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From painting to dating: what's happening at the Malt Cross until September 2025?

The next three months are set to be a busy few for the Malt Cross: Nottingham's buzzing, preserved Victorian music hall, on St James' Street. If you're looking for a weird or wonderful event that will get you socialising with all kinds of different people, they've probably got you covered. Here are some highlights, which we've picked out...

Review: Gate To Southwell Festival's 18th Birthday 2025

The charming Gate To Southwell Festival has become a LeftLion summer favourite: a vibrant, family-friendly event pushing the boundaries of roots and folk music, and only a few miles from Nottingham. We visited the festival's green fields on Saturday to help celebrate its 18th birthday...

Festival frenzy: Here's what's on this week in Nottingham, 7 July -13 July

This week in Nottingham, we find ourselves well-and-truly in festival season, as big music, art, and culture events take over the city centre and suburbs further afield. Meanwhile, there'll be some bluesy riffs blaring out of The Bodega on Friday night, while from Thursday to Saturday two Nottingham legends bid goodbye to their legendary, career-long partnership...

Nadia on... child poverty

In her monthly column, Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome talks about child poverty in Nottingham.

LeftLion's Latest Listens #25: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens, our music team reviews new releases from Parisa East, Torn Sail, Those Once Loyal and Mollie Ralph...

Left Magpie July 2025: Going to the Match with Stuart Maynard, Martin Paterson and LS Lowry

Our monthly Notts County column is back after a hiatus and now penned by Julian McDougall, formerly of the beloved Notts County fanzine The Pie and currently of the excellent When Saturday Comes magazine. Here he muses about the appointment of Martin Paterson and the nature of supporters in the “Lowry-esque’ setting of Meadow Lane...

Cherelle Fulton tells us about Behind Closed Doors: a program spotlighting creative women in Notts

Over at New Art Exchange, Behind Closed Doors is creating a new space for women in the creative industries to connect, collaborate and reshape the scene in Nottingham. Co-ordinator Cherelle Fulton discusses what fuelled her projects, including live music night Can’t Stand The Rain, the importance of community and connectivity, and creating safe spaces for women.

Flamboyant theatre, nature documentaries, comedy by a castle and up and coming Notts music: here's what's on 30 June - 6 July 2025

This week in Notts... check out flamboyant theatre, thought provoking film, up and coming Notts music, vegan food and a comedy night by a castle.

“Not behind a tree, I wouldn’t do that”: Overheard in Notts June 2025

Banksy, beavers and nine thousand pound fish all feature in this month's Overheard in Notts - 

LeftLion Issue #185 July 2025

The July edition of LeftLion features the rebirth of Whycliffe, the Pride Shop, Torvill and Dean, I'm Not From London and the Waterfront Festival, The Grove, a new exhibition about trees at Nottingham Castle and lots more...

LeftLion's Latest Listens #24: Notts music we're currently spinning

In the latest edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens for 2025, our music team reviews new releases from Cappo, Dorothy Ella. GIRLBAND!, The Doctor's Orders Collective and We Are Sovereign...

"You okay mate?" The Notts pub that’s getting men talking about their feelings

The national mental health crisis and its profound effect on men is a phenomenon widely talked about that lots of people have posed different solutions to. In Sneinton Market however, LeftLion neighbours The Fox and Grapes pub are tackling the problem in a concise and simple way, inviting local blokes into the space to openly chat about whatever might be bothering them. Matteo D’Alesio went down to speak to the team about how to Get Men Talking…

Gig review: BBC Introducing East Midlands Showcase at Metronome

BBC Introducing returned to Nottingham's Metronome with a fresh showcase of local talent, expertly curated by East Midlands legend Dean Jackson. This edition featured SPLIT, Manye Fi, Harry Lyon and Drew Thomas...

Pride celebrations, live music and Craft Beer Festival: Here's what's on in Nottingham 16 - 22 June 2025

This week is a great one for music in Notts, with both Bright Eyes and Patrick Wolf performing in the city. There's also Pride celebrations at Broadway Cinema and the return of the Craft Beer Festival. Here's our top picks...

Stage Interview: Rosie Hollingsworth from Sugar Theatre

The Playhouse's AMPLIFY SEASONS is an opportunity for new talent to break through. And breaking through this summer is Rosie Hollingsworth, playwright and founder of Sugar Theatre. But as Rosie shares below, the journey has been anything but sweet...

Poetry Festival, indie music and Shakespeare: Here's whats on in Nottingham 9 - 15 June 2025

There's loads of events happening this week in Notts. We have the start of the Poetry festival, a re-invention of Hamlet, a indie music market and a live podcast event from Scummy Mummies...

LeftLion's Latest Listens #23: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this week's edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens, we review new releases from Lucy Crisp, Pretty Windows and Rhythm Eaters...

LeftLion Interviews Podcast #11 LaQuarn Lewis on BBC mini series What It Feels Like For A Girl, Television Workshop, and LGBTQ+ Notts

Notts born actor LaQuarn Lewis is one of the stars of a new BBC mini-series, What It Feels Like For A Girl, which tells the story of Byron, a Queer teen who is desperate to escape the confines of Hucknall. We caught up with LaQuarn on the podcast to chat about the show, his time at Television Workshop and growing up Queer in Notts...

Film Review: Fountain of Youth

Some films are eternal and deserve to live forever, some should promptly fade away after screening. Join us as we review The Fountain of Youth to find out which category it belongs to…

The Official LeftLion Guide To 2025 Festival Season

Can you hear that? It’s finally in the air – instruments reverberating across wide open fields, the chimes of communities singing and laughing together, the sound of footsteps as friends stumble back to their tents or homes, ready to do it all over again the next day, or the following weekend. That’s right, the 2025 summer festival season is finally here, and with the return of Splendour Festival right here in Nottingham, it’s shaping up to be a big one!

To give you the lowdown, here’s our ultimate guide to the best local festivals taking place in the city of Nottingham and the surrounding areas over the next few months…

Locating Lawrence: June 1925

Lawrence never felt ‘less literary’ than when he was milking his cow...

Community action from #LoveChilwell brings people together this weekend

The only thing better than enjoying a beautiful Spring day out in Chilwell is enjoying it with other people in the community and making a difference at the same time. After its success in December, #LoveChilwell is back with another campaign and a Community Action Day on Saturday 7 June 2025.

LeftLion Issue #184 June 2025

This month featuring our guide to local summer music festivals, Nottingham Poetry Festival, actor LaQuarn Lewis on BBC's What It Feels Like For A Girl, the Nottingham Attacks Two Years On, Nottingham Playhouse's Adam Penford, Nottingham Craft Beer Festival, the Lenton Centre, Future Makers and more...

"I love an ethical hacker": Overheard in Notts May 2025

Ethical hackers, Yorkshire Terriers and jacket potatoes feature in this month's Overheard in Notts...

Community, culture and the music at The Concert Hall: here's what's on events this week in Nottingham 26 May- 1 June

This week in Notts, cultural vibrations ring from the arrow of Robin Hood!