There's more content than you would believe. Hopefully this will make finding it a bit easier...
We Sit Down With Nottingham Based Artist Radu Secareanu to Talk Animation
Thu 23 Feb 2023We sit down with Radu Secareanu, the Romanian-born, Nottingham-based artist and animator bringing vibrant colours and unique ideas to life…
Film Review: Women Talking
Mon 13 Feb 2023This marks two Oscar nominations and the LeftLion nod of approval for Women Talking...
Pianist and Composer Chris Miggells Talks Music and His Short Film
Mon 13 Feb 2023He’s played at the Theatre Royal. He’s played at the Albert Hall. And, in a fitting tribute to his local roots, he’s played at Clipstone Headstocks. It’s safe to say local pianist and composer Chris Miggells is having a career that very few can match. We hear all about the Mansfield man’s special hometown concert, his upcoming album, Synesthese, and more…
Art Preview: I Talk with My Hands
Tue 07 Feb 2023Inspired by her experience as a deaf person, Zoe Milner was supported by City Arts to create her new conceptual exhibition I Talk With My Hands. We learn more before the exhibit launches on the 9th of February...
The Television Workshop's Ruby Thompson Talks Working on A24 Film Aftersun
Sat 04 Feb 2023If you’re a regular Broadway-goer, or just a lover of indie films, you’ve most likely heard all about Aftersun - the emotive film that made not just one, but two members of the LeftLion team cry. A raw portrayal of fatherhood, childhood and mental health struggles, it’s a very special piece of art created by Charlotte Wells. But more than that, it’s also a showcase of Nottingham talent, with multiple actors from the Television Workshop present in the film. We catch up with talented young actor Ruby Thompson, who plays Laura in the award-winning release...
The Lonely Cinema Club Dive Into the Link Between Film and Community
Thu 02 Feb 2023Sitting in a room full of people with at least one thing in common… Can there really be such a thing as going to the cinema alone? With the Lonely Cinema Club, Emma Carys wants to showcase the inclusivity and empowerment that film can offer, and prove that cinema is a place of untapped community - especially in Nottingham…
Local Artist Richard Hyde Talks About Finding the Beauty in Mundanity
Sun 29 Jan 2023Local visual artist Richard Hyde uses abstract imagery to paint very real pictures - focusing on the positive aspects of the everyday, including the boundless beauty of nature, to take us away from the stresses and mundanity of normal life. Here, he dives into his creative process, and why he does what he does…
Summaya Mughal Talks All About Her Popular Podcast Brown Gal Can't Swim
Tue 24 Jan 2023Though she attended a few lessons as a child, BBC radio presenter Summaya Mughal never actually learnt how to swim. Then at 27 she decided it was the right time to take lessons. From here, the podcast Brown Gal Can’t Swim was born - delving into Summaya’s personal journey, alongside all the barriers that the South Asian community face when it comes to getting in the pool. Perfect for our empowerment issue, we learn all about her eight-week swimming mission, modesty in sport and the emotional challenge of learning to swim as an adult…
Leading the Nottingham Nu Metal Music Scene, ALT BLK ERA Talk Their Journey So Far
Wed 11 Jan 2023They’ve already performed at Splendour Festival and BBC Introducing, they’ve already picked up thousands of followers on social media - but groundbreaking trap metal artists Nyrobi and Chaya Beckett-Messam, aka ALT BLK ERA, are just getting started. We hear all about their journey so far, and what they have planned for the future…
One Stop Shop for Artists and Zine Makers, Dizzy Ink Talk the Empowerent of Print
Fri 06 Jan 2023Creating high quality prints for creatives around the city, Dizzy Ink is the one-stop shop for zine makers and artists in Nottingham. But what is it about physical print that is so important? We catch up with Craig Proud from Dizzy to talk about the history of print and empowerment, Zine Fest and how activism is central to their business…
A Film Club Celebrating the LGBT Community, Emma Duncan Talks Fortune & Glory
Thu 05 Jan 2023Showcasing bad and cult cinema in an inclusive environment, Fortune & Glory Film Club first started almost by accident. Our writer Sam Harvey catches up with local film connoisseur Emma Duncan to talk about how they turned their early love of Indiana Jones and cult classics such as The Room into a vibrant and eclectic Nottingham LGBT+ society…
Christopher Towers Talks Poetry Book Hinterlands, the Collection Musing on Non-League Football
Wed 04 Jan 2023Whether Kane’s calamity, Messi’s magic or the many questions around Qatar, it’s been even harder than usual to avoid football this winter. However, for some—including many around Nottinghamshire—following their regional non-league team means much more than the glitz, glamour and greed that the World Cup has come to represent. I met up with Nottingham poet Christopher Towers to chat about his latest poetry collection Hinterlands, which is dedicated to the more local side of the global game.
