MIgration Matters Festival 2024 Magazine

WELCOME TO MIGMAT 2024

A big welcome to the ninth Migration Matters Festival and what will be another wonderful coming together of so many communities from around the world.

I want to begin by paying tribute to some very special people who left us in 2023. The inspirational Mark Hutchinson, a Sheffield legend who collaborated with and championed the festival since its beginning. The wonderful Conor Nutt, a Sheffield musician and artist who had volunteered with the festival for a number of years, and the poet sensation Benjamin Zephaniah who we were honoured to welcome to the festival with his band the Revolutionary Minds in 2019. This year’s programme is dedicated to them.

We have another busy and brilliant programme in store for 2024. We have raised the game by inviting some of the world’s most exciting talents while making sure that the makers and creators of Sheffield and its surrounding areas are platformed and given a voice.

This year’s headliners are none other than husband-wife sensation Amadou & Mariam (p22) of Mali whose sensational Afrobeat sounds have been rocking the world since their formation in 1974. Cimarons, the UK’s first indigenous reggae band, are opening the festival at SADACCA (p14-15) before a DocFest screening of their film the following day. We’re proud to welcome T.S. Eliot prize winning poet and writer Roger Robinson (p31) who will be heading up a special evening of poetry and conversation. Not to mention the preview of the Celya AB’s hilarious new show ‘Of All People’ (p26).

The festival also welcomes three brilliant guest curators in Tasnim Siddiqa Amin, Sheffield’s own Otis Mensah and the returning Howl Yuan who each pulled together some exceptional programmes for this year’s festival (see p4 for more details). This year also sees the second Mini Migration Matters Festival (p1819) programmed by the Youth Theatre of Sanctuary partnered with Stand & Be Counted Theatre and The Montgomery Theatre.

As ever, the festival closely follows the Refugee Week theme which this year is ‘Our Home’. This comes at an incredibly difficult time, as so many across the world have been forced to leave their homes, particularly the people of Gaza, with no return date in sight. For all those attending this year, particularly those who have recently arrived in Sheffield, we want the festival to make you feel at home and welcome.

I’m so grateful for our incredible festival team who have given everything year in, year out to deliver an excellent programme. And where would we be without our returning and new volunteers, who are so much a part of our festival family and who make the festival experience so meaningful.

Finally a big shout out to our funders Arts Council England, the Evan Cornish Foundation, University of Sheffield and Sheffield City Council who have shown belief in the impact the festival has on the city.

Sam Holland Director Migration Matters Festival & Arts on the Run

P31

Roger Robinson P14

Juanita Euka / Opening Party

Cimrons / Opening Party

Supernova

P26

Celya AB Of All People

P22

AMADOU & MARIAM

P28

SIRENS OF LESBOS

Guest Curators

The festival is delighted to welcome three guest curators to this year’s festival. Learn more about their programmes and curatorial decisions

Howl Yuan - Land-scape

“I vividly remember my first time setting foot in this country. The breeze, the cloud, and the rolling hill I saw on the coach was how I engaged with the place and developed my sense of settlement. Since then, I have always been interested in spatial perception in relation to the sense of belonging and everyday practice, especially from a migrant perspective. The Land-scape program is a rich tapestry that weaves various aspects of the place together. It delves into how we create, connect, and utilise space.”

Howl is a Taiwanese, UK-based, contemporary performance maker and returns for his fourth year with the festival.

Otis Mensah - longerr inheritances

Otis’ work and research of interest spans across fields of literature and performance art with a particular focus on Black diasporic perspectives, Black music and its influence on modern-day culture.

This year for Migration Matters Festival, Otis has curated and conceptualised a two part programme entitled Longerr Inheritances, exploring the intersections of music and poetry that find home in jazz experimentation and blurs the lines of genre–what is expected of Black and POC artists in the city and beyond. The programme foundationally explores ideas of critical fabulation, proposing storytelling and speculative narration as a means of redressing history’s omissions centring artistic thought around the body, dreaming and home.

Otis Mensah is a curator and multidisciplinary-artist based between Berlin & Sheffield.

Tasnim Siddiqa Amin - If Henna Could Speak

“Growing up I separated the clothes my mum made for the local community and practices like henna as ‘arts & crafts’, a lesser art form than the things we studied at school. If Henna Could Speak interrogates that view and instead, validates works done by women and non-binary people of colour. We hope that you go away seeing henna and other such female dominated practices elevated to its rightful place. I want you to go away feeling the power of art to pass on important cultural knowledge and keep our heritage alive.”

Sylheti-born Tasnim Siddiqa Amin is an interdisciplinary artist from East London. Find Tasnim on Instagram @tasnimsiddiqaamin #ifhennacouldspeak

Tickets and Festival passes

Ticketing

This year we’re changing our ticketing system to make sure it is fairer and more sustainable for all. We are still able to provide free tickets to events for anyone who needs them.

We’d like to thank our friends at Andro & Eve for their consultation and helping adapt our model.

Please see our ticket breakdown table. For further information please see our website.

Festival passes

This year you can grab a Migration Matters Festival Pass to see as many of the amazing events as you would like!

When you claim your pass you will be given a code which will allow you to book one free ticket to any event you want to attend.

We do not ask for proof or evidence of your financial status and ask that audience members make an honest assessment of what they can afford.

Please contact info@migrationmattersfestival. co.uk if you are not in a position to pay for a festival pass.

