Festival of the Mind is a free, city-wide celebration of ideas, creativity and research, organised by the University of Sheffield.
First held in 2012, the festival takes place every two years and brings together University researchers, local artists and creative organisations to explore some of the biggest questions facing our world.
Through exhibitions, performances, films, talks and interactive activities, the festival gives everyone the chance to discover exciting research, explore new ideas and see how the University’s work makes a difference to our everyday lives.
Since it began, Festival of the Mind has welcomed over 186,000 in-person visitors and attracted more than 230,500 online visitors.
What we want to achieve
Festival of the Mind aims to bring University research to life through exhibitions, performances, films, talks and workshops that everyone can enjoy.
By bringing researchers together with local artists and creative organisations, the festival explores how research shapes our world, sparks new ideas and makes a difference to everyday life.
It also celebrates Sheffield’s creativity, supports local talent and venues, and offers something for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Our long term ambitions
We want Festival of the Mind to continue growing as one of South Yorkshire’s leading celebrations of research, ideas and creativity.
Our ambition is to make University research a bigger part of everyday life, helping people discover how it shapes our world and why it matters to them.
We also want the festival to make a lasting contribution to Sheffield’s cultural scene by supporting local creative talent, bringing new audiences into the city and creating opportunities for researchers, artists and communities to work together.
Above all, we want Festival of the Mind to be a place where everyone feels welcome to explore, question, discover and be inspired.
Are you a local creative? Want to take part in future festivals?
Are you a local artist, performer or creative organisation interested in working with University of Sheffield researchers? We’re always looking for new ways to bring research to life through creative collaborations.
Fill in our form to hear about future opportunities to work with our academics and get involved in upcoming Festival of the Mind events.