
Professor Keith Burnett
Vice-Chancellor
The University of Sheffield
Coming to the festival? One or two useful things you should know
- You can just turn up at any of the events, except for A Night Out in Sheffield with Slightly Fat Features, Culture Club Showcase #5, The Craft and Magic of Technology and Culture in the City: Necessity or Luxury? which you’ll need a ticket for
- Some of the venues have a limited capacity so if you want to be sure of getting in, arrive in plenty of time
- Accompanied children are welcome at all events, except for the Researchers’ Night launch lecture on Thursday 27 September, The Riverside’s Lock-in Festival after 4pm on Saturday 29 September and The Harley’s evening programme each night in The Spiegeltent
- Access for wheelchair users in The Speigeltent is available, although it is limited. Unfortunately, Montgomery Hall has no wheelchair access.
- We’ll do our very best to make sure everything keeps to schedule, although sometimes we may need to adjust the programme. Keep an eye on this website and the @FestivalMind Twitter account for the latest information