Festival Passes

PROGRAMME

We know that navigating our

15-22 JUNE

Livia Barreira

Tasnim Siddiqa Amin Guest Curator

Liliia Molodetsakaya

Abutaleb Photographer

Event Venues

Take a look at some of the incredible venues in the Steel City we are proud to be working with this year!

Exhibitions & Installations 15-22 June

If Henna Could Speak

Curated by Tasnim Siddiqa Amin

If Henna Could Speak elevates non-Western works of art by women and non-binary people to their rightful place as a legitimate artistic practice. Through design and symbolic motifs, henna, also known as mendhi or laali, has adorned bodies for millennia. Henna originates from the plant Lawsonia inermis which is native across Northern Africa, Asia, and Australia. In this interdisciplinary exhibition the mesmerising allure of henna is explored literally and metaphorically as it transcends bodies and borders, echoing stories of beauty, rupture, and cultural knowledge in a world where both art and body know no bounds.

Showcasing works by Nuz Fatima from Huq That, Mehaira A, Sylvie Belbouab, and other Global Majority women and non-binary artists. Stay tuned for ticket announcements for the exclusive private viewing and ‘Henna Talks,’ a panel discussion where the curator and exhibiting artists delve under the skin of henna practice and into topics such as the beauty industry, feminist art philosophy and climate justice.

Photo: Sylvie Belbouab

Created with people seeking asylum and living in South Yorkshire, Free, Not Free explores partial status at a moment in time, the experience of forced migration and the feeling of life being on hold, opening up new channels for self representation in the campaign against the hostile environment.

LOCAL FOREIGNERS

Maryna

Sulym

Local Foreigners is a documentary project created by Ukrainian photographer Maryna Sulym to dignify the image of migration. It is a collection of personal stories and powerful photos of people who chose to make the UK their home. The project shows the diversity and complexity of immigration.

IN MY OWN WORDS AND PICTURES

Dr Lois Orton & Olga Fuseini

An exhibition of ‘visual poems’ created by Czech and Slovak Roma women living in South Yorkshire. The visual poems use words, drawings and other materials to explore these women’s perspectives on life, health and illness.

BORDERS OF CHILDHOOD

Dr Patricia Nabuco Martuscelli, Dpt. of Politics & Int. Relations, University of Sheffield

An exhibition of drawings by Venezuelan children exploring their experiences of forced migration and the asylum system. Accompanying the drawings are analyses and reflections by Dr Patricia Nabuco Martuscelli, whose research examines asylum and migration politics in Latin America.

BLURRING THE EDGES

Dr Henry Staples, Lora Krasteva, Uzma Rani University of Sheffield and Life at the Frontier Research

An installation exploring ‘social frontiers’ - sharp differences in the demographics of neighbouring communities. Through visual art, sound, documentary and augmented reality this installation looks at how social frontiers affect life in Rotherham.

MMF’24 OPENING PARTY

One of the biggest nights of the week YEAR! It has to be the opening party!

Join us at the historic SADACCA for a very special evening welcoming legends of reggae The Cimarons before the sensational Juanita Euka gives us everything from soukous and soul to hip hop and jazz. Our DJs will then make sure we’re dancing right into the night!

Not to mention delicious food can be purchased from the SADACCA kitchen.

Juanita Euka

With Congolese and Argentinian roots and as the niece of rumba giant Franco, Juanita Euka boasts a unique music palette, fusing her African and Latin heritage to become one of the mainstays in London’s vibrant live music scene.

Born in RD Congo, Juanita moved to Argentina at the age of 3 and first became involved in the arts whilst growing up in Buenos Aires, infusing the heady mix of sounds from the city and studying dance, drama and performance.

Landing an album deal with Strut Records, Juanita brought together all of the pieces of her musical outlook, drawing on elements of African and Latin styles, hip hop, soul and jazz to create her own unique musical palette on the brilliant LP Mabanzo.

Cimarons

Get ready to groove to the irresistible reggae beats and infectious melodies of the legendary ensemble, Cimarons!

With a legacy spanning decades, Cimarons have been the heartbeat of the reggae scene, captivating audiences worldwide with their soul-stirring music and unwavering commitment to spreading love and positivity through their tunes.

Founded in London in 1967 by a group of passionate Jamaican musicians including guitarist Locksley Gitchie, bassist Franklyn Dunn, and lead singer Winston Reedy, Cimarons quickly rose to prominence as the first reggae band in Europe. Adding to the band’s dynamic lineup is new lead singer Michael Arkk whose electrifying stage presence and soulful lyrics have breathed new life into the Cimarons sound.

Cimarons have earned a reputation as one of the most dynamic and captivating live acts in the world of reggae music.

With timeless hits like “Wake Up Jah Man” and “Rock Reggae Rhapsody”, Cimarons continue to inspire and uplift audiences with their infectious energy and unwavering commitment to spreading positive vibrations.

Join the movement and experience the magic of Cimarons as they continue to ignite souls and spread love through the power of reggae music.

Whether you’re a lifelong fan or discovering their music for the first time, Cimarons invite you to join them on a journey of rhythm, melody, and unity that will leave you uplifted and inspired.

SYMPOSIUM ON “SOCIAL INCLUSION, COMMUNITY, AND BELONGING AT INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVALS”

International Festivals Research Symposium

The International Festivals Research Symposium 2024 will bring together scholars, artists and industry experts to discuss social inclusion, community, and belonging at international music festivals. Don’t miss out on this unique chance to hear about the social impact of festivals and connect with academic and industry experts.

