Cultural Conversation Toolkit

A framework for organisations to run their own workshops with artists, cultural workers, creative networks and organisations to help inform Sheffield’s bid for City of Culture 2029.

Sheffield has been longlisted to become UK City of Culture 2029.

As part of the bid process, we're inviting artists, creative practitioners, producers, freelancers, cultural workers, creative students, emerging leaders and cultural organisations to share their ideas, experiences and ambitions.

Sheffield already has a shared vision for the future, captured in Sheffield’s Culture Strategy and in Sheffield’s City Goals. Our City of Culture bid will sit within that vision, helping to bring it to life. Together, these imagine a city that is creative, connected, welcoming, sustainable and full of opportunity.

This toolkit is designed to support conversations within cultural organisations, creative networks, artist communities, creative courses, studios, collectives and other cultural settings.

We're interested in understanding how culture can contribute to Sheffield's future, what opportunities City of Culture could unlock, and what role artists, creatives and cultural organisations might play in shaping that future.

What do we mean by culture?

Culture means different things to different people.

It includes arts, heritage, festivals, museums, galleries, music, literature, theatre and performance. It also includes grassroots creativity, digital culture, making, design, fashion, food, sport, gaming, neighbourhood activity, social practice, community action and the many ways people express themselves and connect with others.

We're interested in both professional and everyday creativity, and in the relationship between culture and wider issues such as wellbeing, nature, young people, communities, inclusion and the future of the city.

Facilitator Guidance

This conversation can be delivered:

  • As a team discussion

  • As part of an artist development programme

  • With students

  • Through a network meeting

  • Within an existing workshop or event

Suggested duration:

  • 60 minutes to 2 hours

Participants do not need detailed knowledge of the City of Culture process but full information is available here.

The aim is to create a space for reflection, discussion and idea generation.

You do not have to discuss every question, feel free to pick just one or two if you’d like to have longer discussions around a specific topic.

Toolkit and enquiries

Thank you for contributing to Sheffield's City of Culture 2029 journey.

Your ideas will help shape a vision for Sheffield that reflects the city's creativity, ambition, communities and future aspirations, while contributing to the wider conversation about what kind of city Sheffield wants to become. We can’t promise that your ideas will make it into the final bid, but we can promise it will be read and carefully considered by the bidding team.

You can access the toolkit here.

Once you have completed the tasks, please fill in this form.

The deadline for completion is 24 July 2026.

For enquiries, please contact culturesheffield@sheffield.gov.uk.