This year Tramlines is teaming up with the Arts Council and influential artists to provide two very different events as part of the UK’s Best Metropolitan Festival. 

Funded by the Arts Council Signals and South Yorks will take place during Tramlines weekend. 

On Saturday 21 July from 12 noon until 4am Yellow Arch Studios will host Signals, an all-day showcase of underground electronic music culture, from future bass, and techno through to ambient and sound design. It will be unfolding within the former industrial setting of Sheffield’s renowned Yellow Arch Studios and, keeping within the spirit of Tramlines, is completely free.

The day will bring together some of the most forward-thinking contemporary electronic musicians and innovators within their fields. Beyond the music, features running throughout the day will include live interactive visuals, speaker events, projection mapping in the evening, as well as live experimental electronic bands and net-label stalls.

On Sunday 22 July South Yorks takes place in an abandoned warehouse on Sidney Street. 

South Yorks run from 2pm until 2am and is all about celebrating the region's huge musical heritage and proficiency. This year's event has culminated into a gathering of seasoned and fresh creatives in an incredible space in the heart of the city. 

The day kicks off with a talk from Kid Acne the world premier screening of ZEBRA FACE - a series of short animated films, which bring to life a bombastic stripy horse and his insulin dependent sidekick in a hip-hop infused 2D adventure. 

South Yorks will be a coming together of art and music. South Yorks’ DJ sets are eccentrically divergent and the line-up for the musical accompaniment is just as varied. This year, Tramlines are proud to play host to the authors of the first release from the world-renowned Warp imprint –Forgemasters. 

Alongside there will be a group exhibition. The Sheffield Publicity Department presents 'Sheffield Music City', a series of images that deals with the provincial context behind the tremendous success of Sheffield's pop stars. Shaun Bloodworth, known throughout the land as having produced the definitive documentation of the rise of dubstep and associated genres has joined forces with local youngblood, Eliot Holbrow to provide a series of portraits of the key figures in the Sheffield scene. 

Sarah Nulty, Tramlines Festival Director said: “We’re all really excited about both of these Arts Council funded events. It is great to see music and art mixing together in two amazing venues, both days are sure to be another ‘not to be missed’ Tramlines moment.” 

Tramlines is a festival unlike any other. Entry is free and it delivers a line-up that would normally cost a packet. Giving festival-goers a chance to see established artists alongside up and coming acts, across four outdoor stages and over 70 venues.

This year’s line up includes Roots Manuva, We Are Scientists, Reverend and The Makers, Ms Dynamite, Field Music, Frankie & the Heartstrings, Aluna George, Alt J, James Yorkston, 65 Days of Static, Future of the Left, Toddla Sound, Mr Scruff, Eugene McGuinness Rebel MC with Nancy & Phoebe, Roska, Keep Shelly In Athens, Grooverider and much more

The festival runs from Friday 20 – Sunday 22 July 2012 and covers all musical genres from indie, electronica and blues to world music, folk and everything in between.

For up to the minute information, regular bulletins and news on the Sheffield music scene go to www.tramlines.org.uk or follow us on twitter @tramlines

Playing Signals, Saturday 21 July, Yellow Arch

Object, The Black Dog, Demdike Stare, SMD, DMX KREW, Randomer, KNOX-OM-PAX, Pye Corner Audio, 2046, Alas, Alphabets Heaven, Borland, Broken Door, DA-10, Datassette, Death to Extremists, Fonetiks, From the Kites of San Quentin, Harley Likes Music, J Devious, Lost Twin, Moscow, Murder She Wrote, Pudding, Vei 

Panel discussions: Topics include the ways in which the ‘digital revolution’ has affected music media and the operation of labels, as well as the ways in which geography affects music scenes. 

Speakers include:

James Groovement hosting http://www.groovement.co.uk/

Angus Finlayson (The Quietus), http://thequietus.com/

Jennifer Allan (The Wire) http://www.thewire.co.uk/

Rory Gibbs (The Quietus) http://thequietus.com/

Femi Adeyemi (Boiler Room, NTS Radio) http://ntslive.co.uk/

Alice Muir (TLG magazine) http://tlgmagazine.com/

Raj Chaudhuri (Bleep.com, Boiler Room)

Elijah (Butterz, Rinse FM) 

Playing South Yorks, Sunday 22 July, 77 Sidney Street:

Methodist Centre, DJ Benjamin Hatton, Earl Shilton, Trellion & Sniff, Chips For The Poor, Chester P, Juice Aleem, Flaming Skulls, Madd Colours, Infinite Livez

DJ Slick Dixxx (South Yorks Mixtape), Walter Ego, DJ Pipes, The Forgemasters, DJ Pipes, DJ Winston Hazel, DJ Slick Dixxx, DJ Benjamin Hatton,

Tramlines includes stages, venues and themed trails that will take you to every corner of the city. The festival site (Sheffield) is easily reached by the UK road and rail networks. There's no on-site camping but there's plenty of affordable accommodation to stay in.

Tramlines was the Winner of Best Metropolitan Festival at the UK Festival Awards 2011