Event Venue

The

(UN)INTERRUPTED TONGUES

Dal Kular

(un)interrupted tongues is a creative zine-making workshop exploring themes of the 1947 Partition of India. Inspired by Kular’s own poetic exploration & healing as a ‘grandchild of the partition’, we’ll be making poems, words and collages and turning them into a mini-zine.

Please Note: This event is for people of colour only.

16

CLOSE UP, UP CLOSE

Nuz Fatima from Huq That - Curated by Tasnim Siddiqa Amin for ‘If Henna Could Speak’ A Fusion of Tradition and Modernity

Witness the convergence of tradition and innovation in this mesmerising performance art piece. With expert precision, intricate henna designs come to life on a live model. Join us for an interactive experience where the past and present collide. Audiences are encouraged to interact with the art & the artist throughout the performance. June 15

Event Venue

Bloc Projects Meanwhile Space 2-4 Matilda Street Time 11:00 + 15:00

Performance Art, Exhibition All ages

Free

TRAVEL WITH HARCOURT: SOUNDWALK

C & G Artpartment, in collaboration with Bloc Projects

Join us for a sound walk on Harcourt Road, Sheffield, to explore the interwoven sounds and stories from both Sheffield’s and Hong Kong’s Harcourt Road. With its dual existence in the two cities, Harcourt Road is a symbolic space for reflection on the complexities of decolonisation. By traversing the sonic landscapes of both locations, we hope to delve into the intertwined narratives and encounters that have unfolded along these thoroughfares, challenging us to confront the complexities of identity, history, and the shaping of our shared heritage.

Don’t forget to bring your own headphones!

ROOT TO TABLE: EXPLORING SHEFFIELD’S FOOD HERITAGE

Element Society

From the ingredients we use to the memories it invokes, we believe that food tells a story. The Root to Table exhibition is a collection of food and heritage stories, put together by young Sheffielders. Come down to view the exhibition, learn family recipes, and gather over a delicious meal. Event

June 15

BORDERLINES AND BLOODLINES

Germa Adan

Germa Adan, blends Haitian influences into borderless music, shaped by her journey from Haiti to the US and UK. Her second album, ‘Borderlines & Bloodlines,’ delves into ancestry, and reflects on identity. She invites us on a journey of self-discovery and collective empowerment.

Event Venue Yellow Arch Studios Time 17:00

Music Tickets £10/£7/£3

June 15

BECOMING BRITISH - SCRATCH

Lora Krasteva

Join migrant artists throughout a 6 hour work-in-progrss durational performance challenging and interrogating national identity, notions of nationality and belonging. During the performance, an installation will be built around the performers, so you can engage with interviews, artwork and lived experience. Becoming British can be seen as part of our exhibitions for the rest of the week

Content Warnings: Xenophobia, racism, hostile enviornment, colonialism

Event Venue Soft Ground Tickets £8/6/2

June 15 Time 18:00

LONGERR INHERITANCES - ACT I

Curated by Otis Mensah

Longerr Inheritances - ACT I will feature Berlin-based vocalist and writer douniah who has developed a reputation in the scene for sublime live performances of poetry, sound, dance and modes of experimental music-expression. Agadir-born and Hamburg-raised, douniah engages in the practice of interpreting her spirit, impressively, in German, Darija, and English, threading together the tenets of freeform poetry and romanticism, backdropped by neo-experimental jazz tendencies.

ACT I will be headlined by Summer Pearl, a music artist from London known for her care-free live performances and to the point lyrics. Summer transcends you to a place of soul and truth exploring black and female liberation, love gained and love lost, heavily influenced by Jazz, Soul, Hip Hop, R&B and Reggae.

Stand & Be Counted Theatre, The Montgomery

and Migration Matters Festival presents

Mini MigMat

Join us for the return of Mini Migration Matters Festival, a programme co-curated with the Youth Theatre of Sanctuary co-led by Stand & Be Counted Theatre and The Montgomery Theatre.

Around The World

Stand & Be Counted Theatre’s Youth Theatre of Sanctuary’

To celebrate and kick off Refugee Week and Euro 2024, Stand & Be Counted Theatre’s Youth Theatre of Sanctuary group are launching a new hit football song in collaboration with Sheffield FC. ‘Around the World’ will be available on all major platforms alongside a music video and presentations across the week. Stand & Be Counted are an arts charity and the UK’s first Theatre Company of Sanctuary, and Sheffield FC are the World’s First Football Club.

Traditional Tales, Untraditionally Told

Dr Sabine Little, School of Education, University of Sheffield

Join Dr Sabine Little at this family workshop exploring how traditional tales and home languages are woven into our identities. Attendees will take part in a multilingual storytelling session before coming up with their own stories and creating animations using the OctoStudio app.

Bring your Glamour, Glitz and Grace and come together in a fabulous celebration of self-expression.

Four dancers go head to head in a dance, fashion and lip sync competition, where YOU, the audience decides the winner by clapping, stamping and making the most noise for your favourite. Whether you just want to join in the fun or have a passion to pose, come along and show off your own magnificence by dressing up and helping crown the winner!

Dress your finest, learn the moves – then take to the floor…

Warning:

with the Monty

Our Childhood, Our Games Childhood Games from Home Little Bean Theatre

Children’s games and songs vary in different generations. Come join us singing Cantonese children’s rhymes and we will introduce you to some childhood games that bring back memories from our home!

Suitable for children aged 3+ and grown ups.

TEN IN THE BED

Half Moon Theatre

Is it a bed? A boat? Or a giant slice of toast? For Naz and Iggy their bed is a place where imagination can fill their tummies with treats and take them to familiar warm places. Well, sometimes.

