Off the Shelf Festival of Words

That’s a wrap on Off The Shelf 2026! 📚✨ Huge thanks to all our authors, speakers, booksellers & incredible audiences. Read our round up.👇📖 offtheshelf.org.uk/news/ink-dri...

Saved by volunteers after the Beeching cuts, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway now faces challenges from coal shortages to climate change. At @otsfestival.bsky.social, engineer Paul ‘Piglet’ Middleton revealed what it takes to keep one of Yorkshire’s major tourist attractions running. ✍️ Liam Barker

Enjoyed being back in Sheffield for my lunchtime talk on ‘These Isles’ at the Off The Shelf Festival of Words @otsfestival.bsky.social. Lovely, large audience. Massive thanks to the festival for inviting me.

Round of applause for Ruth Yates, the new Sheffield Poet Laureate! 👏 Off the Shelf was lucky enough to host the announcement at the festival’s official opening night. Ruth takes on the role with an aim to increase opportunities and visibility for poetry across the city. ✍️ #OfftheShelf

🚨 VENUE CHANGE 🚨 Due to unforeseen circumstances, our previously sold-out event with Lucy Porter has moved location from Firth Hall to the (larger) University of Sheffield Diamond Building to start slightly later at 7:30pm. Limited tickets available: bit.ly/4AWQi77

Discover the concerts that define our season. #AutumnEssentials 🍂 highlighting some of the must-sees that you won't want to miss this season! Norway’s Engegård Quartet explore the roots of the Northern Lights Weekend’s music in an evocative & moving finale. musicintheround.co.uk/events/north...

Really excited to be doing this event in Sheffield on Sunday for the @otsfestival.bsky.social on Sunday offtheshelf.org.uk/events/tales...

Music, stories & the people within Beethoven’s world 🎻 Dr Katy Hamilton joins the Consone Quartet for Beethoven & Friends, bringing together an evening of music, stories & discoveries – exploring Beethoven’s connections with the people around him. musicintheround.co.uk/events/beeth... #Barnsley

I'm thrilled to be part of @otsfestival.bsky.social. I'll be onstage with @annacaig.bsky.social next Saturday. Book your tickets now!

Coming up later this month at @otsfestival.bsky.social, musician and author @johnrobbofficial.bsky.social will be chatting to @danieldylanwray.bsky.social about his memoir, Punk rock ruined my life. Join us: offtheshelf.org.uk/events/punk-... #Sheffield #booksky

I'm delighted to be returning to Sheffield's Off The Shelf Festival Of Words @otsfestival.bsky.social to talk about 'These Isles: A People's History of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales' on Friday October 23rd, 12.30pm, Millennium Gallery. Book here: offtheshelf.org.uk/events/these...

The 10th anniversary of the UK’s biggest poetry and performance festival, BBC Contains Strong Language, comes to Salford on the 24th to 27th September 2026; Squad writers are involved with three events on the programme and Oenone Wirth has been announced as the Laurel Prize Poet-in-Residence!

Only a few short weeks to publication and I'm delighted to be part of this year's @otsfestival.bsky.social in conversation with @annacaig.bsky.social and Beverley Ward. Details here... offtheshelf.org.uk/events/capti...

🧵Early subscription libraries in Yorkshire emerged in the 18th century. These libraries allowed middle-class members to pool money to buy and preserve books. The most important example is The Leeds Library, founded in 1768 and the oldest surviving proprietary subscription

Discover the concerts that define our season. #AutumnEssentials 🍂 highlighting some of the must-sees that you won't want to miss this season! Roderick Williams returns with heartrendingly beautiful English song, including the glorious cycle Songs of Travel. musicintheround.co.uk/events/vaugh...

TODAY: Celebrating Mozart & his lively circle of friends w/ Ensemble 360, including works showcasing the unworldly sound of the glass harmonica, 7pm at Crucible Playhouse in Sheffield. Tickets & more info: musicintheround.co.uk/events/mozar... #ThisIsChamberMusic

Can city birds change their tune to be heard over traffic and sirens? University of Sheffield bioscience students investigated how urban noise affects bird communication across Sheffield. Watch Change Your Tune: player.sheffield.ac.uk/events/chang...

THIS WEEK: A double-whammer of concerts this Sat at the Crucible Playhouse in Sheffield! Join Sarah Beth Briggs for an afternoon of glittering piano at 2pm, then for something entirely different from the ‘fearless’ GBSR Duo for an immersive #SoundsofNow at 8pm. musicintheround.co.uk/whats-on

Could a pigeon recognise you by what you are wearing? University of Sheffield students tested whether pigeons can tell people apart by their clothes, revealing more about an animal we often overlook. Watch: player.sheffield.ac.uk/events/how-d...

Discover the concerts that define our season. #AutumnEssentials 🍂 highlighting some of the must-sees that you won't want to miss this season! Fast emerging as the leading interpreter of Morton Feldman’s music, GBSR Duo perform for our Sounds of Now series! musicintheround.co.uk/events/sound...

📚✨Four Hive poets at Off the Shelf! Beth Davies, Nathan Graham, Molly Knox & Safa Maryam for an evening of vibrant readings, marking the end of Beth’s tenure as Sheffield Poet Laureate. 💛Fri 9 Oct, 7pm | @otsfestival.bsky.social @bethdaviespoet.bsky.social www.hivesouthyorkshire.com/four-hive-po...

Still Life with Lemons & a Bee' by Giovanna Garzoni, 1600-1670. Italian painter of the Baroque period #WomensArt #SummerPaintings 🌞

I'm thrilled to be writing a new poem commissioned for @otsfestival.bsky.social to celebrate the National Year of Reading 2026! But I need your help... I want this poem to be inspired by a range of local people's experiences. To be part of the piece, share your story here: forms.gle/QdbBdDfouWEU...

