There's more content than you would believe. Hopefully this will make finding it a bit easier...
Pride and Joy: the organisers of Nottingham Pride talk parades, protest, and vital services come together at the festival
Mon 13 Jul 2026Later this month Notts Pride is set to take over the city once again, bringing a celebration of colour, unity, diversity, and acceptance. Local author Becki Jayne Crossley met Chairperson Leigh Ellis who has been organising the festival for the past ten years. They covered how parades, protest, and vital services come together at the festival…
Splendour Festival's last hurrah, musicals, ballet and immersive art experiences: here's what's on in Notts this week: events 13 July - 19 July
Sun 12 Jul 2026This week is one for the books, including Splendour Festival celebrating their final weekend, Beyond Monet & Beyond Van Gogh, a convention for hit sci-fi sitcom Red Dwarf, and events for theatre, music and ballet fans alike.
Another triumphant year for Gate To Southwell Festival
Sat 11 Jul 2026Dodging the heatwaves, we spent a couple of days on site at Gate To Southwell Festival. Pushing the envelope of folk, and with a collaboration with some of the most exciting Canadian musicians, it was easy to see why this local event is going stronger than ever...
Exhibition review: Drawn Through Time at Lakeside Arts
Sat 11 Jul 2026Nottingham's cultural landscape has quietly become one of the most exciting in the Midlands, with Lakeside Arts consistently bringing ambitious exhibitions to the city that challenge how audiences engage with contemporary art. Its latest exhibition, Drawn Through Time, is no exception. Housed within the Djanogly Gallery at the University of Nottingham, the exhibition takes what many might consider the simplest of artistic practices – drawing – and transforms it into something far richer: a way of navigating history, memory and imagination.
LeftLion's Latest Listens #48: Notts music we're currently spinning
Fri 10 Jul 2026This week, our music team reviews new releases from Ben McElroy, KID SPIRIT and E.R. Thorpe...
Theatre Review: Dyke Systems Ltd by Fag Packet at the Nottingham Playhouse
Fri 10 Jul 2026This award-winning theatre double act come to Nottingham with a comedy show that is part queer fever dream and part corporate seminar, and much more...
Forged by Nottingham: how artist Alicja Biała turned community stories into a new Maid Marian statue
Fri 10 Jul 2026Ahead of the unveiling of Maid Marian Way’s new statue, artist Alicja Biała talks to LeftLion about her creative process, community involvement and why representation of women in public spaces matters.
Altered State: Nottingham’s vital role in 1990s dance culture
Thu 09 Jul 2026In his book Altered State: The Story of Ecstasy Culture and Acid House, journalist Matthew Collin documents the cultural explosion sparked by the potent combination of house music and MDMA, which catalysed a remarkable upsurge of creative activity, from London to Glasgow, Manchester to Belfast – and Nottingham. Matthew tells us what made the city integral in this powerful cultural movement.
Gig review: mary in the junkyard at Rough Trade Nottingham
Wed 08 Jul 2026The avante garde South London trio mary in the junkyard chose Nottingham for the first stop in their album promo tour, appearing at Rough Trade for an instore performance and singing. We were there to experience their unique, genre-spanning approach to music...
Meet 2Two’s and Omari Marsalis: the champs of the Future Sound of Nottingham award 2026
Wed 08 Jul 2026Last month the Future Sound of Nottingham awards took place once again, giving seven artists the chance to battle it out on Rock City’s main stage. With a diverse line up of exceptional talent, ranging from folk and alternative rock to soul and grime, the audience and industry panel placed their votes for who should play at this year’s Splendour Festival. We spoke to winners 2Two’s and Omari Marsalis to hear where they came from and how they’re feeling about opening Splendour.
When We Were B Boys: how breakdancing took over 1980s Nottingham
Mon 06 Jul 2026This year marks the tenth anniversary of a documentary about a less widely recognised part of Nottingham history. NG83: When We Were B Boys, follows a particular few years in the mid 80s when, through happenstance, Notts became the UK’s unofficial breakdancing capital. In advance of two events celebrating the anniversary of the film, two of its co-directors: Claude Knight and Luke Scott, reminisce on making it.
