Sheffield's classical scene has so much potential – why are we not making the most of it? Composer and outgoing programmer at Music in the Round Dr Benjamin Tassie writes for Now Then about why the city’s scene is at its best when it takes risks and rewards experimentation.

It's an absolute scandal that @artscouncilengland.bsky.social, through their National Portfolio, spend just £6.59 per person in Sheffield, compared to £44.60 in Manchester and £35.65 in Leeds.

Our city deserves better!

Great piece in @nowthenmag.bsky.social by @benjamintassie.bsky.social 👇

Surrendering ever more urban public space to car owners increases pollution, ruins cities, and fuels foreign wars.

But local authorities push for it because car owners are the only constituents they can imagine representing.

Excellent report here by @samwake.bsky.social.

A well-researched, vital, yet alarming piece by @samwake.bsky.social in @nowthengirl.bsky.social ⬇️

It's really worrying that @sheffcitycouncil.bsky.social are still looking to expand road capacity at Shalesmoor even though evidence suggests this will worsen air pollution at a nearby primary school.

Mayor unveils slick new look for South Yorkshire’s publicly-controlled transport network Starting next year, the People’s Network will bring together buses, bikes, trams and trains for the first time in vivid orange-and-charcoal colours. 

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard has unveiled a slick new brand for the region’s integrated transport network, as the system begins to come under full public control over the next few years. ⬇️

https://loom.ly/tOGlXok

Connecting Limbs: "We built a hotel for fish!" How architects are 'designing for life' on Sheffield's hidden rivers For students at Sheffield Hallam, an opportunity to design for different species opens up new ideas of what architecture is for.

“It turned out to be a hotel for fish – that's what people were calling it!”

For @wildsheffield.bsky.social's #ConnectingLimbs project, architecture students at @sheffieldhallamuni.bsky.social were tasked with designing ways to boost biodiversity on #Sheffield's River Sheaf

✍️ @sammgreg.bsky.social

You asked, we're answering: when will Now Then be back in print? We want to get back to producing a printed magazine. There, we said it. Now, the details...

If there’s one question we hear when we’re out and about more than any other, it’s this one: when will Now Then return to print, and what will it look like?

We’ve got more details on that, plus a chance to tell us what you want from Now Then 2.0 if you’ve not already done so ⬇️

#Sheffield

I think it was Adam Curtis who referred to "the re-enchantment of the world" 💭😵‍💫

👌

This piece by @seanmorl.com is beautifully written and very funny. If you're Sheffield-based – or even live elsewhere in the desiccated north, give it a read 👇

Connecting Limbs: In the race to restore Sheffield's hidden rivers, can natural and industrial heritage coexist? As a new project gets underway to transform Sheffield’s most “unnatural” river, we hear how the Sheaf can go from just-about-surviving to thriving.

“That is the river telling us that it's not having this constrained situation anymore, and it's going to try to create a more meandering course”

Connecting Limbs is an amibitious project to enhance 800m of the River Sheaf, using techniques that mimic those found in nature.

✍️ @sammgreg.bsky.social

Tell us what you want to see from Now Then's return to print Fill in our short survey or join us in person at The Showroom on 5 March – either way, we want to hear your ideas.

As we recently revealed in our newsletter, we’re cooking up exciting plans to return Now Then to paper and ink later this year 📰

We want to know what you, our readers and contributors, want from a print edition of the mag. Find out how you can tell us online or in person 👇

#Sheffield #NowThen

.

@vivianho.bsky.social typo in the live blog 🙂

"I sent the most exciting text I've ever sent back to Sheffield": how a farming breakthrough by Syrian refugees could help tackle climate breakdown in South Yorkshire A visit to a Jordanian refugee camp in 2016 showed the Grantham Centre’s Tony Ryan innovative new ways to grow more food with less.

"We brought a bit of the mattress back and started to grow tomatoes in it!"

At the South Yorks Sustainability Centre's research summit, we learned how visits to a Jordanian refugee camp helped @granthamcsf.bsky.social find new ways to tackle the climate crisis in #Sheffield

✍️ @sammgreg.bsky.social

If Starmer wants us to be strong he'd stop making deals with Peter Thiel (Palantir).

For anyone who doesn't know who is, he's a major part of why America is now an authoritarian country.

He's friends with Musk & funded Vance.

Sheffield's NHS could be about to hand over patient data to a US spy-tech firm with links to the Trump regime The trust which oversees the Hallamshire and Northern General hospitals refused to rule out giving control over patient data to US firm Palantir.

The NHS in #Sheffield is considering handing control over the medical data of thousands of people in the city to #Palantir, a US firm with links to the Trump regime.

"It continues the privatisation, outsourcing, and asset-stripping of the NHS," one local doctor told us.

✍️ @sammgreg.bsky.social

Sharrow McDonald's: victory for community campaigners after "utilitarian" proposals rejected for second time Councillors voted unanimously against the US corporate giant, following concerns around pollution and worsening health inequalities.