Join the boat-bed’s disparate crew as they dream up playful tales of pirates, misunderstood sharks and fishing trips that hook unexpected catches. But what happens if the bed isn’t big enough to fit everyone in?

This humorous new show celebrates the power of imaginary play and proves there’s always room to have fun, even when the world is at its most daunting.

16

GATHERING: WOMEN OF COLOUR ON NATURE

SPACE-MAKING IN ARTS:

ESEA ARTS PRODUCER SHARING

Curated by Howl Yuan

Echoes of Earth x Meltwater

A double header concert about the environment explored through music and storytelling

and contributing writers Taylor Edmonds and

Join us for readings, conversation and a Q&A featuring editor Nasia

Gathering: Women of Colour Writing on Nature brings together essays by women of colour across the UK writing about their relationships with nature, in a genre long dominated by male, white, middle-class writers.

These personal, creative and fierce essays broaden conversations and horizons about our living world. Edited by Durre Shawar and Nasia Sarwar-Skuse, this anthology is the first of its kind in the UK.

Event Venue Utopia Theatre Time 12:00

£8/£6/£2 Literature All ages

MOVING MOUNTAINS AND EVERYTHING WITHIN

Taey Iohe - Curated by Howl Yuan

From a phonograph cylinder unearthed at the archive, artist Taey Iohe invites you to delve into migrating sounds, echoing planetary protests. Kang Hong Sik’s 1914 folk song encapsulates a century-spanning narrative of time ruptures and longing for home.

Surrendering to auditory space, we explore nature’s perpetual movement, from mountains to beings, amid currents of resistance.

This interactive sharing invites ESEA (East and Southeast Asia) background theatre producer, artspace director and curator to share their insights on space-making, and responds to questions ‘Is it important to advocate ESEA arts producers?’ and ‘How do we navigate our practice through identity politics?’ and offers suggestions for future arts space makers.

MIGMAT SOCIAL CLUB (FT ARTY FARTY KARAOKE)

Curated by Howl Yuan

Meet us at MigMat Social Club!

MigMat Social Club is a space for everyone to come and get to know each other. It is for artists to meet artists, audiences to meet artists, the festival team to meet everyone.

Regardless of your involvement, the festival team members, artists, volunteers, audiences or more, we hope to build the community by making a welcoming space for everyone to mingle and celebrate Migration Matters Festival. With light refreshments to kick off, we invite everyone to sing-out-loud in our multilingual Arty Farty Karaoke!

Echoes Of Earth: Tales and tunes from the iranic folkloric land

Hamsaz Ensemble

Experience the beautiful melodies of traditional Iranian folk music, skillfully performed by talented musicians featuring authentic instruments like the Setar, Santur, and Daf mixed with Western instruments. Immerse yourself in powerful storytelling segments, depicting tales of resilience, adaptation, and hope amidst climate adversity. At the Migration Matters Music Festival, embark on a transformative journey where music and narratives converge, offering a reflection on our relationship with the environment. Delve deeper into Iran’s diverse natural beauty through a captivating photography exhibition, underscoring the critical importance of environmental conservation. Join us for an unforgettable evening of cultural exploration and inspiration.

Meltwater Manasamitra

MELTWATER is an immersive 60-minute music and performance event which looks at ‘water’ as an environmental disruptor. The performance blends natural sounds, songs, folklore and life experiences collected from communities in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire and India, to create a unique experience that highlights both the destructive power and the awesome beauty of water. This trio version features Supriya Nagarajan (Carnatic voice), Duncan Chapman (electronics / field recordings) joined by Sumie Kent (Koto). The performance also includes a 60 minute slowed down movie of glacier calving by NZ filmmaker Richard Sidey.

Nasia Sarwar-Skuse, Taylor Edmonds, Jasmine Isa Qureshi

Sarwar-Skuse

Jasmine Isa Qureshi.

AMADOU & MARIAM

Amadou & Mariam are one of the world’s great husband-and-wife duos, known for their thoughtprovoking lyrics and distinctive style, which blends her sweet vocals with his gutsy guitar playing.

Their story is one of the most inspiring tales in the music world; a love affair that propelled two veterans of Mali’s music industry, who first recorded together in the 1970s, into charts around the globe in the 21st century, winning enough awards to fill several sideboards in their home on the outskirts of Bamako and raising awareness of the difficulties in living in one of the world’s poorest countries.

EXHIBITIONS LAUNCH

We’re proud to be presenting such diverse work across the festival week. This will be an opportunity to meet and hear from the artists and organisations behind a selection of this year’s exhibits and installations including If Henna Could Speak, Borders of Childhood, Free, Not Free Local Foreigners, In my own words and pictures, and Blurring the Edges. Expect some food and music too!

great tunes, sweaty vibes and a good time!

Please Note: Free and open to professional dance artists, dancers in training or people with movement experience.

//

Company Scheherazade

Curated by Tasnim Siddiqa Amin

Join us on a journey to find HOME.

CROWN is the UK’s first touring production combining classical Persian dance, contemporary dance, and Sufi movement to tell a story of displacement, identity, and body sovereignty to an original soundtrack of live classical music and electronica.

WALKING FROM THE PALM OF YOUR HAND

Alisa Oleva - Curated by Howl Yuan

This is an invitation to share a collective walk exploring our relationship to the landscape around us as we are walking together in it. This walk offers to engage with what is just around us and what is far in the distance and how we can walk between the two. What is near and what is far? What can I reach out to with my hand and what do I see on a horizon? Where am I going and what am I dreaming of?

