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Nottingham's Rock Cemetery is Filled with Mass Graves From the Spanish Flu

If you didn’t catch her article in our June issue, (Little Miss Lockdown, #126) Jagoda Brown-Polanowska explained what lockdown life was like through the eyes of an eleven-year-old girl in Nottingham. Having recently turned twelve, Jagoda has continued to explore her local surroundings, making some interesting and timely discoveries at Rock Cemetery in the process…

5 Nottingham Albums to Listen to This Month

The latest Nottinghamshire releases... 

From Sneinton to Xingu: Notts Musician Nathaniel Mann and his experiences with Brazil's Wauja Indigenous Community

When Sneinton-based musician and radio broadcaster Nathaniel Mann responded to a 2018 British Council + PRSF opportunity for a musical residency with the Wauja Indigenous Community in Xingu, Mato Grosso, Brazil, he had no idea how much his life was about to change. Two years later, he collaborated with the Wauja’s principal Akari Waura, assisted with the recording and preservation of his traditional songs and produced a BBC Radio 4 documentary about their work together. Now, as the community faces the threat of COVID-19, he’s working with the Wauja to help raise awareness and funds to ensure the long-term protection of a people whose descendants have lived in the Xingu territory for over a thousand years…

Leading From the Back: The Backlit Artists Creating Exciting Projects

From its three-story base in the heart of Sneinton, BACKLIT is home to more than eighty studio artists, spanning a diverse range of practices, including fine art, contemporary craft and creative businesses. The independent, artist-led gallery has provided affordable studio spaces for artists, graduates and emerging local talent for almost twelve years. With the studio currently still closed to the public, we took a look around to find out more about some of their exciting artists, including what they’ve been up to during lockdown...

How Are Nottingham's Independents Bouncing Back from Lockdown?

It’s impossible to underestimate the devastating impact COVID-19 and the ensuing lockdown has had on independent businesses. The boutiques, breweries and bars that form the lifeblood of our community were forced to shut their doors four months ago, with many never to open again. But with some semblance of normality returning to the high street, we decided it was time for a catch up with some of Notts’ independents to find out how they’ve coped during lockdown, and the steps they’ve taken to re-open safely…

Notts-Born Singer-Songwriter Natalie Duncan on Her New Album, Free

There aren’t many things in life that are a given these days. One exception, however, is the guaranteed beauty of a new album release by Notts-born singer songwriter Natalie Duncan. Free, which was released on 31 July this year, is Nat’s first full-length album since 2012, and is full of her customary soul-infused melodies and candid lyrics. Featuring tracks written over a number of years since 2012, it’s one heck of an expansive record, brimming with vivacity and ambition. We caught up with Nat to chat about her Notts roots, the new record and her musical life in the age of COVID-19….

"No Disney princesses wear glasses and that made me feel like I wasn't beautiful enough." - Lowri Moore and Our Head Designer, Natalie Owen on Their New Children's Book

“If you don’t like something, change it.” That’s what poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou wrote and preached throughout her life. And, it’s exactly what Lowri Moore has done – fuelled by the lack of representation for glasses-wearing characters in Disney films, the eleven-year-old has collaborated with our very own designer, Natalie Owen on their new children’s book, Princess Rose and the Golden Glasses… 

5 Nottingham Albums to Listen to This Month

The latest Nottinghamshire releases... 

Streaming from a Distance: George Gretton Interview

The local musician has been busy in his bedroom studio finishing his latest EP, soon to be released to the world. When Alanah Kholsa caught up with George, ‘streaming’ was the order of the day, as she learned about his virtual gigs and his latest single, Slipstream.

From Slums to Skate Parks to Shopping: The History of the Broadmarsh

From slums and skate parks, to shopping centres and abandoned residential plans, the intu Broadmarsh Centre has long proved to be a problematic piece of architecture in Nottingham’s cityscape. Plans have come and gone, ownership has changed hands, and promises have been made. As work on the latest development plans by current owners intu grind to a halt, Dan O’Neill explores the turbulent history of the Lister Gate location...

5 Nottingham Albums to Listen to This Month

The sounds of Notts, reviewed. If you'd like to write for us, or want your tunes chatted about, get in touch by emailing music@leftlion.co.uk...

