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Broadway Cinema to Reopen This Month

Movie fans will soon get to watch the latest releases in Nottingham's iconic cinema...

5 Nottingham Albums to Listen to This Month

The latest Nottinghamshire releases... 

Queer Today, Gone Tomorrow: The LGBTQ+ Spaces Nottingham Has Lost

As Nottingham gets set to celebrate Pride 2020 in a very different, online-only way, it’s probably time to remember that the city hasn’t always had such an open gay scene. With a long history of secret bars, hidden backrooms and, erm, gay flats, it’s important to remember just how far Notts has progressed. We asked Chair of Nottingham Pride, Leigh Ellis, and David Edgley of Nottingham Rainbow Heritage to share their memories of some of the LGBTQ+ spaces we’ve lost...

Streaming Theatre Preview: The Black Veil

The Classic Thriller Season is back and planning to creep directly into your home

Art Works: Naa Ahinee Mensah

Artist Naa Ahinee Mensah tells us about her George Floyd triptych...

"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… 

Nottinghamshire's Rainbow Heritage's David Edgley on Our City's LGBTQ+ History

Established in 2008, Nottinghamshire’s Rainbow Heritage aims to preserve the area’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history. With many of the city’s venues under threat of closure due to COVID-19, Caroline Barry talks to the project’s David Edgley about Nottingham’s LGBTQ+ history, the dangers of complacent activism and what can be done to preserve the city’s safe spaces.

5 Nottingham Albums to Listen to This Month

The latest Nottinghamshire releases... 

For King, Not Country: Why We Need a More Inclusive War Narrative in the UK

As the world gets ready to remember the 75th anniversary of VJ Day, photographer Jagdish Patel explores the role of Commonwealth soldiers – many of whom were conscripted under the threat of violence – in Britain’s victory.

The When We Worked at Raleigh Project Celebrates the Lives of the Factory's Black British Caribbean Workers

Whether it’s due to its legacy as one of Nottingham’s most quintessential institutions, or the place that Arthur Seaton so resented working, everyone knows that the Raleigh Factory is woven into the very fabric of Nottingham’s DNA. While much has been written about its iconic cultural status, often overlooked is the impact of its many Black British Caribbean workers. That’s where When We Worked at Raleigh, the archival project that has collated visual and audio histories of those workers and their relatives, comes in...

Next Gen Movement: The Group Behind Nottingham's Anti-Racism Protest

The murder of George Floyd at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis sent reverberations around the world, including Nottingham, where thousands of people descended on the Forest Recreation Ground in a show of communal strength against systemic racism on Sunday 7 June. The protests were peaceful, but the anger, frustration and passion for forcing change – in real terms – was overwhelming. Behind the protests were three young women, friends Shan Vincent, Tyla Henrique-White and Janelle Brown who have since formed Next Gen Movement, a project aimed at empowering young people to make sure the fight against racism continues to be impactful. We caught up with Janelle to find out more, and discover where they plan to go from here…

Snap Notts: Anti-Racism Protest

This issue's highly-emotive poem was inspired by the anti-racism protest which took place at the Forest Rec on Sunday 7 June...

Honey Williams on her July 2020 Cover, Representation and Her Career

Our cover artist, Honey Williams, talks to our Art co-Editor, LJ Vaughan, about making art, her role as a choir director, and what it’s like to be a big black woman living in Nottingham...

Stop Wars to Stop Racism: The History Behind Belward Street's Iconic Street Art

For years, Richie 'Pops' Baker's 'Stop Wars' design stood as one of Nottingham's most recognisable and iconic street art pieces. Having recently been reimagined as the new 'Stop Racism' piece, the artist, who now calls New Zealand home, explains the history behind his design...

Out of Time: Tim Birkin and the Bentley Boys

Refusing to follow his father into Nottingham’s lace industry, Sir Tim Birkin’s eclectic life was full of exhilaration and tragedy, from flying planes in World War One to becoming one of the most famous names of the Vintage Racing era...

12 Stories and Poetry Collections You Should Read During Lockdown

Our Literature Editor runs down some of the books that have kept her busy during these times...

Writer Josh Helmer on His New Self-Published Dystopian Novel, Dark Wonders

With life currently feeling like it’s been torn from the pages of a dystopian novel, now seems like the perfect time to release a novel exploring themes like technology, society and the future. Luckily for us, that’s just what Joshua Helmer has done with Dark Wonders. We caught up with the Nottingham writer to discuss his self-published debut novel...

Book Review: Shell by Paula Rawsthorne

We checked out the young adult novel...

Black Lives Matter Banner Unveiled on Nottingham Council House

The banner was unveiled by Next Gen Movement and the Lord Mayor of Nottingham, Councillor Rosemary Healy

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...

Norse Nottingham: How the Vikings Impacted Our City

Letters of Constraint: How the National Justice Museum are Documenting Life in the Coronavirus Era

With the aim of encouraging people to reflect on their lockdown experiences to create a written legacy of the COVID crisis, the National Justice Museum’s new Letters of Constraint virtual exhibition is looking for your participation. We talked to Dr Martin Glynn, the museum’s writer in residence, about how you can put pen to paper and be part of Nottingham’s lockdown story... 

Nottingham's Anti-Racism Protest in Photos

On Sunday 7 June hundreds of people joined the ongoing fight against racism in a protest at the Forest Recreation Ground...

"This is the people against racism’’ - Writer and Musician Jack Benjamin on Nottingham's Black Lives Matter Protest

As hundreds of people gathered on Forest Rec to support the fight against racism, local musician and writer Jack Benjamin shares his thoughts on what the protest means, and how the day's events unfolded...