The walk is open to anyone and will go ahead in any weather. Please contact the festival if you have any access needs for us to be aware of.

STUCK: AN EVENING OF SHORT FILMS AT THE SHOWROOM

Mohand & Peter + HomeScreen

“You know Peter,

I

I

Mohand & Peter bounce on one of the toughest international news stories of the decade and, as two brave clowns, fight horror with laughter to build a magnificent pedestal for Mohand’s home country.

Finding himself unexpectedly living in Paris delivering food for a living, Firar spends his days cycling between deliveries and remembering the lines he once spoke as an actor. Unable to speak French, stuck in the asylum system and trying to adapt to his new environment, and forced to rely on gestures and expressions to connect with the people around him, the realities of his daily life and the other reality of the plays inside his head begin to collide. Boza!

Barnes, Joel and Abdou leave their respective countries, pursuing a dignified life. On the road, they realise that their adventure to the European “Eldorado” was not so simple. Meanwhile, they find themselves facing unexpected events. Fear, rejection, hope and resilience.. Multiple faces of the migratory adventure!

ROUTES TO BELONGING IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Dr Rebecca Murray, Department of Sociological Studies, University of Sheffield

HOMESCREEN

Homescreen brings freedom of movement back to people who are deprived of it. These nine short films, which a post-film sharing discussion to follow, are an opportunity for our past participants to celebrate and show others the places they cherish but can not return to.

Join Dr Rebecca Murray and colleagues at this panel discussion on ‘sanctuary’ in higher education. The panel will explore the topic from multiple perspectives, and look at how the hospitality provided by universities in our region can continue in the UK’s increasingly ‘hostile environment’.

A work-in-progress event featuring a first public sharing of new future-folk songs that re-imagine stories shaped from ancestry research into an enduring C19th Welsh family musical bloodline.

Flowing from the ruins of Careg Iago on the stony farmlands of Ynys Môn to the ‘Tin Tabernacle’ that was the Salem Welsh Chapel of a unique community of migrant Welsh coalminers at Old Carlton colliery near Barnsley, the music features Cerys Hafana (harp/vocals), Bryony Griffith (fiddle/vocals), Cath Carr (steelpans), Kadialy Kouyate (kora), Tony Francis Bowring (bass/producer), Joao Paulo Simoes (video).

Grotowski’s Dream Cemil Yildiz

CELYA AB Presents OF ALL PEOPLE

Celya is good in a crisis but cries at flashmob videos. Following multiple sell-out tours and barnstorming appearances at JFL Montreal and Melbourne ICF, the Live at the Apollo star returns to tackle the big three: beauty, money and the void.

‘The UK’s Parisian comedy star is making waves’ Guardian

‘One of the most striking acts around, combining magnetic stage presence with punchy material’ Evening Standard

‘A comic shooting to fame’ List | Scotsman

[Ticket Offer

If you would like to attend both TILKA events you can buy a combi-ticket.

TILKA: DEVISING MOVEMENT WORKSHOP

Seenaryo

Event Venue

The Crucible Theatre Adelphi Room

(combi-ticket) /£5/£3/£1

In this workshop, Naqiya Ebrahim will lead an exploration of how to devise movement-based performances using your own lived experience. Whether you’re working on your own piece or simply want to explore, join Naqiya to develop your practice in a safe, inclusive and supportive space.

TILKA: MAKING THEATRE

AMID LEBANON’S

Seenaryo

COLLAPSE

TILKA is an intimate portrait of five women who meet to create a striking, collective piece of theatre amid Lebanon’s collapse. In the mountains outside Beirut, they weave together a story inspired by their experiences as women fighting against the odds for their rights.

Director Myriam Geagea describes the film as “a testament to the transformative power of art and self-expression.” TILKA won Best Local Documentary at the Lebanese Independent Film Festival and premiered in the UK at Cambridge Film Festival.

ROUTES TO ROOTS: A SOUTH ASIAN HERITAGE PROJECT

Maya

Routes to Roots: A South Asian Heritage Project is a vibrant multi arts performance piece, sharing reflections on migration, heritage and cultural identity from young people and community groups in Bradford, Croydon and Sheffield.

Content Warning: Performances are still in development, and may contain sensitive material. Please see website for up to date information

DIG WHERE YOU STAND

Dig Where You Stand has been working in archives with 14 local artists to discover new stories about people of colour who have lived, worked and put down roots in South Yorkshire over hundreds of years. This event will share some of our findings and details about our upcoming summer exhibition.

REFUGEE TALES V

and Comma

Refugee Tales V presents the anonymous accounts of people with direct experience of Britain’s policy of indefinite immigration detention. Hear from writers involved in the latest volume in discussion with someone with lived experience of detention.

Ra Page (CEO and founder of Comma Press) will be chairing the event. The speakers are Shamshad Khan (contributor to Refugee Tales V), Bidisha Mamata (involved in Refugee Tales IV), and Kasonga (expert by experience).

Content Warnings: some viewers may find descriptions of detention distressing

Sirens of Lesbos

SIRENS OF LESBOS

Spanning borders, genres and eras, Sirens Of Lesbos have pinpointed a sound that is unlike any other. The Swiss collective, which is led by sisters Jasmina and Nabyla Serag, has so far released two albums featuring high-profile artists such as American rapper JID and Grammy winner and P-Funk legend Bootsy Collins.

