Sheffield Theatres unveils full programme for new festival Open Works

Featuring UK premieres, talks with industry leaders, and work-in-progress stagings, Sheffield-based theatre festival Open Works runs from September to October

Date published: 4th Aug 2026

A new annual festival celebrating creative talent in British theatre is heading to Sheffield. 

Spanning city centre venues the Playhouse, the Montgomery Theatre and the Montgomery Studio, Open Works will run from Monday 18th September to Sunday 10th October, bringing together leading names in British theatre with local talent and creators. 

Run by Sheffield Theatres, the festival’s full programme has been unveiled, boasting a mix of premieres, fully staged productions, works-in-progress, industry talks, workshops and more.

Some of the programme highlights include the UK premiere of Cold Sweat, a theatre experience mapping bodies to AI voices; a musical from Sheffield musician Joe Carnall Jnr of Milburn and Reverend & The Makers fame entitled How Could I Forget?; One Day playwright David Greig and Roots Mbili Theatre Artistic Director John Rwothomack discussing African storytelling on UK stages; and local playwright Leo Butler in conversation with Act for Change co-founder Stephanie Street, and acclaimed dramatists David Eldrige and Mike Bartlett. 

Deborah Dickinson, the festival’s Creative Development Director, said, “We want Sheffield to be a place where artists can take risks, test ideas and build lasting connections, while audiences have the chance to discover new voices and new stories and go away talking about them. We are delighted to be bringing together such a diverse programme of local, national and international talent for the very first Open Works Festival."

Elizabeth Newman, the Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres, added that the impetus to create the festival was because, “At Sheffield Theatres, we believe the best theatre begins with connection… It's in those moments of exchange - when we come together to listen, question, imagine and share - that theatre is at its most powerful. Open Works is an invitation to make those connections: to-discover new artists, encounter fresh ideas, share experience and be part of the conversations that shape the future of theatre.”

Open Works runs from Monday 28th September to Sunday 10th October 2026. 

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