Ever heard a glass harmonica? Invented by Benjamin Franklin, this extraordinary instrument creates an ethereal sound using rotating glass bowls. See and hear it live w/ Ensemble 360 at Mozart & Friends, 8 Sept in Sheffield! musicintheround.co.uk/events/mozar... #ThisIsChamberMusic

Your playlists can reveal more than your music taste. Episode 7 of SPERI Presents... Ground Level explores how streaming platforms turn listening habits into behavioural data and consumer surveillance. Listen: player.sheffield.ac.uk/events/music...

📚 IT’S HERE! The full lineup for Off the Shelf Festival of Words 2026 has officially dropped! ✨ Join us in Sheffield from 28 Sept – 25 Oct for world-class authors, live discussions, poetry & more! 🎟️ Explore & book: offtheshelf.org.uk #OTSfest #Sheffield #BookFest

From Basel to the British court, Join Elizabeth Goldring as she reveals the artist whose paintings defined the entire Tudor era. Book here: offtheshelf.org.uk/events/holbe...

Join BBC News icon Sophie Raworth for an inspiring talk on how running has helped her conquer challenges in the newsroom and beyond. Book here: offtheshelf.org.uk/events/runni...

Join author Colin Grant to explore his powerful collection of tales about making a new life in Britain at Off the Shelf Festival of Words. Book here: offtheshelf.org.uk/events/what-...

Jack Reacher is back. Join Lee and Andrew Child as they uncover the latest chapter in the iconic thriller hero’s world number one bestselling journey. Book here: offtheshelf.org.uk/events/chain...

Is communism deeply rooted in human nature? Join Paul Mason in Sheffield as he re-evaluates its history, its tragic costs and its enduring 21st-century relevance. Book here: offtheshelf.org.uk/events/reds-...

Join Naz Shah MP’s live in Sheffield to hear her unflinching account of resilience, justice and public service. Book here: www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/book/instanc...

Discover the untold history of Africa’s powerful queens and warriors. Paula Akpan brings their worlds of royalty and conquest to life. Book here: www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/book/instanc...

Join the Guardian’s Marina Hyde live as she discusses her new book - a sharp, hilarious chronicle of our absurd political times featuring Trump and Musk. Book here: www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/book/instanc...

Tired of doing it all? Join comic Lucy Porter in Sheffield for a hilarious celebration of the awesome, quietly fuming sandwich generation. Book here: www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/book/instanc...

Tour de France icon Sir Bradley Wiggins opens up about his chaotic upbringing and journey of self-discovery. Grab your chance to see him in Sheffield! Book here: www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/book/instanc...

📣 BIG NEWS! We’re breaking the rules and launching our biggest-ever pre-sale early! 📚 Don't wait until October, a selection of our incredible 2026 lineup is LIVE & tickets are ON SALE NOW! 🎟️ Beat the rush and grab yours before #Sheffield catches on! 👉http://offtheshelf.org.uk

Turtles and tortoises outlived the dinosaurs. So why are many struggling today? TORTI follows University of Sheffield researcher Alessia Lavigne as she investigates why eggs fail to hatch and how science could help protect threatened species. player.sheffield.ac.uk/events/torti...

Sheffield Music Trail today Sat 20 June 12.30pm-5pm - One Day Four Stages Total Celebration! See full line up and venues here sheffield.ac.uk/city-region/...

Join us in Sheffield next week for the launch of 'The Gleaning', the second poetry collection by Fay Musselwhite. Wednesday 24 June Upstairs at The Shakespeare, 146-148 Gibraltar Street, Sheffield S3 8UB 7.30pm start Free entry, all welcome. Book here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fay-mussel...

Closing soon: We are looking for a Marketing Manager to work on campaigns across our list. We’re looking for a creative and capable marketer who is excited by the idea of working on a diverse list of literary and commercial publishing. faber.co.uk/careers/mark...

What does the global economy look like from everyday life? @sperishefuni.bsky.social Presents... Ground Level explores how homes, workplaces, and communities shape international political economy. Listen now: player.sheffield.ac.uk/events/inter... #PoliticalEconomy #Podcast

🧵Published in May 1897, Dracula remains one of the great works of Gothic fiction. It is forever tied to Whitby, where Bram Stoker found inspiration in the abbey ruins, harbour and storm-lashed cliffs. Told through letters and journal entries, the novel captured the anxieties of the late-Victorian

Congratulations to everyone shortlisted for the Seamus Heaney First Collection Poetry Prize! ⭐ Isabelle Baafi ⭐ Dean Browne ⭐ Sasha Debvec-McKenny ⭐ Catherine-Esther Cowie ⭐ Laura Wainwright www.qub.ac.uk/News/Allnews...

The T. S. Eliot Foundation is delighted to announce the judges for the T. S. Eliot Prize 2026. Leontia Flynn (Chair) will be joined on the panel by fellow poets Ishion Hutchinson and Daisy Lafarge. Find out more at tseliot.com/prize!

🚨 Calling Matt Haig fans! 🚨 We have a handful of last minute tickets available for tonight’s sold out event with the best-selling author at the Montgomery Theatre. 🏃‍♂️Get in fast: offtheshelf.org.uk/events/the-m...

Bees and butterflies are fighting to survive in our cities. Hear how scientists are studying heat, pollution, drought and the secret scent signals flowers use to attract insects. Book for Pint of Science: pintofscience.co.uk/event/follow... #PintOfScience

Young poets: free writing workshop alert! On Friday 29 May, join Dr Beth Daley from europeana.eu for a writing workshop to inspire your entries to The Curiosity Challenge on Young Poets Network. You don’t need any previous writing experience to take part! Book your space: bit.ly/YPN-Europeana-WS