The band, whose members hail from diverse backgrounds including Sudan, Eritrea, and Sri Lanka, amongst others, showcased their latest album ‘Peace’ at the London Jazz Café last autumn. Since then, they’ve gained prominence as a noteworthy newcomer in the English concert promoter scene.

Thousand Papers 千紙

Ghost and John - Curated by Howl Yuan

Event Venue

See Website Tickets Free

Times 11:00

Thousand Papers 千紙 is a durational performance taking from the emotions and spirit activists shared, came to us from faraway, where the brave voices are locked up and people are indecisive about staying or leaving. The words are tied up and hover in the air, holding memories of the migrants’ community.

Tell us your never-ending stories, hopes and dreams. So then we can build the Senbazuru of ours.

也許故事從未結束，暫此封印在千鶴內。

Content Warning: Including text regarding police violence and political persecution

All Ages

Durational Performance, Community Sculpture

THE GREEN ROOM COLLECTIVE

Soumik Datta Arts

Witness seven artists from migrant and refugee backgrounds weave music, dance, spoken word and film to explore home, displacement and migration. Developed during a three week residency with Soumik Datta Arts, the Green Room Collective is a celebration of diversity and testament to the power of collaboration.

UNPLUGGED

Stand & Be Counted Theatre

In a world of disconnect, how do we find each other? Join us for live music and storytelling as we explore the power of friendship on the biggest night of our lives! Presented by Stand & Be Counted Theatre’s ‘Soap Box Collective’.

CARERS ON THE MOVE

Making it to the Registers

What happens when doctors and nurses come to Britain, ready to share their expertise? What do they face when trying to find work as healthcare professionals? To answer these questions and imagine solutions, this conversation brings together first-hand testimony, a dip into history, and new research.

The Making it to the Registers team are Marie-Andrée Jacob, Priyasha Saksena, Amrita Limbu, Nasreen Ali, Manou Sundararaj, Nelson Enah, Rukia Saleem, Emma Matthews and Rajeev Gupta.

Event Venue Soft Ground Time 15:00 Tickets Free

Talk All ages

TOUCHING ON CASTE

Godhadi, Shivani Patel & Aaliah Qureshi

‘Touching on Caste’ is a group exhibition that convenes three anti-caste artistic perspectives from the South Asian diaspora: Godhadi, Shivani Patel and Aaliah Qureshi. In their differences, ‘Touching on Caste’ presents the complex and multitudinal experiences of caste beyond South Asia.

Following the exhibition launch, ‘Touching on Caste’ will be on display at Bloc Projects until 29 July.

Content Warning: The exhibition processes castbase trauma and can be challenging for those working through their case histories.

Event Venue

LIFE IN LIMBO

Sheffield Hallam University, Spark 15 and RAAH

In these collaborative films members of pioneering refugee-led charity Spark 15 share their inspirational stories of survival, finding belonging and creating a unique organisation which campaigns for change in Malta. This series of short films will be followed by a Q&A.

Content Warnings: Some films contain references to trauma and rape which some individuals may find distressing. These films will carry a trigger warning at the start.

Roger Robinson

Exploring “Home” Through the Anti Racist Archive Centre for Equity & Inclusion

The Anti-Racist Archive enables racially marginalised communities to creatively document ideas about important social issues. This event will focus on the theme of ‘home’. It will feature talks and performances from University of Sheffield global majority researchers, The Lit Collective and special guests.

THE DEATH & LIFE OF ALL OF US

Can we live authentically without hurting ourselves - or someone else?

Mixing real-life home videos, endearing storytelling and original live-music, The Death & Life of All of Us is a funny and poignant exploration of belonging, resilience and an unexpected connection to the past that refuses to let go. Victor Esses brings his Edinburgh hit to #MIGMAT2024. A true story of rebellion and hope.

Content Warnings: Strobe lighting, Loud music

Join a memorable evening with T.S. Eliot Prize winning poet Roger Robinson who takes us through his collective works in an exploration of home, belonging and the journeys that shape us.

The evening will be hosted by familiar voice Sile Sibanda (BBC Radio Sheffield) with supporting performances from Manchester based poet Keisha Thomson and Finnish-Iraqi writer Ahmad Zaidan as well as opening and closing DJ sets from Ashley Holmes.

Roger Robinson is a writer who has performed worldwide. He is the winner of the T.S. Eliot Prize 2019, RSL Ondaatje Prize 2020 and RSL Fellow.

Roger has been chosen by Decibel & Arts Council England as one of 50 writers who have influenced the Black-British writing canon

& his work has been featured in a number of prominent anthologies, including The Forward Book Of Poetry 2024, Mapping The Future –The Complete Works Poets, Poetry Unbound – 50 Poems To Open Your World, The Penguin Book of New Black Writing in Britain, The Fire People and Bloodaxes’ Out of Bounds: British Black and Asian Poets.

He has received commissions from The National Trust, London Open House, BBC, Tate, The National Portrait Gallery, V&A, INIVA, MK Gallery and Theatre Royal Stratford East, where he was also associate artist. He is an alumni of The Complete Works, a national mentorship programme founded by Bernardine Evaristo MBE.

June 21

MY POLLERA, MY STORY (WORKSHOP)

Carolina Rieckhof and Moyra Silva

Explore the meaningful stories behind Polleras; Andean traditional skirt. This workshop intertwines design and movement. Join us in decorating your own paper skirt, using traditional symbols, combining them with your own patterns, and generate movement around migration narratives.

