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We Chat to Lizzie Esau About Her New Single, Working with Steve Grainger, and Dot to Dot

Lizzie Esau may hail from Newcastle, but her long-time working relationship with Notts-based producer Steve Grainger means that she is an honorary citizen. We chat to her all about her latest single Wait Too Late, her upcoming appearance at Dot to Dot, and her unofficially-announced upcoming sophomore EP...

Back with a Boom: The Return of Nottingham Artists amillionsons

When it comes to talent spotting, Pete Tong isn’t often wrong – and amillionsons, an act he first picked out years ago, is back on the scene with a very special release. We caught up with the Nottingham-based artists on Misti Blu Two, featuring vocals from legendary soul siblings Taka Boom, Chaka Khan and Mark Stevens.

We Went to the School of Artisan Food to Try One Of Their Delectable Cooking Courses

Nestled in the expansive Welbeck Estate in north Nottinghamshire lies the School of Artisan Food, a hands-on cooking school dedicated to traditional processes and proper craftsmanship. Catering to everyone from the hobbyist hoping to perfect their puff pastry to budding professionals seeking the tricks of the trade, it's a haven of all things homemade and an antidote to a food culture dominated by the mass-produced and ultra-processed.

Nottingham Rapper Juga-Naut Talks About New Album Bem II

Humour, truth and growth are some of the ingredients to Bem II, the brand new self-produced album from Nottingham rapper Juga-Naut. We asked him to give us a taste of how he blends lyrics, meaning, production, collaboration and visuals to make such a record.

Nottingham Residents Invited to Take Part in World-First Citizen Assembly Initiative at New Art Exchange

New Art Exchange (NAE) is setting a global precedent for community-led arts delivery with the launch of the VOICE Assembly, a permanent citizen assembly to be included within the diverse arts organisation's leadership structure. The initiative invites forty local residents to represent the wider community and directly shape NAE’s neighbourhood strategy and investments. NAE is developing a blueprint for cultural institutions worldwide, championing citizen-led decision-making in arts and culture.

Jude Forsey Tells Us All About His New Single ‘It’s all a waste'

We sit down for a chat with 16-year-old Wollaton-based musician Jude Forsey, who tells us all about his song-writing process, studying at Confetti, his musical influences, his acting work, and the support he has received from Dean Jackson and BBC Introducing...

We spoke to NTU Professor and Linguistics researcher Natalie Braber to find out more about Nottinghamshire and East Midlands Dialect

The Nottingham accent is an intrinsic part of our local identity, but what exactly makes it unique? Is it set to disappear with new generations? And what are the effects of sitting right in the middle of the North-South divide? We put these questions to Natalie Braber, a professor of Linguistics at Nottingham Trent University to get to the bottom of it…

Nadia on... the cuts to Nottingham budget

Nottingham Labour East MP talks about the cuts to the Nottingham budget

Our April Cover Artist Rebecca Evans Talks About Her Inspirations and Process

Rainbow Puppeteer Ronnie le Drew Talks About Bringing Zippy to Life Ahead of His Nottingham Show

The Nottingham Puppet Festival takes over the city centre this month once again, and when we saw Rainbow puppeteer Ronnie le Drew was on the line up, we pulled some strings to get a chat with the man who brought Zippy to life…

We sat down with Charlotte Thomson-Morley to ask about her ideas, inspiration and other work.

Our wonderful cover art this month is by Charlotte Thomson-Morley, a South Notts illustrator and printmaker who makes work based around folklore and Paganism. We sat down with Charlotte to ask about her ideas, inspiration and other work.

Local Nottingham Artists Have The Chance To Play Legendary Rock City Main Stage @ Dot To Dot Festival

The Future Sound of Nottingham is returning for 2024. FSN gives Nottingham and Nottinghamshire musicians the opportunity to play the iconic main stage of Rock City. 

