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Kids and Culture in Nottingham: An Experiment

“Kids change you, you know.” They all told me, and annoyingly, they were right. I see the world differently, I see people differently, and I see myself differently. And besides all that deep stuff, my life seems to have moved seamlessly from trips, gigs, and events to soft play areas, cold swimming pools, and church playgroups. It wasn’t deliberate, but the fact of the matter is it’s far easier to do stuff with kids that they like, because it statistically lowers the chances of them acting like d*cks. Although, inevitably, they still do, leading me to wonder if I should have another go at doing the things I actually want to.

So I’ve spent the last two weeks running an (admittedly small) social experiment. Is it possible to enjoy fun and culture in Nottingham with feral nippers in tow? Can it be done? Let’s find out:

6 Notts Books You Need To Read This Month

Back in January, we celebrated Nottingham’s literary prowess with a whole issue dedicated to the wordy goods that’ve come out of the city and its edges. In the same breath, together with UNESCO City of Literature, we asked your lot to review your favourite Nottingham books in a competition to win book tokens and a feature in this here rag.

The winners of said competition were Sue Barsby and Melanie Jane, the top two reviews on this here page. Check ‘em out in all their critiquing mastery, and remember: if you’re from Notts and want to get your pages poked, drop us a line on books@leftlion.co.uk...

Nottingham Poetry Festival 2018

Festival season officially starts here, and it’s kicking off with a right wordy celebration of all things lyrical...

Theatre Review: Instinct at Television Workshop

The third installment in Television Workshop's annual season is a well thought out critique of social media addiction...

The Zoo Project and discotech are Coming to Nottingham

Jordan Diston from discotech tells us all about the collaboration coming to Red Bar in Nottingham on Saturday 31 March, featuring tech-house giant Eddie Richards…

Film Review: Tomb Raider

Alicia Vikander’s astonishingly average take on the headstrong heroine made famous by the 90s video game franchise

Live Music Review: Sounds Against Slavery 2 at Rough Trade

Rough Trade was humming for a night of live music in aid of Anti-Slavery International, organised by the University of Nottingham’s Anti-Slavery Society in partnership with Impact Magazine...

What Zoo Animal Are You?

Take our quiz and find out. Our mates at Zoo Project and discotech are whacking on a night down Red Bar on Saturday 31 March, and everyone is encouraged to dress up as their favourite zoo animal. So here's a bit of a helping hand in picking out yer costume...

Photos: St Patrick's Day in Nottingham

We got in the thick of the snow in St. Patrick's Day to take some snaps...

Professor Sir Martyn Poliakoff is a YouTube Sensation

Nottingham is crazy about science, with a grand history of making leaps and bounds in innovation and research. The University of Nottingham has a large part to play in this, and for those who get a kick out of seeing what happens when you mix up chemicals, set a flame to gases, and the behaviour of volatile substances, their Research Professor of Chemistry, Professor Sir Martyn Poliakoff, has made a series called The Periodic Table of Videos to satiate the inner nerds in us.

Fluent Females: Third Annual Women Say Stuff Event at Cafe Sobar

In celebration of International Women's Day, Women Say Stuff brought together women from all backgrounds to share their life experiences. Headliners included Notts wordsmiths Alice Short and Georgina Wilding, alongside a passionate open mic of female poets, musicians and activists. We sent our Natalie Mills down to check out the DIY Poets’ mixed-audience event at Cafe Sobar to hear what women had to say.

Review: Fake-Up Prosthetic Workshop at The Malt Cross

Steve Best of Fake-Up has been working in the special effects industry for years, and now imparts his wisdom on the gore-lovers of Nottingham in his workshops...

Theatre Interview: The Party Somewhere Else

The biggest party coming up is all set to celebrate women in the arts...

5 Things to do in Nottingham This Week

This week, we've got theatre shows aplenty, plus a look at the history of the hip hop album cover...

8 Of Nottingham's Most Famous YouTubers

These days, loads of boggers have chucked in the telly for the magical internuts in all its streaming glory. While days past saw the battle for fame flail down a fairly standard path, these days there are all sorts of characters doing their thing, their way. We’ve hunted down some of the best and most popular faces to grace the YouTube realm, all hailing from our little Nottingham in some way, shape or form...

Theatre Review: Nell Gwynn at Television Workshop

The annual season at Television Workshop continues with a play about a gender inequality among actors four hundred years ago. Sound familiar..?

An Evening with Graham Caveney

We went to Beeston’s Middle Street Resource Centre for a Q&A with Graham Caveney, led by Deirdre O’Byrne and Ross Bradshaw of Five Leaves...

Music Video: The Shrives - Money Maker

The rock ’n’ roll band with an eclectic mix of stratospheric ska, subversive country and visceral punk attitude are rumbling beneath the rocks with their first release since their debut album...

Preview: The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme 2018

We take a peek at some of the films on offer throughout March during Broadway Cinema's Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme

Film Review: You Were Never Really Here

Lynne Ramsay’s fourth feature is taut, grimly poetic thriller about a former soldier’s search for redemption

Theatre Review: War Horse

The horror of the WWI trenches seen through the eyes of two horses

6 Things To Do in Nottingham This Weekend

There's plenty to be gerrin' on wi' this weekend duckeh...

Sue Ryder Did Us A Solid

Pop over to Goose Gate and check 'em out...

Charity Shop Sue's On Tele

Over Christmas, a piece of Nottingham-grown comedy gold was released on UK tellyboxes. Charity Shop Sue’s Xmas is a mockumentary centering around a fictional charity shop which co-starred Nottingham actress and BAFTA award-winner, Vicky McClure, and featured on Sky Arts...

Nusic Podcast #174 with Bru-C, The Invisible Orchestra, Ady Suleiman, Brotherhood and more...

This week’s New Music Podcast features new music from a studio gremlin, new music filmed in the Bodega toilets, plus a really, really special Rewind. This podcast may contain some fruity language. Sensitive ears – you have been warned.