Founded in 2015, Festival of Debate is an annual series of panel discussions, debates, Q&As, artistic responses, keynote speeches and other public events in Sheffield, exploring politics, economics and society.
Festival of Debate is coordinated by not-for-profit company Opus Independents in collaboration with over 50 partners across the city, from grassroots campaign groups to the city’s largest institutions.
Past keynote speakers have included Yanis Varoufakis, Reni-Eddo Lodge, Ed Miliband, Prof David Nutt, Owen Jones, Melissa Benn, Afua Hirsch, Francesca Martinez, Polly Toynbee, Nick Clegg, The Guilty Feminist, John Pilger, Grayson Perry, James O’Brien, Julian Assange, Paul Mason, Steve Silberman and George Monbiot.
Partners have included The University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, Ruskin in Sheffield, The Grantham Centre, Our Mel, Sheffield Futures, Chilypep, DiEM25, MuseumsSheffield, UBI Lab Sheffield, Disability Sheffield, Friends of the Earth, Sheffield Doc/Fest, ACORN, ASSIST, Voluntary Action Sheffield, Tickets For Good, Sheffield Climate Alliance, Regather and many, many more.
Title Banner Photo: Dora Damian