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Short Stack From All Angles: We Hear About The Short Film Festival

Last week, we attended Short Stack, the short film festival hosted at Broadway Cinema. For a Sunday evening, the event had a buzzing atmosphere and packed attendance. After it was over, we caught up with the festival’s director, one of the featured filmmakers, and an artist whose music was shown on the big screen…

We chat to Better Joy about her EP, embracing vulnerability and touring the UK

With her debut EP heading into blue out soon, Better Joy (Bria Keely) takes listeners on a journey from the deeply personal waiting on time to the intimate reflection of quiet thing, balancing raw emotion with uplifting melodies. Working alongside legendary producer Mike Hedges, she’s crafted a sound that’s both nostalgic and refreshingly new. As she prepares for her first headline UK tour, including a date at The Bodega in Nottingham, Bria shares insights into her artistic evolution, the magic of live performance, and what’s next on her musical horizon…

Theatre Review: Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at Nottingham Arts Theatre

The joyful coming-of-age musical struts into Nottingham Arts Theatre with a bright young cast and plenty of sass

Blue therapy: we learn about wild swimming with Whole Health at Colwick Park

In recent years the mental and physical health benefits of immersion in water have gained lots of attention across the country. Since 2019 wild-swimming group Whole Health have sought to disseminate those benefits to as many people as possible, leading open-water swimming and sauna sessions at Colwick Park. Frances Danylec visited West Lake to meet founders Cat and Wales.

We chat with Rob Green about music, musicals, and the value of the grassroots

Uplifting alt soul-pop Notts sensation Rob.Green is back and has dialled everything to the absolute max - bringing the emotion, fierce hyped energy and brand-new music for his first ever headline UK tour, which kicks off at Saltbox on 20th March. Rob shared his infectious joy with us in a conversation covering the tour, his collaboration with Cassell the Beatmaker, his ventures into musicals, and the value of grassroots venues...

Circle of Light director Tiffany Jade tells us about the future of creative hub Fisher Gate Point

Over the past five years Fisher Gate Point has been slowly blossoming into a creative and cultural hub in Nottingham, home to numerous collectives, businesses and events, from the Hockley Hustle crew, to Circle of Light. With a new cafe, exhibition and events space, they are currently gearing up for their launch party on International Women’s Day. We spoke to one of the people at its helm, Tiffany Jade, about the many programs she’s facilitated at the centre.

Hips Don’t Lie: we hear from belly dancer Marija Zinkevica about the upcoming Belly Dance Festival and building connection with the body through dance

After a career in computer science, Marija Zinkevica swapped life behind the screen for days onstage: teaching belly dance in Nottingham and performing in competitions around the world. Ahead of the first Belly Dance Festival at the start of March, we caught up with Marija to hear how this ancient dance can build confidence, community and a deep connection with the body.

An open conversation: journalist Gary Younge tells us about a public assembly on issues facing minority communities coming up in Nottingham

Well known for his twenty years at The Guardian and a current position as Professor of Sociology at the University of Manchester, journalist, author and broadcaster Gary Younge has led conversations on minority experiences and systematic racism for decades. Those conversations have become all-the-more pertinent since 2020, so Mr Younge is planning new measures to address the issues facing minority communities. 

This will take the form of public assemblies in four cities, one of which will be Nottingham. In January, Mr Younge arrived here to meet the local community who inform the substance of that assembly. Here he presents an open letter, explaining what people can expect from the meeting.

Notts actress Aisling Loftus talks about her one-woman play Girls and Boys currently at Nottingham Playhouse

Nottingham’s own Aisling Loftus comes to Nottingham Playhouse with one-woman play Girls and Boys, an award-winning depiction of how love can go badly wrong. She shares her journey with LeftLion…

We speak to Broadway, Arc and Savoy Cinemas about the future of cinema in Nottingham

Last month we learned that Cineworld cinema in the Cornerhouse will be closing, to be replaced by Vue cinema later in the year. The last few years have seen plenty of change for the cinema industry, so we put some questions to the figureheads at our three other local picture houses; Mark Gallagher at The Arc Cinema, Lucy Askew at Broadway Cinema and Paul Scotton at Savoy Cinema…

Put your records on: we find out about Revinyl Sessions, a night where anyone can be a DJ

Fancy sharing your music taste with other music lovers? Revinyl Sessions at The Golden Fleece has you covered. With an ethos that celebrates the DJ for their ability to create community in a crowd, Revinyl invites anybody, experienced or first-timer, the chance to get behind the decks and unite the room with their sound. We spoke to organiser Robin Powell to find out more…

Out of Time: When David Lynch visited Nottingham’s Goose Fair Seeking Carnival Freaks

David Lynch, the visionary American filmmaker died on 15 January 2025. A little known fact is that in the late 1970s Lynch visited Nottingham’s Goose Fair looking for inspiration and cast members for his film The Elephant Man…

Human rights barrister and author Christian Weaver talks about his second book, The Right To Protest

Rising Nottingham star Christian Weaver was named Legal Aid Newcomer of the Year in 2023 for his tenacious work addressing dangerous public housing. The Secret Barrister called his first book ‘exceptional‘ - we join him now as he releases his second, Your Right To Protest...

