Festival of Debate: Be Curious, Not Judgemental

As Festival of Debate enters the final furlong on its ten-week run, we want to thank everyone who has come out to our events, from the most intimate workshop to the largest keynote speech. It's been so heartening to see so many people engaged in such important political and social issues, and the range of partners we've had the opportunity to collaborate with has been fantastic. It's not over yet though, so here are a few picks of events through to the closing party on 29 June. You can find the full programme and tickets at festivalofdebate.com, or connect with us over email, Facebook or Twitter. Sam, Now Then Editor-in-Chief THE PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE OF EUROPEAN UNITY Thu 7 June | 6:30-8:30pm | Quaker Meeting House | Free An exploratory panel discussion featuring Natalie Bennett (Former Leader of the Green Party), Dr Owen Parker (Senior Lecturer in European Politics at the University of Sheffield), and Venandah Madanhi (Our Brexit). Link PECHA KUCHA VOL#26: ‘DEAL WITH IT’ Tue 12 June | 7-11pm | Theatre Deli | £9 seated/£6 standing A fun and inspiring evening of talks, accompanied by short films and live entertainment, exploring how different people face, approach and engage with the things that they want to change in their lives and the world around them. Link THE ARTS: CAN REJECTION LEAD TO PROGRESSION? A NEW DIALECTIC Sat 16 June | 1-2pm | DINA | £3/£2 British Intervention host a panel of five artists from working-class backgrounds, discussing working-class participation and representation in the arts. Followed by a theatre, live music and performance art piece, The Gesamtkunstwerk(£7/£5 for both panel and performance). Link DISMEMBERED: POLLY TOYNBEE & DAVID WALKER Wed 20 June | 7:30-9pm | Pennine Lecture Theatre | £10/£8 Guardian columnists Polly Toynbee and David Walker investigate the dismantling of public services. As key public services are cut back and increasingly outsourced to private companies, they ask how these services can be protected. Link LINTON KWESI JOHNSON Thu 21 Jun | 7:30pm | Abbeydale Picture House | £12/£10 A live performance from legendary 'dub poet' Linton Kwesi Johnson, with support from local musical superstar Kweku of Ghana (K.O.G). A collaboration between Festival of Debate, Wordlife and Migration Matters Festival (19-23 Jun, migrationmattersfestival.co.uk). Link IT ISN’T HISTORY: WHY THE 1984-85 MINERS’ STRIKE MATTERS TODAY Thu 21 June | 6:30-9pm | Quaker Meeting House | Free Former BBC journalist Nick Jones discusses media coverage of the Miners' Strike - and why it still matters today. Also featuring Chris Peace (Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign) and chaired by Granville Williams. Aimed at younger people unfamiliar with the significance of the epic struggle. Link 100 YEARS OF WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE, FT. HELEN PANKHURST & HOLLIE MCNISH Fri 29 June | 7pm-12am | Abbeydale Picture House | £10/£8 To close Festival of Debate, we celebrating 100 years of (some) women’s right to vote, featuring Helen Pankhurst in conversation with Dr Kate Taylor-Jones (University of Sheffield), poetry from the Ted Hughes Award-winning Hollie McNish, Salena Godden, and the Verse Matters Collective, and top-notch music from Before Breakfast and Girl Gang DJs. Link festivalofdebate.com @FestOfDebate )