Festival of Debate 2025

Tell us what you want to see from Now Then's return to print Fill in our short survey or join us in person at The Showroom on 5 March – either way, we want to hear your ideas.

As we recently revealed in our newsletter, we’re cooking up exciting plans to return Now Then to paper and ink later this year 📰

We want to know what you, our readers and contributors, want from a print edition of the mag. Find out how you can tell us online or in person 👇

#Sheffield #NowThen

What we've been learning from: February 2026 Here's our regular round-up of some of the most interesting and thought-provoking things our team have been reading, watching and listening to over the past month.

On the Opus Blog, we share a monthly round-up of articles, podcasts, books and more that our team have been learning from and found inspiring to our work 📚

Here's February's, featuring @amahra.bsky.social, Jack Becher and @indyjohar.bsky.social of @darkmatterlabs.org ⬇️

#SystemsChange

A watercolour and ink illustration of two people. One of them is holding a can of spray paint, and is painting a picture of the world on the side of the bridge behind them. The other is sitting on the floor cross-legged and playing a guitar. Behind them, a train is passing over the bridge.

The series continues over on the Opus Blog, where you can read six more reflections from #ThePeoplesNewsroom team about how storytelling can help us transition to new economies on a liveable planet.

Read 'Lessons for a Story Commons' now ⬇️

www.weareopus.org/blog/categor...

The People's Newsroom - Lessons for a Story Commons: how storytelling can open the door to thriving futures Organisers across the UK share how storytelling can help us transition to new economies on a liveable planet.

'Lessons for a Story Commons' is a new series from the team at #ThePeoplesNewsroom.

For the past two years, they've been exploring how changing the way we tell stories can be key to changing the future itself 🔮

The introductory piece is in @nowthenmag.bsky.social ⬇️

Research shows that 9 in 10 people globally want more action from their governments on climate, and 7 in 10 are prepared to put their own money in to help.

On 14 Feb, South Yorkshire Climate Alliance are hosting a free event in #Sheffield on how we can mobilise this climate majority 🌎

Details ⬇️

We Keep us Safe: Active Bystander Workshop · Luma In collaboration with Sheffield-based poet Sarah Lasoye, Cradle is hosting a special event in Sheffield! We’ve come together to plan an afternoon of…

📢 Abolitionist collective Cradle Community are hosting an event in #Sheffield on 31 January, in collaboration with local poet Sarah Lasoye.

Expect an afternoon of creativity, learning and experimentation, exploring how we can become active bystanders in our communities.

Tickets ⬇️

Where the old maps and mandates fail: civic work in the spaces between When we look at complex problems, they often fall outside any one remit – but if we're to overcome them, that needs to change.

"When we look at complex problems, they often fall outside any one remit – but if we're to overcome them, that needs to change"

Over on our blog, Opus co-founder James Lock shares his thoughts on how we can begin to tackle the most urgent problems we collectively face ⬇️

#SystemsChange

Reflections on the criminal invasion of Venezuela The United States’ illegal incursion into Venezuela, universally regarded by legal scholars as a crime under international law, is the latest and most full-throated assertion of a return to colonial l...

"The United States’ illegal incursion into Venezuela is the latest and most full-throated assertion of a return to colonial logics, as the old liberal-democratic order continues its precipitous collapse"

Read reflections from the Opus team on the criminal invasion of #Venezuela ⬇️

What we've been learning from: December 2025 Here's our regular round-up of some of the most interesting and thought-provoking things our team have been reading, watching and listening to over the past month.

On the Opus Blog, we've started sharing a monthly round-up of articles, podcasts, books and more that our team have been learning from each month 📚

Here's the first edition – featuring @georgemonbiot.bsky.social, @graceblakeley.substack.com, Vanessa Machado de Oliveira and more.

#SystemsChange

Ideas and Pioneers Fund We support individuals and groups who want to explore ideas for social change.

🚨🚨🚨

The Paul Hamlyn Foundation's Ideas and Pioneers Fund has reopened.

The fund offers grants of up to £20,000 to individuals and organisations who want to explore a bold and brave idea for social change that is still forming/emerging

⏰ Hurry: applications close 2 December

Crown of Blood | Sheffield Theatres 'Of what use is a good man without ambition' A powerful retelling of Shakespeare's Macbeth set during the civil wars of 19th-century Yorubaland. General A

We're super excited to see the new play from our friends at Utopia Theatre, working with @sheffieldtheatres.bsky.social, in February 🤩

Set in nineteenth century Yorubaland, #CrownOfBlood is a Yoruba retelling of Macbeth, filled with heritage, spirituality and movement.

More info and tickets ⬇️

We've just invested £250 in @musicvenuetrust.bsky.social's brilliant initiative to help secure the future of some of the UK's best grassroots music venues, including #Sheffield's beloved Gut Level.

They're still £150k short of their target with 12 hours to go – consider investing if you can 👇

Sheffield Transformed - Sheffield Transformed reveal line-up for 2025 festival, with organisers promising “bigger and more diverse” programme The annual festival of left-wing politics features sessions on anti far-right organising and clean energy transitions, as well as zine-making, poetry writing and folk singing.

