The Off The Shelf Festival of Words has returned to Sheffield, with the literary festival nearing the end of its 22nd edition.
Boasting over seventy events, varying in form between simple presentations to long-form interviews, Off the Shelf brings together a range of authors, artists and notable public figures, each speaking on their own recently published work.
The events vary in form, from simple, brief presentations to long-form interviews.
First held in 1991, the seventeen-day-long event has been a staple of the arts calendar in Sheffield for over three decades.
Last week, TV presenter and environmentalist Chris Packham held a talk exploring his new book ‘Earth’, and Pulp drummer Nick Banks discussed “So It Started There”; his account of his, and his band’s, journey from obscurity to global fame.
Historian Mary Beard visited the Octagon to cover ‘Emperor of Rome’, her new account of the tenures of the rulers of the Roman Empire, and Polly Toynbee, a columnist for The Guardian, touched on the British class system in a conversation on ‘An Uneasy Inheritance’, her latest tome.
Notable figures yet to speak include writer Ian Dunt (25th October, Firth Hall), children’s author Jacqueline Wilson (28th October, Crucible theatre) and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves (28th October, Firth Hall).
Professor Vanessa Toulmin of the University of Sheffield, states that Off the Shelf aims to “provide a programme that can draw both niche and mainstream entertainment audiences”, to the city’s venues.
Neve McGuinness, a 3rd year Literature student, appreciates the festival:
“I think it’s really cool. There’s a good variety in the subject of the talks and the authors attending.”
The programme takes place in venues both on and off campus throughout the city, such as the Lyceum Theatre, Firth Hall, the University Drama Studio and the Millennium Gallery.
Previous attendants include Carol Ann Duffy, Nick Clegg and Stephen Fry.
Image credits – Wikimedia Commons & Off The Shelf website