We Speak To Mariposa Choreographer Carlos Pons Guerra of DeNada Dance Theatre About His Madame Butterfly-inspired Dance Opera

Choreographer Carlos Pons Guerra and his company DeNada Dance Theatre bring their critically acclaimed show Mariposa, to Mansfield Palace Theatre on Friday 28 February. We asked him some questions about the show…

Switch Up founder Marcellus Baz talks about changing the lives of disadvantaged young people

The story of Dr Marcellus Baz BEM is stuff of Nottingham legend. From a kid weighed down by poverty to the leader of an internationally recognised social enterprise, he’s lifted countless people out of disadvantaged backgrounds while inspiring others along the way. Having started collaborating more often with businesses and charities across the city, he made time in his busy schedule to chat with us about the credo behind his long career.

All you need to know about the International Postcard Show at Surface Gallery Nottingham

This month, Surface Gallery's International Postcard Show unites artists across the globe with an inclusive exhibition showcasing a multi-medium array of postcard-sized artworks, created by artists as far-flung as Japan. Charlotte Pimm-Smith talks to exhibitions co-ordinator Jez Kirby about it.

Paddy Sneath of Working Man's Kitchen talks about opening a new pizzeria in Sneinton Market

Home of the viral Pizza Dog, Working Man’s Kitchen built a national reputation from a humble food truck. Now it’s starting a new chapter as an independent pizzeria with an important cause at its heart. Co-food editor Lucy Campion sits down with Paddy Sneath, the working man behind the kitchen, to find out more about his pizzeria and journey from pylon painter to pizza maker. 

Conscious Closet talk to us about sustainable and festive fashion

With the season of glitter and cheer now well and truly here, Fashion Editor Addie Kenogbon-Harley caught up with Sarah Rockley and Lisa Holland, co-founders of Nottingham sustainable fashion brand and occasion wear rental service, Conscious Closet, to find out how rented looks could be the key to a more sustainable festive party season.

Framework homelessness charity tells us about their winter appeal and Christmas gift range

As the days get colder and darker, it’s all the more important for people who lack life’s typical comforts and commodities to find help and support. Back in October, Notts homelessness charity Framework launched an urgent winter appeal for funds, alongside an autumn gift range, designed by their very own Iryna Fryner. This Christmas, they’re following that up with another seasonal gift range, released to help support their vital work of aiding Nottingham’s rough sleepers. To mark this occasion, Framework’s Communications Manager Chris Senior told us about where the charity is at and the help that they need.

Nadia on... disability

Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome writes about disability rights, recognition and representation.

We chat to Becky Unthank about winter, family and the Northern weather

Ahead of their headline show in Nottingham, Becky Unthank talks with Michael Prince about In Winter, the new album from The Unthanks. Together, they delve into tales as old as time...

We chat to Warren Ireland about life, music and local legends

Dan Bonnington caught up with local artist and ex-busker Warren Ireland, to talk about his musical inspirations, his influences and supporters, and just what makes Nottingham so special...

Award winning actor Richard Armitage speaks about his latest crime novel

After a lengthy career making his name in blockbusters such as The Hobbit and BBC’s Robin Hood, multi-award winning actor Richard Armitage has turned to the written word. He visited Bromley House to discuss his latest crime novel The Cut, and how writing and acting converge.

We chat to the Friends of Wollaton Park about reviving the Wollaton Walled Garden

Wollaton Walled Garden, originally built in the second half of the 18th century, had fallen into a sad and overgrown state, its walls beginning to crumble. Thanks to the Friends of Wollaton Park volunteers they’re now being repaired, and flower and vegetable beds are singing with life once more. Having just become the first group recipients of a Nottingham Award, we had to go and check out all their hard work…

We talk with Hard-Fi about their return to the studio, and why Nottingham rocks

Ahead of their raucous return to the Rock City stage on 23rd November, Hard-Fi frontman Richard Archer talks with Talia Robinson about all things modern musicality and the need for nurturing nostalgia...