"This is your chance to recognise the deep challenges we face in #Sheffield and beyond, and be part of responding to them together"

We've got the full low-down on this year's @sheffieldtransformed.org, which returns to South Yorkshire later this month.

✍️ @sammgreg.bsky.social

This is our first #Sandbox event, a new series from the team behind Festival of Debate in which you can get hands-on with some of the most exciting ideas of our time, exploring how they could work in practice right here in #Sheffield 🚀

Find out more ⤵️

A poster for a new event series called Sandbox. Over a beige background and an abstract image of a sandbox, it has the text "Sandbox. How cities collaborate for transformation. Sheffield x Melbourne. In conversation with Alison Whitten (Regen Melbourne) & Helen Sims (Voluntary Action Sheffield). Thu 20 Nov, 8–9:30pm, The Circle, Sheffield. Below this are the logos of Regen Melbourne, Sheffield City Goals and Opus

Next Thursday, we're inviting the team behind Regen Melbourne – a community of more than 200 organisations committed to creating a thriving city living within our planetary boundaries – to Sheffield 🌏

Find out more at the link below, or grab a ticket ⬇

www.tickettailor.com/events/wordl...

Festival of Debate - We’re taking a break from the full Festival of Debate next year – here’s why We have an exciting lineup of keynotes talks in 2026, but we’re taking time to think about how the festival can play a more active role in building the new systems that we urgently need.

🚨 We've decided to take a year out from our full Festival of Debate programme in 2026

But don’t worry – we’ll still be hosting six headline events throughout the year that will welcome some of the most interesting and radical systems change thinkers to #Sheffield

@nowthenmag.bsky.social have more⬇️

A graphic advertising an event called 'Radical Abundance'. The poster features the words "Wordlife Present... a Reading Rooms event", the cover of the book 'Radical Abundance: How to Win a Green Democratic Future', and the words "In conversation with Keir Milburn and Debs Grayson. Thu 2 October. 7–9:15pm. The Workstation, Sheffield"

We live in a world where we have too much of what we don't need and too little of what we do – but it doesn't have to be this way 🌱

This Thursday, join us for an exciting conversation about Radical Abundance with Keir Milburn.

🕖 7pm
📌 The Workstation
🎫 tickettailor.com/events/wordlife/1838497

We live in a world where we have too much of what we don't need and too little of what we do – but it doesn't have to be this way Ahead of in-conversation in Sheffield next Thursday, we have an exclusive extract from a new book that makes the case for creating a world of “radical abundance”.

Here's an exclusive extract in @nowthenmag.bsky.social from Keir Milburn, @kaiheron.bsky.social & @bertrussell.bsky.social's new book 'Radical Abundance'

Keir is coming to #Sheffield next Thursday to explore how we can “create a world of true abundance” 📚

Tickets 👉 buytickets.at/wordlife/183...

A graphic advertising an event called 'Radical Abundance'. The poster features the words "Wordlife Present... a Reading Rooms event", the cover of the book 'Radical Abundance: How to Win a Green Democratic Future', and the words "In conversation with Keir Milburn and Debs Grayson. Thu 2 October. 7–9:15pm. The Workstation, Sheffield"

Next Thursday, Keir will be joining us to discuss 'Radical Abundance' with Debs Grayson.

In a discussion session hosted by Now Then, we'll explore how we can “create a world of true abundance” right here in Sheffield.

@plutopress.bsky.social

Tickets ➡️ tickettailor.com/events/wordlife/1838497

We live in a world where we have too much of what we don't need and too little of what we do – but it doesn't have to be this way Ahead of in-conversation in Sheffield next Thursday, we have an exclusive extract from a new book that makes the case for creating a world of “radical abundance”.

"Under capitalism, for the sake of generating a bullshit abundance of privatised wealth for the few, our collective freedom and capacity to flourish is constrained"

Here's an exclusive extract from Keir Milburn, @kaiheron.bsky.social and @bertrussell.bsky.social's new book 'Radical Abundance' 🌱

A graphic advertising an event called 'Radical Abundance'. The poster features the words "Wordlife Present... a Reading Rooms event", the cover of the book 'Radical Abundance: How to Win a Green Democratic Future', and the words "In conversation with Keir Milburn and Debs Grayson. Thu 2 October. 7–9:15pm. The Workstation, Sheffield"

Capitalism has created a world of bullshit abundance, where we have too much of what we don’t need and too little of what we do.

Join us in Sheffield on 2 October to hear Keir Milburn in conversation about the alternative: Radical Abundance ✨

Tickets 👉 tickettailor.com/events/wordlife/1838497

A black-and-white photo of a bearded man, wearing a black polo-neck sweater and looking at the camera with a slight smile

Join us in #Sheffield on 2 October for an exciting in conversation between Keir Milburn and Debs Grayson about Keir’s new book 'Radical Abundance', co-written with Kai Heron and Bertie Russell.

📅 2 October
📌 Workstation
💷 £5 (£10 solidarity)

Tickets 👉 tickettailor.com/events/wordlife/1838497

Where should systems change organisations keep their money? At Opus, we’re in the process of moving our savings to a more ethical platform with better interest returns. Team member Sam Gregory spoke to colleague Bashkim Muca about the thinking behind the switc...

