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From Chinese art to liquid DnB: Here’s what’s going on in Nottingham this week, 9 - 15 February

It's Valentine's Day this week, and whether you're looking for activities to do with a significant other, or want to get out and experience what Notts has to offer solo, you're guaranteed to find something weird or wonderful you'll enjoy...

Class of 2026: six local music acts set to take Notts by storm in 2026

2025 in Notts music was mostly defined by awards. Rave-metal sister duo ALT BLK ERA won a MOBO award, rapper Jayahadadream won two Youth Music Awards including the Rising Star prize – and beloved venue The Bodega was crowned Grassroots Champion at the LIVE Awards.

Locally, we also saw the return of Splendour Festival with the Future Sound of Nottingham winners Saffron Gray and Archie & The Astronauts opening the festival main stage. This got us thinking – who are the next breakout stars from Nottingham and who can we expect to shine in the year ahead? After much deliberation, here’s six artists we expect to have a big 2026…

We speak to Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir from Of Monsters and Men

Review: Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures - The Red Shoes at the Theatre Royal

A stunning reimagining of the classic film

We catch up with Sunna Margrét ahead of her Rough Trade show

Icelandic alt-pop artist Sunna Margrét will be performing live at Rough Trade as part of her UK mini tour. Ahead of the date, she shares her thoughts on the influence of her country, language and culture on her music, as well as her bond with Nottingham electro-funk masters Revenge of Calculon...

Guns, hamburgers and dollar signs: Andy Warhol comes to Lakeside Arts

Over at Lakeside Arts, a new exhibition, Andy Warhol: Pop Icon documents the work and influence of the famed and enigmatic artist. Featuring rock stars, Hollywood icons, death, hamburgers, guns, and money, this not-to-be-missed exhibition covers Warhol’s glittering career over four decades – Editor Sophie Gargett went along to unpick some of the themes behind his work. 

What's Happening At Nottingham's Festival of Science and Curiosity in 2026

For two weeks every February, a wide range of scientists, researchers, engineers, creatives and inventors get out of the lab and go into Notts schools, libraries and community venues to show their work...

What To See At Light Night 2026: Strobes in the Square, A 10 Metre Long Purring Cat, An Obelisk and More

Back for its eighteenth year this weekend, see the city glow after dark for this free, family-friendly event and explore landmarks, streets, art and hidden corners. 

We chat to Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai

Scottish post-rock would be nothing without Mogwai, who have now entered their fourth decade. Ahead of their date at Rock City on 15th February, we spoke to the band - in the shape of frontman Stuart Braithwaite - about their new album, film scores, and the upcoming tour...

Gig review: BBC Introducing East Midlands Showcase at Metronome

Local Nottingham venue Metronome delivered another sellout event in partnership with the BBC Introducing team, represented by Dean Jackson. There’s always a vibrancy inherent to nights like this, no doubt triggered by the breadth of grassroots talent, and Nottingham’s music lovers entered the room with the enticing persuasion that they might witness a slice of the future in the making...

Gig review: St. Paul & the Broken Bones at Rock City, with Tyler Ballgame

Birmingham, Alabama became a whole lot closer as Nottingham's Rock City played host to the eight-piece whirlwind that is St. Paul and the Broken Bones...

Live music, light shows, and classic cinema: Here's what's on in Nottingham this week, 2 - 8 February

From legendary artists and independent musicians, to cinema and light installations, this week brings a wide assortment of events to the Notts creative scene. Here are our picks of this week...