June 21

FOOD TOUR: HONG KONG

Dr Catherine Wong, Digital Humanities Institute, University of Sheffield

Embark on a cultural journey exploring Sheffield’s Hong Kong migrant community through its vibrant cuisine. More than just a food tasting experience, this immersive tour offers attendees a guided exploration of the community’s food traditions - the beating heart of the life and culture of Hong Kong. Through contemplating the menus, decor, and background music, attendees will gain insights into Hong Kong’s language, pop culture, and way of life.

Event Venue

Hong Kong Cafe Time 12:00 | 17:30

CHECHNYA, UKRAINE AND PROPAGANDA

Ayman Eckford, Fatima Suleimanova, Ali Bakaev

For the first time in Sheffield’s history, Ukrainian and Chechen activists will come together to speak about the most important part of our common history during the last 80 years, the history of genocides, migrations, wars and heroism via personal stories, and answer your questions.

Content Warnings: mentioning of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, authoritarianism

21

FILMLOCOS - BRITISH LATIN

AMERICAN FILM TAKE OVER FILM LOCOS

Get hyped for “FilmLocos - British Latin American Film Take Over” returning to Sheffield! Enjoy a lineup of short films by British Latin American filmmakers, showcasing diverse stories and fresh perspectives. Join us for a cinematic celebration of culture carnival style.

Content Warnings: some of the short films have swearing, double meaning on metaphors, and some sexual commentaries, but no nudity.

18:00

RAPID RESPONSE

Ark Sheffield & Sheffield Hallam University

Event Venue

Rapid Response is a collaboration between Ark Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University, Migration Matters Festival and Sheffield Theatres. It was initiated in 2023 to support artists in the development of new theatre work that addresses the themes of climate and migration.

Rapid Response invites artists working in any medium to propose creative works that imaginatively address the questions ‘what would you take with you?’ and ‘what should we leave behind?’

Content Warnings: performances are still in development, see website for up to date content warnings

COAST

Join Side by Side on our latest exploration in ‘Coast’. The edge of the world draws in people from all corners, the sea is an open door, who knows who or what will be washed up or taken away by the waves. Hear an original sea shanty, see the coastal market and immerse yourself in the neighbourhood gossip as we transport you to the Coast.

Content Warnings: Missing persons, Storms, Loud Noises

HAREM OF NO ONE

Event Venue

Yellow Arch Studios Time 20:00 Tickets

£10/£7/£3

We are a collective of queer and feminist performers of Turkish, Kurdish, Cypriot and Southwest-Asian heritages living in London. We take inspiration from harems of the past, where women and queer folk were being ‘owned’ by a powerful male figure and were enslaved and abused; but at the same time there was a culture of solidarity and creation of art, beauty and eroticism. We got rid of the toxic owner, liberated ourselves, which made us The Harem of No One, and now we are only together because we desire to show our art, our beauty and our sexualities through performance, art, music and love; while creating a safe space for our communities.

LONGERR INHERITANCES - ACT II

Curated

by Otis Mensah

Longerr Inheritances - ACT II, hosted by DJ MYNA, will feature a headline performance from Savanna Morgan, multi-disciplinary, neo-traditionalist musician and performer from East Texas, classically trained in both European and American (jazz) vocal styles, featuring accompaniment from African American performer and composer Zaki Hagins.

As well as performances from artist, musician, Yumé NET, who melds modern jazz and experimental electronic music to tell stories about the very personal and very human aspects of her life (platonic love, trans joy, identity, bigotry, community) and how technology has transformed them. As well as an opening performance from Hamza Mohamed Beg, Muslim artist whose mediums of expression span from performance and poetry to sound design and video collage. Care, labour, diaspora, and faith are consistent themes that weave within his works.

June 22

REFUGE ISLAND

Refuge Island is an exhilarating 20 minute dance performance that explores stories of female migration and the human capacity to offer a place of refuge. As a lone woman appears on a pedestrian refuge island images begin to flicker within the bollard and soon we hear why this brave woman was forced to leave her home. The audience is taken on a journey hearing stories from Ireland to Bosnia to Afghanistan. Created by Whispered Tales, choreographed by Lisa Simpson with a stunning performance by Shahda Nantaba and Olena Hrabchak. Refuge Island is a captivating emotive dance performance not to be missed.

WELCOMING CULTURES

A celebration of our multicultural city marking Refugee Week and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month.

Welcoming Cultures aims to bring closer our communities, institutions and businesses through heritage and culture. It will showcase the city’s cultural heritage through public events, and demonstrate how Sheffield can be a city of culture where communities put art at the heart of everything.

AFRICA CALLING

Khula African Arts

+ 15:00 + 16:00

Khula African Arts are bringing “Africa Calling” to Sheffield on 22 June. Sheffield will hear the call of the drum and everyone is welcome to come and join the dance in the city centre - see how drum and dance connects as our dancers perform to authentic drum rhythms

AFRICAN GNAWA: CHANT, RHYTHMS & DANCE

Errebbaa

The deep trance power of the ancient Moroccan Gnawa repertoire connects elements of the Arab music of the North and the music of sub-Saharan Africa with Sufi mysticism.

Mohamed is an energetic & engaging workshop leader who has worked with notable organisations such as SOAS, Plymouth’s Barbican Theatre & DAN (Diverse Artists Network). The workshops educate on Gnawa traditions, the music, rhythms & rituals. In this workshop participants will be able to join in on call & response singing, clapping patterns & 6/8 rhythms with the krakebs (metal castanets) that are provided. All are welcome.

You can see Mohamed perform with his band Tagna Groove at the Migration Matters Festival closing party.

