At a glance

A live-link concert will connect Sheffield and Nablus on Saturday, featuring performances from both cities to raise funds for community projects in Nablus. The event, organised by the Sheffield Nablus Twinning Association, aims to strengthen cultural ties and support initiatives for young people and local sports teams in the West Bank city. Funds from the concert will directly benefit grassroots projects in Nablus.

Fourth annual concert will connect performers and audiences in Sheffield and Nablus in real time, raising funds for grassroots community projects in the West Bank city.

The Sheffield Nablus Live-Link Concert returns this Saturday for its fourth year, connecting performers and audiences in Sheffield directly with musicians, poets and community members in Nablus through a shared live programme. From 5.30pm to 7pm, Crookes Social Club will link live with Nablus, subject to local conditions and connectivity. Sheffield’s Singers for Palestine pop-up choir will lead a mass performance in English and Arabic, with the audience invited to join in, alongside women’s solidarity singers Tadhamon and young musicians Subhan and Ahmed. In Nablus, Bozoor, a band of young members of the SEEDS Association for Development and Culture, are due to give their debut public performance. They will be joined by popular Palestinian poet Saed Abu Hijleh, with the live link also providing an opportunity to hear directly from people in the city.

The concert sits within a wider relationship between Sheffield and Nablus which has developed through cultural, educational and community links over a number of years. In October 2024, Sheffield City Council and Nablus Municipality formally signed a Friendship Agreement, committing the two cities to promote friendship, international understanding and exchange, including through education, youth services and sport. The Council has highlighted organisations including Sheffield Nablus Twinning Association, Sheffield Hallam University, Project Hope, the SEEDS Association and An-Najah University as part of the network of links already connecting the two cities.

Funds raised through the event will support grassroots community work in Nablus. The projects include activities for young people and local sports teams, as well as a co-working space supported by the Palestinian Working Women’s Society. SEEDS itself works with women, children and young people in Nablus, using cultural and community activity to create opportunities and support.

From 7pm to 8pm, the Sheffield audience will be able to share vegetarian food before a fundraising auction of original artwork and craft. From 8pm, Sheffield’s JuJu Club takes over for the final part of the evening. Eight-piece band Tavira will open the stage, followed by Kiziah and the Kings, whose brass-fuelled sound brings together ska, reggae, funk, soul and rock. Global music DJs Papa Al and Issa Dancer complete the programme.

The event is organised by Sheffield Nablus Twinning Association in partnership with Friends of Nablus and Surrounding Areas. All money from online bookings will go directly to projects in Nablus.

Editorial insight

The annual live-link concert between Sheffield and Nablus continues to serve as a practical example of how city partnerships can foster direct cultural exchange and community support. While the event centres on music and shared performance, its significance lies in sustaining long-term grassroots connections at a time when international relationships are often shaped by larger political developments.

For Sheffield audiences, the concert offers a rare opportunity to engage with voices and stories from Nablus in real time, while contributing financially to local initiatives in the West Bank. The ongoing partnership, formalised through a Friendship Agreement last year, reflects a broader commitment by both cities to promote people-to-people links beyond official diplomacy. For organisers and participants, these events provide a platform for cultural collaboration and mutual understanding, with tangible benefits for community projects on the ground.

Story ideas and journalist angles

Politics/policy

Cultural Exchange as a Tool for International Diplomacy

This story explores the role of cultural exchange programmes like the Sheffield Nablus Live-Link Concert in fostering international diplomacy and understanding, particularly in politically sensitive regions.

Target audience who would cover this Story potential 7/10 Local/community

Impact of Community Projects Funded by Sheffield Nablus Concert

A look into how funds raised by the Sheffield Nablus Live-Link Concert are being used to support community projects in Nablus, focusing on youth and women.

Target audience who would cover this Story potential 6/10