Review: Beat The Streets 2026

“This is our 8th edition since 2018; we’ve raised over half a million pounds so far!” proudly announces Managing Director of DHP Family George Akins during the Beat The Streets press tour backstage at Rock City. It’s a mind-blowing sum of money and a reminder that this festival hasn’t just become a staple of the Notts calendar for giving the city an amazing day of live music – it’s an event that makes a huge difference. Heading out for another day of venue roaming and charity fundraising, this is what our LeftLion team got up to at Beat The Streets 2026…

From Firefly club nights to Light Night 2026: Architecture Social Club on returning to Notts

Through February 6 and 7, Old Market Square will look a little bit different as it hosts the centrepiece of this year’s Light Night: Parallels, an installation built by London studio Architecture Social Club. The project is particularly close to the heart of two studio members – Design/Project Manager Andrew Walker – who’s a Notts native – and founder Satyajit Das – who in the early 2000s made his name in Notts music when he launched mythic techno club night, Firefly. They tell us more about the installation which marks a grand return… 

LeftLion's Latest Listens #38: Notts music we're currently spinning

With this year off to a great start for new music, in this edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens for 2026, our music team reviews releases from Divorce feat. Marcus Mumford, Blackadder, Bloodworm and Make Strangers...

Love at first sight: a look inside Southwell's newest vintage boutique

Fashion editor Addie Kenogbon-Harley catches up with Lottie Baxter, owner of one of Notts’ latest vintage boutiques, Love at First Sight, to find out more about how her teenage dream became a reality in the form of a small but mighty fashion hideaway in Southwell with a cult following.

Interview: Stevie Gray comedian and MC at Comedy in the Caves

There's a new venue for stand-up in the city. And it's a cave. Left Lion chats with award-winning comedian Stevie Gray on his bold gamble to shake up Nottingham's comedy circuit... 

Left Brian: John Robertson, John McGovern and a Kenny Burns Night Supper

It's Burns Night today, and we've been inviting our regular Notts County, Mansfield Town and Nottingham Forest football columnists to muse on the influence of Scotland in the history of their own clubs. Julie Pritchard - our Nottingham Forest columnist - decides which Forest players she'd invite as guests for a Burns Night supper... 

From stadiums to stages: Here's what's on in Nottingham this week, 26 January - 1 February

There are some big, once in a blue moon events this week in Notts, from live jazz and protest comedy to football and theatre.

Left Stag: Dave Smith, Sandy Pate and Anglo Scottish Adventures in Ayr

With Burns Night on the horizon on Sunday 25 January, we invited our regular Notts County, Mansfield Town and Nottingham Forest football columnists to muse on the influence of Scotland in the history of their own clubs…

Below, Josh Osoro Pickering - our Mansfield Town specialist - tells a Mansfield-set story of Anglo-Scottish sport... 

Left Magpie: Jimmy Sirrel, Don Masson and the Anglo Scottish Cup

With Burns Night on the horizon on Sunday 25 January, we invited our regular Notts County, Mansfield Town and Nottingham Forest football columnists to muse on the influence of Scotland in the history of their own clubs. 

Below, Julian McDougall - our Notts County specialist - gives his take... 

Riding high: the triumph and tragedy of Tom Simpson

Six thousand feet up a mountain in southern France, surrounded by a pitiless landscape of sun-bleached rocks, stands a stone memorial to a Nottinghamshire man. Professional cyclist Tom Simpson collapsed and died there in 1967, creating a sporting legend still being kept alive by his family back home. As an annual festival in his memory grows into a week of Simpson-mania, Chris Breese pedals off in search of how a skinny miner's son from Bassetlaw created a legacy still being lauded from Lowdham to Leuven.

Life Behind Bars, with Lucy Simons, co-owner at The Abdication

We chat to Lucy Simons, co-owner at The Abdication...

How Jordana Chin founded Lenton healthy eating spot Avocafe

Ten years ago, Jordana Chin was travelling by trike across university campus, delivering home-cooked food to hungry students. Today, the University of Nottingham graduate turned entrepreneur owns a healthy food cafe and community hub in Lenton. Our food co-editor Lucy Campion talks to Jordana about the evolution of Avocafe, and her plans to connect local people with sustainable produce through an ambitious new open food network. 

Undercover Artist: Craig Whitemore shares his journey into professional graphic design and illustration

Our January cover artist Craig Whitemore shares more about his journey into professional graphic design and illustration.