Sensoria – Festival of Film and Music

A festival named after a track by Sheffield synth pioneers Cabaret Voltaire? You know you’re onto a winner with Sensoria right away.

Sensoria is Sheffield’s festival of film and music. Since it started out in 2008, Sensoria has projected films in places we’d never have thought would make for cinemas – The Big Blue at Hathersage lido, Threads on the hill above Sheffield station, Metropolis with a live soundtrack by Factory Floor in a steel mill turned museum. It’s staged bands and installations in buildings we’d thought were beyond use. And Sensoria isn’t just skilled at location scouting; it’s hosted some of the most memorable music of recent years in Sheffield, bringing to town the likes of Laurie Anderson, Bo Ningen, Michael Rother, John Grant and more.

Sensoria 2026 highlights:

• Air Giants | Hothouse
  22–25 October, Cole Store (former John Lewis building), free entry
  Immerse yourself in a robotic environment of colourful, otherworldly botanical specimens. With six interactive plant sculptures, each standing 2.5 metres tall brought to life through movement, light, air and robotic technology. Concerteenies will also be hosting an improvised performance for ages 1–7 in the installation on the morning of Sunday 25th October.

• Colonised Marshland
  22 October, 7:45pm, Drama Studio
  Presented by Slow Wave Sound, a quarterly night of ambient music, drone and minimalism, Colonised Marshland combines atmospheric visuals and materials from videographer/cinematographer Nathan Smith and sound recordist/researcher George Powell with a live ambient drone soundtrack by Ince B to depict the impact of the Stanlow Oil Refinery on the landscape and communities that surround it.

• WARPVISION
  22 October, 9pm, Drama Studio
  An audio-visual journey through the archives of Warp Records, curated by Sensoria.

• TEKKONKINKREET
  23 October, 6:30pm, Drama Studio
  Sensoria Festival, in association with Reel Steel, present the rarely-screened cult anime classic Tekkonkinkreet (2006) in a 20th anniversary 4K restoration.

• The Magic City: Birmingham according to Sun Ra
  23 October, 7:30pm, Alder Bar
  Kelham Island Film Club present a documentary exploring the upbringing of Jazz icon Sun Ra in Birmingham, Alabama.

• PLAID + NikNak (live AV sets)
  23 October, 8:15pm, Hangr Warehouse
  Plaid are monumental cornerstones for any self-respecting electronic music fan; having also worked under aliases including The Black Dog and Balil – not to mention their work with Bjork. A trailblazing musical polymath, NikNak has carved a niche for herself in the music industry with her distinctive turntablism, immersive compositions, and captivating improvised performances.

• Ember Collective
  24 October, 3–9pm, Trafalgar Warehouse, £2 on the door
  An immersive day-to-night festival designed to help Sheffield’s creatives network and connect. With live music, art, DJs, talks, creator stalls, food, drinks and the best Saturday vibes. Closing out with Kitchen Radio resident DJ Linga Sound (7-9pm), bringing a deep selection of jazz, funk, warm sounds and percussive grooves from around the world.

• Plantasia Collective
  24 October, 6pm, Drama Studio
  What if music could help plants grow? Inspired by the cult 1976 album Plantasia by pioneering electronic composer Mort Garson, this immersive new performance is a celebration of analogue synthesis, collective creation, botanical inspiration and the enduring relevance of Garson’s work – reimagined for now, and for Sheffield. Musically directed by Lou Barnell and Zebedee C. Budworth, with Lucy Haighton bringing a physical element, drawing on her lived experience of ME/CFS.

• Turntablism and Tapes: analogue audiovisuals
  24 October, 8:30pm, Drama Studio
  Reel Steel and Zaron (Interworld) mix vinyl film scores and VHS cinema live for the big screen. Followed by an immersive live set combining zoetrope, sampler and tape loops from Sculpture. A unique evening of live audio-visual performances; crossing music, cinema, and analogue media.