Punk, sustainability, physical theatre and opera on screen: here's what's on in Notts this week: events 6 - 12 July
Sun 05 Jul 2026We've got quite the variety of events happening this week, from opera on screen and DIY punk gigs with Bad Milk Blood Robot to theatre infused with circus skills. Here's our top picks...
People Laughing: Music to dance and cry to
Fri 03 Jul 2026People Laughing landed on the Nottingham music scene in January 2026 with big tunes, smooth aesthetics and catchy songwriting. The trio, made up of singer/guitarist Matt Grocott, bassist Ollie Carnell and drummer Luke Hallam, have showed no sign of showing, with a three-date residency at Nottingham’s legendary Acoustic Rooms, sets at big venues including The Bodega and Rescue Rooms, and even an appearance at Nottingham’s biggest festival, Splendour, upcoming. Singer Matt joined up for a chat to tell us all about the project, what they draw from and what’s next...
Left Magpie: Notts County season review 2026
Wed 01 Jul 2026Our Notts County FC columnist gives a run down of the team’s successful 2025-26 season, whilst also trying to cram in as many literature and poetry references as possible…
Actor Chelsea Da Silva talks about Roald Dahl's The Enormous Crocodile at Nottingham Puppet Festival
Mon 29 Jun 2026Later this week, as part of Nottingham Puppet Festival, an adaptation of Roald Dahl's The Enormous Crocodile comes to Theatre Royal. Lead actor Chelsea Da Silva tells us more...
Interview: Author Ian C Douglas' new creative writing courses at Nottingham Trent University
Sun 28 Jun 2026This summer, local author Ian C Douglas is teaching two new world-building courses as part of Nottingham Trent University's Creative Short Courses programme. He chats to LeftLion about making stuff up...
Gig review: Midrift, Glare and Glixen at The Bodega
Sun 28 Jun 2026The Bodega may not sound like the best place to be on a sweltering hot June evening, but when there’s cold drinks, air con and a night ahead of you that’s full of shoegaze magic, there’s nowhere much better. There are three bands on the bill, but each band is alternating as headliner each night on the tour. This is both unusual and exciting; and maybe something more bands should take note of...
Nottingham Puppet Festival, music at the waterfront, film quiz, and history made fun: Here's what's on in Nottingham this week, 29 June - 5 July
Sun 28 Jun 2026This week our list of things to look out for this week includes the Nottingham Puppet Festival, Waterfront music festival, a walk down memory lane with events for music, film, and the sewing history in prisons.
Review: Hot Pot at Lakeside Arts
Sat 27 Jun 2026This new play, by Nottingham's Hongwei Bao, explores East Asian LGBTQ+ narratives as four friends gather round the dinner table for a night of memories and revelations...
LeftLion's Latest Listens #47: Notts music we're currently spinning
Fri 26 Jun 2026In this edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens for 2026, our music team reviews new releases from Drinking With Lucy, EMiDORA, Saffron Gray and Isaac Neilson...
Theatre Review: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold at Theatre Royal
Thu 25 Jun 2026A new play, based on a classic novel by British author John le Carré, is showing at Nottingham's Theatre Royal starring TV actor Ralf Little as a weary 1960s MI5 agent...
Truth or Legend: the case of the Nottingham Cheese Riots
Wed 24 Jun 2026Our investigator of Nottingham weird history checks out the strange tale of the cheese riots.
Gig review: All Them Witches and Steak at The Palais
Tue 23 Jun 2026A intoxicating night of psychedelic desert rock came to The Palais on Thursday as Nashville's All Them Witches came to Notts, with support from Steak...
Gig review: Feel the Nusic, Future Sound of Nottingham 2026
Tue 23 Jun 2026With two coveted spots on the Splendour Festival main stage up for grabs, this year's Future Sound of Nottingham competition, organised by Feel the Nusic, was once again hotly contested. LeftLion was there to revel in all the music, and to see the winners crowned...
Transphoria: a community-led refuge for Nottingham's trans youth
Tue 23 Jun 2026It can be hard to find support and community as a young person, especially if you are gender diverse and your peers and family might be struggling to support or understand you. Social group Transphoria exists to tackle that issue, providing a safe and inclusive space for trans and/or gender diverse youth. Frances Danylec finds out more about the work that they do…
6296 results