At Opus, we’re in the process of moving our company savings to a more ethical platform with better interest rates.

@sammgreg.bsky.social spoke to colleague Bashkim Muca about the thinking behind the switch, and what learning we hope to offer to other organisations devoted to systems change ⬇️

Off the Shelf - Off the Shelf Festival of Words returns to Sheffield in 2025 with Lucy Worsley and Lemn Sissay The 34th edition of the book-based event series also features Alison Steadman, Simon Armitage and Sheffield’s own Graham Fellows among more than 60 events.

"This year’s programme is a true reflection of our city – diverse, vibrant and welcoming to all"

We're super excited about the lineup for this year's @otsfestival.bsky.social, led by Lemn Sissay, @lucyworsley.bsky.social and @kenanmalik.bsky.social, plus loads more 📚

@sammgreg.bsky.social ✍️

📢 "Westminster didn't fix anything for us. We demanded the right to do more for ourselves."

Andy Burnham @mayorofgm.bsky.social‬ speaks on the power of devolution and the future of the North of England at Festival of Debate 2025, with ‪@metromayorsteve.bsky.social‬.

Brilliant Minds: BONUS podcast with Kate Raworth, Indy Johar & James Lock at the Festival of Debate We are honoured to bring to Accidental Gods, a recording of three of our generation's leading thinkers in conversation at the Festival of Debate in Sheffield, hosted by Opus. This is an unflinching co...

This bonus episode is a raw, unflinching conversation recorded live at #Sheffield #FestivalofDebate by
@weareopus.bsky.social with 3 of the most brilliant minds of our time: @kateraworth.bsky.social @indyjohar.bsky.social
& James Lock
accidentalgods.life/brilliant-mi
#AccidentalGods #Podcast

Opus team statement on the ban of Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws After their protest at RAF Brize Norton, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced plans to designate direct action group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. Palestine Action sprayed paint on military jet engines as a protest against the UK’s complicity in Israel’s genocide. This is not terrorism. Direct action is the heartbeat of our democracy, and the government’s draconian attempt to smear Palestine Action represents a dangerous moment for civil liberties in the UK. Since the Policing Act, protest has been curtailed and police have been given more power than ever to intervene in protests, and to arrest protesters. Our government have supported Israel’s genocide both politically and materially. Keir Starmer has refused to call Israel’s actions a genocide, when the UN, Amnesty and Human Rights Watch have all done so. Recent data from Action on Armed Violence has found that the RAF have conducted more than 500 reconnaissance flights over Palestine since December 2023. The UK has sent thousands of military items to Israel since

October 2023. Just days ago, a study from Harvard found that Israel has “disappeared” 377,000 Palestinians, half of them children. Research published in the Lancet estimates the death toll is 40% higher than shown in official records. Israel are committing a genocide in Palestine, and they’re doing it with the support of the UK government. Sheffield is not unconnected to this genocide. Research from the University of Sheffield is used to provide vital parts for arms for Israel. The university has received almost £100m over the past 12 years in investments from arms manufacturers. BAE Systems have opened an artillery production facility in Sheffield, further cementing the city as a major player in arms production. Palestine Action have put their own freedoms at risk to call out the complicity of the UK government in supporting a genocide. In accusing them of behaving as a terrorist group, this government is further weaponising post-9/11 legislation which criminalises and demonises Muslims. We refute the allegations that Palestine Action are terrorists, and we challenge the government’s definition of terrorism. It will soon become illegal to express any support for Palestine Action. The nature of proscription also complicates how journalists can cover the group, a startling restriction of freedom of speech. At Opus, we work to make systems

change possible for a better world. We urge everyone in Sheffield and the rest of the country to agitate for Palestine Action’s right to protest, and our collective right to object to a genocide. We will continue to use our platforms to amplify groups like Palestine Action whose principled actions make a better world possible. Emergency mobilisation outside Sheffield Town Hall, Thursday 26 June, 5:30 pm

A statement from Opus on the government's decision to proscribe @palaction.bsky.social.

You can also read the full statement on our website, where all of our sources are linked.

➡️ weareopus.org/post/opus-te...

#PalestineAction

YouTube video by Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures Adapt or Collapse? The Radical Overhaul Our Living World Needs in the Age of Climate Crisis

Climate change is here. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions alone won’t save us — we must adapt and act now! ⚠️

You can now watch the full recording of this fascinating @festofdebate.bsky.social event hosted by our Grantham Scholars. ⬇️

📽️ youtu.be/IxV3D7t3Oxg?...

#FoD2025 #ClimateCrisis

🌱 "There's a quiet nagging, an imperceptible whisper just out of earshot, calling us to witness our collective grief."

It was an honour to have award-winning environmental justice researcher and educator Joycelyn Longdon at the festival this year, to discuss her book Natural Connection.

🚨 "What's being promised to us as a shiny new world of tomorrow is actually just recycling old forms of misogyny, and baking them into the building blocks of our future society."

Laura Bates speaks on AI and misogyny at Festival of Debate 2025.