The festival’s central aim is to bring together all the people of the city, all Sheffielders to recognise each other, and to see people not for the labels that divide us, but for the unique talents and skills that make us who we are.

For seven incredible years the festival has programmed everything from internationally renowned artists, award winning companies, spectacular dance troupes and powerful community celebrations with a strong emphasis on platforming refugees and people who have experienced displacement, detention or the UK’s inhumane asylum system. This is in addition to the events where people have broken bread together at Open Iftars, played football in intercultural tournaments, made puppets, zines, shirts, learned to vogue chi, tell stories, dance and find friendships.

The festival has also attracted a number of renowned and internationally respected artists including: Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Lemn Sissay, Les Amazones D’Afrique, Lowkey, Ify Adenuga, Suhaiymah Manzoor Khan, Nyaruach, Benjamin Zephaniah and The Revolutionary Minds, Selena Thompson, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Inua Ellams, Nikesh Shukla and Moonlight Benjamin

The festival’s trustees have been essential to the growth and journey of Migration Matters Festival for the last few years and without them would not have realised such a soulful and inclusive programme. The trustees are responsible for helping decide the programme, building links with the community, raising the profile of the festival, ensuring the festival is accessible and supportive of all groups and nurturing vital partnerships that help improve the festival among many other duties.

Board of Directors

Chair Ishah Jawaid / Deputy Chair John Rwothomack / Secretary Sumayya Wright / Sara Hill / Pride Agbor