“Thank you to everyone who spoke up, campaigned, and stood together... in the crosshairs of a powerful international corporation”

Community organisers in Sharrow, #Sheffield, are celebrating after a proposed new McDonald’s was refused planning permission for a second time.

@sammgreg.bsky.social ✍️

Ambitious citizen investor project tackling climate breakdown in Sheffield smashes £1m target two months early The opening round of Sheffield Climate Investments could be used to fund solar panels for schools as well as better insulation in council homes.

"This is local people choosing to put their savings into something good for the planet" – @alexidimond.bsky.social

A project designed to tackle climate breakdown in #Sheffield by raising capital from citizen investors has hit its target much earlier than expected.

✍️ @sammgreg.bsky.social

Just saw this, belated thanks Andy! 😊

As one Sheffield community continues its fight against McDonald's, local residents are beginning to imagine what else the site could be used for Sharrow residents have put forward ideas ranging from a community sauna to a play park and a mini rewilding site.

Sheffield does not need more McDonalds. Great piece by @sammgreg.bsky.social nowthenmagazine.com/articles/as-...

As one Sheffield community continues its fight against McDonald's, local residents are beginning to imagine what else the site could be used for Sharrow residents have put forward ideas ranging from a community sauna to a play park and a mini rewilding site.

“The community already made their feelings clear with a strong ‘no’ in the first round of public objections”

Sharrow residents are continuing their fight to stop a new branch of McDonald’s being built in their neighbourhood.

✍️ @sammgreg.bsky.social

#Sheffield #Sharrow #McDonalds

Connecting Limbs: Meet the project which aims to bring life back to Sheffield’s nature-depleted rivers Along the River Sheaf, scientists and engineers are exploring how to mimic natural processes in heavily urbanised environments.

“Every single hole of a suitable size in a river wall might provide a habitat for a species"

We spoke to @wildsheffield.bsky.social about Connecting Limbs, a project using nature-based techniques to restore the ecology of the River Sheaf (which gave #Sheffield its name!)

✍️ @sammgreg.bsky.social

Palestine Action: Police in Sheffield arrest 17 peaceful protesters against genocide as outrage at free speech gag grows 36 police officers were required to arrest the anti-apartheid activists, in an episode described by a local councillor as “shameful”.

If you haven't yet seen it, here's our report on South Yorkshire Police's decision to arrest 17 people in #Sheffield simply for holding signs, in an action described by local councillor @mineshparekh.bsky.social as "shameful".

✍️ @sammgreg.bsky.social

Who We Are | A film by Defend Our Juries | Lift The Ban YouTube video by Defend Our Juries

Before Saturday's arrests, @defendourjuries.bsky.social put out this powerful short film that explains why ordinary people are standing up for civil liberties in the face of a state-sanctioned crackdown on political protest.

It's well worth a watch ⬇️

#PalestineAction #DefendOurJuries

Palestine Action: Police in Sheffield arrest 18 peaceful protesters against genocide as outrage at free speech gag grows 36 police officers were required to arrest the anti-apartheid activists, in an episode described by a local councillor as “shameful”.

South Yorkshire Police have joined police forces across the UK in launching a crackdown on the right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression.

In #Sheffield, several activists with @defendourjuries.bsky.social were arrested today simply for holding up a placard.

✍️ @sammgreg.bsky.social

Ooh thanks. Will give that a read!

Sheffield will be allowed to keep more democratic council system for now, following government U-turn Labour’s Steve Reed previously said he would force the city to scrap the popular Committee System, despite being backed by two-thirds of residents in a referendum.

Sheffield will keep its hard fought-for committee system of local governance, after the government U-turned on plans to force all councils across the country to adopt more centralised leadership models.

✍️ @sammgreg.bsky.social

#Sheffield #LocalDemocracy

An excellent debut for @nowthenmag.bsky.social from @rose-mason.bsky.social (not surprising, given she's an alumni of Nottingham's must-read @leftlion.bsky.social 🦁)

Sheffield Transformed - Sheffield Transformed reveal line-up for 2025 festival, with organisers promising “bigger and more diverse” programme The annual festival of left-wing politics features sessions on anti far-right organising and clean energy transitions, as well as zine-making, poetry writing and folk singing.

"This is your chance to recognise the deep challenges we face in #Sheffield and beyond, and be part of responding to them together"

We've got the full low-down on this year's @sheffieldtransformed.org, which returns to South Yorkshire later this month.

✍️ @sammgreg.bsky.social

Sheffield citizens to be offered chance to invest in local climate projects by end of 2025, starting at just £5 The first round of Local Climate Bonds will aim to raise £1 million, and could fund projects from renewable energy installation to electric vehicle infrastructure.

#Sheffield citizens will be able to invest in local projects to help tackle climate breakdown from December, the council have announced.

The first round of climate bonds will aim to raise £1 million for solar panels on schools – and anyone can invest from as little as £5.

✍️ @sammgreg.bsky.social