In Photos: Martha Tilston and Joey Collins at The Bodega

From Romeo and Juliet to Art Exhibitions: Here's What's on This Week 18 - 24 March

If you are looking for some classics in stage and theatre in the next few days, Romeo et Juliette and The Motive and the Cue both bring the past successes of playwriters to the forefront of the cinemas this coming week. Additionally, the creative works of artists and musicians alike enter the city of Nottingham with exhibitions until 4 May. 

Theatre Review: DARKFIELD's Immersive Arcade Experience at Lakeside Arts

ARCADE is the latest immersive theatre experience from DARKFIELD, a choose-your-own-path experience full of binaural sounds and sensory effects in a completely pitch-black shipping container. We went down to Lakeside Arts and gave it our best go. 

We Spoke to Artist Martin Rayment about Whipping Imagined Worlds Onto Canvas

Within intricately layered large-scale collages, Martin Rayment whips imagined worlds onto canvas. We sat down to chat with Martin about his creative process, merging music and art, and staying curious as an artist.

Art Review: Dora Budor: Again and Paul Mpagi Sepuya: Exposure at Nottingham Contemporary

Nottingham Contemporary’s spring 2024 mixed media installation unearths and dissects the dimensions of modernity, technology and human connection across two distinct artscapes that invite us to re-examine our own opinion of what constitutes modern art. 

Artist Di Ali-Arab Reclaims Feminine Sexuality Via Cheeky Images With Powerful Messaging

With Friday 8 March marking International Women’s Day, what better way to highlight its importance than spending time with self-proclaimed feminist, artist Di Ali-Arab. The 25-year-old is spreading a message; to turn the archetypal objectification of women on its head, and replacing it with empowering graphics of the female form. LeftLion HQ joined her in RSP Studios, where her work is currently being displayed and sold.

Music Reviews: March 2024

This month, we review music from Whisky Stain, Lacey, Otala, Hallowed Men, Blu Syrup, Cappo & Kong Artisan, Bunnie, Albion and Daudi Matsiko...

We spoke to Soul-Pop Sensation Rob Green about Masculinity, Music and Mental Health,

He is one of Nottingham’s best-loved live performers, whose iconic sets at festivals like Splendour, Hockley Hustle and most recently, Beat The Streets, have become the stuff of local legend. This was confirmed by the fact his upcoming show at Nottingham Central Library completely sold out in less than a week. Ahead of that show and him then hitting the road for The Undercover Tour, we sat down for a chat with soul-pop sensation ROB.GREEN…

We Chat to Holly Humberstone About Her Upcoming EP 'Work in Progress'

LeftLion caught up with Grantham (and Nottingham) native Holly Humberstone during a rare few days of downtime between tours. Look out for our full interview in the next edition of the magazine...

We Spoke to 'Hedda Gabler' Director Andrew Whittle Ahead of the Premier at Nottingham Arts Theatre at the end of March

With a fresh adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's 'Hedda Gabler' coming to the Nottingham Arts Theatre at the end of March, we sat down with director and writer Andrew Whittle, to talk about developing unlikable characters and what it's like getting into directing in his forties.

From Vesta Tilley to Douglas Byng, Learn More About Early History of Nottingham’s Music Halls and the Stars It Created

When it comes to the theatre, Nottingham has no shortage of stages, from the Playhouse to Nonsuch to the Theatre Royal. But we don’t often think of the wonderful history of old music halls and their star performers… 

We Find Out More About the Ethical Atelier Ahead of Their Sustainable Fashion Event at Cleaver & Wake

Next month, The Ethical Atelier, a popular sustainable fashion event which has been a big hit in Derby since its launch three years ago, will be making its Notts debut at Cleaver & Wake’s upstairs event space, offering eco-savvy fashion lovers a chance to shop for sustainable brands and learn how to foster more mindful and environmentally friendly shopping habits. We caught up with event organiser, business owner and sustainable textile activist, Abigail Wastie to find out more about her upcoming event…

We Chat to Holly Williams About Her Highly Anticipated New Novel

A seasoned freelance journalist, Holly Williams has embarked upon another career as a novelist. As NTU WRAP's featured author for this spring she was in town at the new Central Library, so we thought we'd catch up with her...