Author Julie Malone Talks Us Through Middleway Words Festival
Fri 04 Nov 2022Middleway Words is a new festival with ambitions to share Midlands authors with the world. A mix of online and live events, the jewel in Middleway’s crown is a celebration at Waterstones for Nottingham’s literary talents. Ahead of the event, LeftLion talks to Julie Malone, one of the festival organisers, about her personal journey to authordom…
New Panthers Captain Matthew Myers Talks Leading the New Season
Tue 11 Oct 2022Born in Cardiff, Matthew Myers first joined the Nottingham Panthers while studying Real Estate Management at Nottingham Trent University. Now captain of the team for the 2022-23 season, the forward is aiming to push his side back to greatness. After a difficult start to the current campaign, we talk to the 37-year-old about his new responsibilities, playing in an arena and wanting to let go of the past…
Six Small Businesses Talk the Cost Of Living Crisis
Wed 05 Oct 2022It’s been deemed “insignificant” compared to other national news. It’s been ignored by a Government whose sole focus seems to be on those at the top. Yet the rising cost of living is affecting real people in the real world, right now - not least the hard-working, talented minds behind our city’s vital and varied independent businesses. With a challenging winter on the horizon, how are these firms feeling, and are those in charge of the country doing enough to help? We find out…
Gig Review: Frank Turner at Rock City
Fri 30 Sept 2022Punk’s not dead; it’s alive, electric and accessible. Rock City veteran Frank Turner struck more than just a chord within the hearts of his audience at his long anticipated, sold-out show...
What Is the Uncanny Valley? We Talk to an Expert to Find Out About This Weird Sensation
Thu 23 Jun 2022Scared of clowns? China dolls send shivers down your spine? You might be experiencing the uncanny valley - that eerie feeling that comes from seeing not-quite-human figures. Confounding researchers, no one quite knows why the phenomenon exists, but Nottingham Trent University professor Andrew Dunn thinks it might be something to do with our categorical operating system. If you fancy knowing what exactly that means, then keep on reading as we dive into the uncanny, the pleasure in being unsettled, and the oddness of The Polar Express…
We Talk to Entrepreneurs on Overcoming Business Fears at Notts Libraries’ BIPC Mansfield launch
Wed 15 Jun 2022Do you have a burning business idea, but lack the confidence to take the leap? Starting out can seem daunting with so much to consider, but just having a knowledgeable sort who you can bounce off can give you the boost you need. Nottinghamshire Libraries Business & IP Centres (BIPC) are there to help with free support and resources.
The Loneliest Fear Of All: Graham Caveney Talks His New Book On Agoraphobia
Wed 15 Jun 2022Still recovering from a Government-ordered lockdown, it’s no surprise that agoraphobia has been on our minds more than ever before, especially with so many of us being nervous to leave the house. But even with the additional press, the phobia is still a widely misrepresented one, not even fully understood by those experiencing it. In the hopes of learning more, our writer Lizzy O’Riordan read Nottingham author Graham Caveney’s new book On Agoraphobia, and chatted with him about feelings of loneliness, the history of the disorder, and how literature’s agoraphobics acted as his ‘salvation’...
Duo Jimmy Rocket and LVNDLXRD Talk Their New EP, and the Notts Music Scene
Sat 11 Jun 2022There aren’t too many duos doing it better than Jimmy Rocket and LVNDLXRD (aka Curtz) right now. Having been part of the musical fabric of the city for years, the lyrical/producer match-up is garnering praise for the release of their latest EP, Bespoke Verses, which also features the likes of Rico and Vandal Savage. Music Co-Editor Elliot Farnsworth sat down with the pair fresh off the back of a string of shows to find out more about one of the most exciting recent collaborations in the Notts music scene…
Poet Joelle Taylor Talks Poetry and Punk, Being a Voice for the LGBT Community and the Nottingham Poetry Festival
Sun 08 May 2022Truth in the written word is an important aspect of our democratic lives, and it can be a powerful tool when writing creatively. And, with its ability to entertain, engage, enrage and speak truth to power, poetry is certainly no exception. So, with Nottingham Poetry Festival just around the corner, we caught up with award-winning poet and author Joelle Taylor to talk about her recent collections, what to expect from her performance at the festival and how she’s representing LGBT communities, women and the spoken scene…
Young Artist Ryan Boultbee Talks Architecture and Ecology
Wed 13 Apr 2022From Worsdworth to Shelley, the Romantic poets dreamed of studying among nature. Now Ryan Boultbee has designed a building to do just that - a utopian school built on the waterside. We catch up with the artist and architect about his entry for the Young Creative Awards, his inspirations, and his project No Jobs in the Arts...
Nottingham’s Anjli Mohindra Talks Vigil, the Television Workshop and What’s Next for Her Career
Wed 30 Mar 2022Fresh from starring in Vigil, one of the BBC’s most popular series ever, and Munich: The Edge of War, one of Netflix’s most popular films of the last year, West Bridgford’s Anjli Mohindra chats to us about her love for Notts, her time at the Television Workshop and what’s next for her career…
Em Green Talks This Fabric World - The Animation Fighting Overconsumption
Wed 16 Mar 2022During their time at NTU, Em Green created This Fabric World, an animation created to criticise the fast fashion industry. After winning the Young Creative Awards with the same animation, Em has gone on to thrive in the creative industry, landing a job at Tinmouse Animation Studios. We catch up for a chat about animation style, childhood inspirations, and helping others...