Set in Nigeria in the late 1940’s and based on a true story, Elesin, the king’s horseman, is tasked with carrying out a sacred ritual upon the death of the king, however Elesin is overtaken by earthly desires.

A thought-provoking theatrical experience showcasing music and dance, deeply rooted in the culture and spirituality of the Yoruba people.

MONDAY 3 – SATURDAY 8 FEBRUARY 2025

Book via Sheffield Theatres website.

Between the personal and historical: the Chinese diaspora, chinoiserie and family photography

Clare Chun-yu Liu and Emily Beswick

Event Venue

Bloc Projects’ Meanwhile Space Times 14:00 Tickets Free

What can family photographs reveal about identity, colonialism and migration? This event brings together artist-filmmaker Clare Chun-yu Liu and researcher Emily Beswick for a film screening and conversation. They will discuss their research with family photographs of the Chinese diaspora.

Clare will screen two of her films, ‘This is China of a particular sort, I do not know’ and ‘Another beautiful dream’. These films re-interpret English chinoiserie from a perspective informed by postcolonial thinking and the artist’s Taiwanese background.

Emily will share her ongoing research on family photographs belonging to the Chinese community in Liverpool. She will discuss the process and outcomes of ‘Traces of Memory’, a collaborative research project with individuals from Liverpool’s East and South East Asian communities.

“Our Lift-Off” tells the story of UK women’s football, drawing from the powerful narrative of “All Our Goals.” From Emma Clarke’s inspiring journey to the grassroots efforts in Sheffield, the documentary sheds light on the struggles faced by ethnic minority players. It uncovers cultural barriers, resource limitations, and the lack of role models, all hindering their participation.

Featuring England’s trailblazing black captain, Mary Phillip, the film offers invaluable insights into overcoming obstacles. It celebrates community groups tirelessly bridging gaps, fostering inclusivity in the sport. Ultimately, it sparks a vital conversation: Will UK women’s football truly embrace diversity? The documentary beckons for collective action, urging for a more inclusive future.

Take part in and feel the joy of a livestreamed mass singalong with six Sheffield choirs, to send a message of love, solidarity and hope to Palestine. Open to all, the ‘Big Sing for Palestine’ is part of the closing ceremony of the 24-hour community challenge small park BIG RUN in Meersbrook Park.

A UTOPIA THEATRE AND SHEFFIELD THEATRES PRODUCTION

By Wole Soyinka | Directed by Mojisola Kareem

Migration Matters Festival

We wish the festival could go on forever. We know you do too so make sure you’re with us to celebrate and cap off an incredible week in style! With tasty SADACCA catering, the city’s best DJs and of course amazing music.

Closing Party Mohamed Errebbaa & Tagna Groove

One World Choir

Festival regulars Sheffield One World Choir are back! Led by musical director Emer Mckay, the group came out of an idea to develop a choir for asylum seekers and refugees to come together with other local people to sing. The group started in 2018 with just a handful of singers, and have

into a

Mohamed’s group of jazz, soul & Afrofunk musicians present Gnawa music in a contemporary international context. Expect global music with hypnotic, bass-heavy dance grooves, Afro-jazz brass & soulful vocals drawing on Gnawa’s deep trance power, an ancient tradition of religious observation through ritual poetry, dance & rhythmic music.

and

Jamz Supernova uses sonics to tell a story. The multi-faceted creative force is a label head, radio host, DJ, podcaster, and true tastemaker, broadcasting for over a decade. Known for her slots on BBC Radio 1Xtra (Best Specialist Aria Gold Winner 2021), BBC 6Music (Broadcast & Press Guild Best radio show of 2022) and Selector Radio for the British Council, reaching over 4 million global listeners.

Amadou & Mariam

Roger Robinson • Sirens of Lesbos

Cimarons • celya ab • jamz supernova

Alisa Oleva • Ark Sheffield • Ayman Eckford, Fatima Suleimanova & Ali Bakaev • C & G Artpartment, in collaboration with Bloc Projects • Carolina Rieckhof and Moyra Silva

Dr Catherine Wong • Cemil Yildiz • Centre for Equity & Inclusion • Clare Chun-yu Liu & Emily Beswick • Comma Press Company Scheherazade • CUT J Productions • Dal Kular Dig Where You Stand • Douniah • Element Society • FILM LOCOS

Germa Adan • Ghetto Fabulous • Ghost and John Godhadi, Shivani Patel & Aaliah Qureshi • Half Moon Theatre Hamsaz Ensemble • Hamza Mohamed Beg • Harem of No One

Dr Henry Staples • Huq That • Jack Owen • Khula African Arts

Dr Lois Orton • La Rumba • Life in Limbo • Little Bean Theatre

Lora Krasteva • Making it to the Registers • Manasamitra

Maryna Sulym • Maya Productions • Mehaira A Mini MigMat with the Monty • mohamed errebbaa & Tagna Groove MYNA • Nasia Sarwar-Skuse, Taylor Edmonds & Jasmine Isa Quresh

Nuz Fatima • Dr Patricia Nabuco Martuscelli

PSYCHEdelight • Racines aisbl • Dr Rebecca Murray Dr Sabine Little • alam Shamki • Savanna Morgan ft Zaki • Stand & Be Counted Theatre • Seenaryo • Side by Side • small park BIG RUN Songs From the tin tabernacle • Soumik Datta Arts/The Green Room Collective • Summer Pearl • Sylvie Belbouab • Taey Iohe

Victor Esses • Welcoming Cultures • Whispered Tales • Yumé Net