Free Thinking

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BBC Radio 3 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Third Programme.

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Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

The ideas shaping our lives today - with artists and thinkers in debates and interviews.

The ideas shaping our lives today - with leading artists and thinkers in extended interview and debate.

Free Thinking: Sheffield

Sheffield

BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Sheffield

Reimagining the city through Chris Bush's drama trilogy about its oldest scissor factory.

Chris Bush's new trilogy of plays on lives in a Sheffield factory and Peter Sansom on the role poetry is playing in reimaging the city.

Crucible steel was developed around 1740 and propelled Sheffield into an industrial future, giving rise to its world-famous cutlery manufacturers. The City of Steel's endlessly reinvented itself since but whether it’s the knives that were crafted in the city’s workshops or its pioneering music and poetry, Sheffield’s always had an edge to it – and that’s especially the case this June. John Gallagher presents an examination of the city's cultural history through new words, music and film, aided by fellow historian Sarah Kenny. The Playwright Chris Bush describes her ambitious trilogy devised to mark fifty years of Sheffield Theatres. The Poet Peter Sansom discusses the place of poetry as his adopted city reimagines itself yet again during a cost of living crisis. And Jamie Taylor, whose A Film about Studio Stereophonique tells the story of an unlikely homemade recording studio that helped kickstart Sheffield's DIY music revolution from ABC to Pulp.  

Chris Bush’s Rock / Paper / Scissors runs at Sheffield Theatres from Thursday 16th June – Saturday 2nd July. 
Peter Sansom’s new collection Lanyard is published by Carcanet on June 30th.
Jamie Taylor’s A Film About Studio Electrophonique will have its premiere at the 29th edition of Sheffield DocFest, from the 23rd to the 28th of June. 
Sarah Kenny’s book Growing Up and Going Out: Youth Culture Commerce and Leisure space in Post War Britain is out in 2023 from Manchester University Press. 
 
Producer: Olive Clancy

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

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Free Thinking

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