News

Tickets on sale 30 August

We are delighted to announce that the brochure for Off the Shelf and tickets for 2019 will be released for general sale on 30 August.

Blog: Developing a healthy mind

A blog post about Running for My Life and Dare to Tri

Blog: Slow Travel in the Peak District

A blog post about Slow Travel in the Peak District.

2019 Northern Book Prize – Judges announced

Sarah Moss (author of The Tidal Zone) and Fiona Mozley (Man Booker shortlisted author of Elmet) as judges for the 2019 Northern Book Prize.

Evan Davis, Post Truth – 11 October

Evan Davis presented his talk about his book to a packed Octagon auditorium on 11 October and then took some challenging questions from the audience.

Gina Miller, Rise – Tuesday 9 October

We welcomed Gina Miller to Off the Shelf on Tuesday 9 October. Interviewed by broadcaster and writer, Paul Allen, Gina talked through key messages from her book.

Mary Shelley and her Frankenstein

From the stage to the page don't miss Award Winning Playwright Hattie Naylor's latest adaptation.

Opening Weekend

As the festival gets underway, we wanted to share some highlights from our opening weekend.

Women’s Suffrage Tour of Sheffield

On 6th February 1918, after decades of struggle, the Representation of the People Act finally gave the vote to some women – specifically those over the age of 30

Flying High!

Rebecca Truman launched the Circus strand of the festival on Saturday 6 October with her fascinating illustrated in conversation event on about her book.

Orla Kiely Event Cancelled

We are sorry to announce that, due to circumstances beyond our control, the event with Orla Kiely on Thursday 25 October at 7.30pm has been cancelled. 

Off the Shelf film screenings

Following the success of screenings for last year's Off The Shelf, the Humanities department at Sheffield Hallam University have curated another trio of films.

Welcome to Off the Shelf 2018

Welcome to Off the Shelf 2018. Join us for some of the best known names in literature, media and the arts.

Associate Partner – True North

Associate Partner – The Moor

Find out about our Associate Partner, The Moor.

Associate Partner – Hospitality Sheffield

Find out about our Associate Partner, Hospitality Sheffield.

Associate Partner – South Street Kitchen

Find out about our Associate Partner, South Street Kitchen.

Associate Partner – Sheffield BID

Find out about our Associate Partner, Sheffield BID.

Associate Partner – Daybell & Choo Opticians

Find out about our Associate Partner, Daybell & Choo Opticians.

Our best moments from Off the Shelf 2017

It's been a fantastic year for Off the Shelf, with more people than ever before coming to our events and celebrating words and ideas.

Student blog: Adam Kay

Our student blogger Maja reviews Adam Kay's talk about his hilarious, heartbreaking and thought-provoking book, This Is Going to Hurt.

A message from Brian Blessed

We asked Brian for a message to close Off the Shelf 2017. Here's what he had to say...

Student blog: Jo Peel

Our student blogger Chandni reviews a talk by Sheffield street artist Jo Peel.

Student blog: Lee Child

Our student blogger Arinola reviews Lee Child's talk at Off the Shelf 2017.

Student blog: Anne Boleyn: A King’s Obsession

Was Anne Boleyn a proto-feminist icon? Our student blogger Bridget reviews Alison Weir's talk.

Student blog: Julianne Pachico

Our student blogger Chandni reviews a talk by author and Sheffield Hallam University lecturer Julianne Pachico.

Student blog: Remain/Leave

Our student blogger Danielle reviews a talk by the photographer Jeremy Abrahams.

Student blog: Robert Webb

Our student blogger Maja reviews Robert Webb's talk about the absurd expectations thrust upon boys and men.

Student blog: Grit

Student blogger Maja McGill reviews the storytelling night at Off the Shelf 2017.

Sara Khan — The Battle for British Islam

Sara talked about her book The Battle for British Islam to an engaged audience at Off the Shelf 2017.

John O’Farrell at Off the Shelf 2017

John O'Farrell talks about his book Things Can Only Get Worse.

Laurie Penny discusses some of her most influential books

Laurie spoke at Off the Shelf 2017 about her book Bitch Doctrine. She also told us about some of the books that have influenced her the most.

Jacques Peretti speaks about his influences and his book DONE

Jacques Peretti talks about his book DONE: The Secret Deals That Are Changing Our World. He also speaks to us about books that have influenced him.

Karl Byrne — The Science of Star Wars

Karl is a communicator of science and travels the world talking about it.

Tim Dowling discusses his new book

Tim Dowling was discussing his new book Dad You Suck at University of Sheffield's Auditorium.

Student blog: Jenni Murray: A History of Britain in 21 Women

Our student blogger Danielle reviews Jenni Murray's A History of Britain in 21 Women.

Mike Braddick — God’s Fury, England’s Fire

Mike Braddick curated the radical strand to this year’s festival. He talks about his book God’s Fury, England’s Fire.

Watch Hollie McNish perform a poem from her book Plum

Watch Hollie McNish perform a poem from her book Plum. Hollie performed at Off the Shelf 2017 alongside Matt Abbott.

Blowers bowled over by bake off

Cricket commentating royalty Henry 'Blowers' Blofeld was left stumped when presented with a commemorative cake by Sheffield Hallam University students.

Student blog: The Golden Age of Detective Fiction

Our student blogger Bridget reviews a talk on The Golden Age of Detective Fiction.

Lee Child shares his love for Sheffield at Off the Shelf 2017

Lee Child talked to fans about his newest Jack Reacher title, The Midnight Line, at Sheffield City Hall for Off the Shelf Festival 2017.

Student blog: Clinton Woods

Our student blogger Chandni reviews the festival's in conversation event with Clinton Woods.

Here’s what some of our great guests have been saying

So it’s been a fabulous festival so far – here’s what some of our great guests have been saying…

Michael Rosen praises literary festivals

Michael Rosen talks about the importance of reading and literary festivals.

Off the Shelf competition for schools

Off the Shelf is running a competition for schools in conjunction with the Sheffield Star as part of their Reading Campaign.

Our top picks for Off the Shelf 2017

The festival team talk about the events they're looking forward to at Off the Shelf 2017.

Win tickets to Two Stories – Mark Haddon

To celebrate the centenary of the first publication of The Mark on the Wall by Virginia Woolf, Mark Haddon has written a new story, St Bride’s Bay.

And Other Stories launches new Northern Book Prize

And Other Stories celebrates its arrival in Sheffield with the launch of a new book prize in partnership with New Writing North.

Tagore and Freedom – a Sheffield celebration

This being the UK-India Year of Culture, it is fitting that this year's festival opens with an exciting programme celebrating Tagore’s rich and diverse legacy.

Off the Shelf celebrates a new golden age of crime writing

I am delighted that we have been able to curate a crime theme for this year’s Off the Shelf Festival of Words.

Off the Shelf film screenings

This year's festival has three broad thematic strands: crime, radicalism and India. To complement this, we will be screening films throughout the festival.

Welcome to this year’s festival

We hope you enjoy our new curatorial approach covering themes such as radicalism, crime and India, and a new community focus starting with Somali culture.

I Made This by Chris Bush

In 2016, Sheffield celebrated a Year of Making and the playwright Chris Bush was commissioned to write a poem about the city and making.