5 Nottinghamshire Artists You Can Support from Home

Back in mid-March, before our lives took an unexpected turn, Nottingham Contemporary hosted a fair celebrating all things print. It was my last cultural day out, and with a variety of workshops and some thirty stalls to browse, it did not disappoint. The fair introduced me to many talented makers based here in Nottingham, and now, without galleries to visit, it’s a great time to bring art into the home, while supporting Nottingham’s creative community.

Here are a few of the featured artists, whose works are available for purchase…

Social Supermarket Foodprint Won’t Let the Pandemic Stop Them from Tackling Food Waste and Serving the Community

Amid a global pandemic, it’s easy to forget that we’re still facing another world-wide crisis: climate change. While being eco-conscious can sometimes come with cost and inconvenience, Sneinton social enterprise Foodprint makes doing the right thing super easy, selling low-cost food that’s been saved from supermarket scrap heaps. We speak to physical marketing manager Izzy Corlett about how the shop is coping at the moment...

Nottingham Documentary Soul Boy to Feature on BBC One

Renowned Nottingham documentary makers Luke Radford and Toby Curson are looking to lift the spirits of the nation with their upbeat story of 18-year-old Athony Flavin, who finds joy from a surprising source - Northern Soul. 

5 Nottingham Albums to Listen to This Month

Brighten up your lockdown with this month's Notts musical highlights...

Fleur East talks living in lockdown, reality TV and her new album, Fearless

After two stints on The X Factor, including finishing runner-up in 2014 where she became the first contestant in the show’s history to reach Number One on the iTunes chart during the competition, singer, songwriter and radio presenter Fleur East has walked an interesting path through the music industry. With her new album Fearless released last month, we caught up with her to talk about reality television, the unexpected truths of the music industry and how she’s handling lockdown...

Mental Health Support During COVID-19

During these uniquely difficult times, focussing on a single mental health problem doesn’t quite seem right. So instead, here’s a round-up of some of the services available in Nottingham, and how they’ve been affected by COVID-19...

5 Nottingham Albums to Listen to This Month

The sounds of Notts, reviewed. If you'd like to write for us, or want your tunes chatted about, get in touch by emailing music@leftlion.co.uk...

Positive Nottingham News from 2020

We don’t want you to get too bogged down in the doom and gloom of it all without keeping one eye on the light at the end of the tunnel. There’s no doubt that 2020 has been a bit of a shocker, but it’s not all bad. Here are the positive news stories Nottingham has seen so far this year… 

Free Activities from Nottingham's Galleries and Museums

The closure of Nottingham’s galleries and museums has left a culture-shaped hole in all of our lives. Luckily, there are some fantastic creative organisations in the city that have developed an innovative range of free activities that you can try at home. There’s plenty to stimulate the curiosity and imagination of young and old alike – perfect for any budding scientists, artists, writers or performers.

Our Favourite Moments from Light Hustle

Yesterday, over £5500 was raised by our friends at Circle of Light and Hockley Hustle with their mammoth 8-hour online music festival. If you missed it here's our guide to the highlights and how to watch them back...

From Beijing to Boris

Having lived in China for ten years, Chris Ainsworth returned to Nottingham in January with the impending threat of COVID-19 looming. Here he shares his thoughts on how the two countries are dealing the global health crisis differently...

5 Notts Things You Can Do From Home This Week

We normally bring you our pick of events that you can pop along to in Nottingham - however, for obvious reasons we can’t do that. Instead, we’ve rounded up some cracking stuff you can do from the comfort of your home…

Notes from a Mental Health Nurse: Letting Go of the Past

Each month, our anonymous mental nurse, who has over two decades on experience working in Nottingham, will deal with a specific mental health issue with practical, accessible advice. This month, they offer tips on how to let go of the past... 

Electronic Duo Bone Cult on Masks, World Tours and Their Debut Album

Formed in 2013, Bone Cult began after two members of a rock band decided they’d had enough. Time spent experimenting with productions in the studio – using synths, drum machines and more – led to the electronic duo, consisting of No.1 and Day2, finding that unique, fresh sound they were in search of, and settling on a new musical identity.  Never showing their faces publicly, their only distinguishing feature comes in the form of artful tattoos covering their torsos. Even their tracked vocals are distorted beyond recognition. With an impressive cult following that has seen them perform across the globe and a debut album set for release this month, we talked to the Notts-based duo to uncover more about the minds that lie beneath the masks...