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Theatre Review: Cinderella Ice Cream Seller at Lakeside Arts

Lakeside Arts offers a retelling of a fairy tale classic with a blend of storytelling, live music, and theatrical magic. Cinderella's is now an ice cream factory, and therein lies the tale...

The Letters Page: The Art of Letters and the Intimate Stories of Identity and Connection Found Within Them

It’s no secret that letter writing has now become a thing of the past, long since replaced by our ability to instantly communicate with each other via text message or phone call. But there is still a certain charm to letter writing, that literary lovers amongst us will never quite get past, and for good reason. Grace Sanders sat down with Zoe, Soha, Arwyn and Elodie, interns working at The Letters Page, to find out more about the latest issue, the work they do and how the purpose of letter writing has evolved from an essential form of communication to an intimate art form.

Alex Hale and the Private Sector talk new name and new music

Alex Hale is a well-known name for anybody versed in the Nottingham music scene. In the newly-named Alex Hale and the Private Sector, joined by bandmates Daniel Barradell, Dominic Brady, Luke Gilborn, Stephen Marsh and sometimes (when he's not busy running The Grove) Cam Worne, he is embarking on a new era…

Beltane, beer, Badly Drawn Boy and Shrek: Here's what's on this week 20 - 26 April 2026

This week in Notts! Enjoy craft beer, Beltane celebrations, Beeston Film Festival and lots more. Here's our top picks...

Concert Review: Orquesta Sinfónica De Galicia at Royal Concert Hall

The Galicia Symphony Orchestra is reputed to be one of Spain's most prominent orchestras with fans across the world. But how did they go down with the Nottingham audience... 

Put your records on: eleven Notts vinyl stores worth visiting on Record Store Day

On 18 April it’s Record Store Day – a celebration of that unique grassroots culture which, even in the face of constant adversity wracking the UK music scene, endures and provides a community for innumerable lovers of physical media. Since the fifties, Nottingham’s been a hub for well-visited record stores, some becoming legendary like Selectadisc – which once hosted The Clash in store – and Way Ahead – who as well as selling vinyl also sold tickets for one of Oasis’ biggest tours. Music has changed a lot over the last few years, but here’s eleven record shops still worth checking out

LeftLion Interviews Podcast #16: Notts County’s James Belshaw on his career, coming home and how he nearly signed for Notts several times before

This episode we are joined by Notts County FC goalkeeper James Belshaw who talks about his career, coming home to play for Notts County FC and how he nearly signed for Notts several times before...

Left Stag: April - Everyone's Stags

As the season trundles towards its conclusion, with Mansfield Town all but mathematically safe and out of all cups, my non-football-fan wife tells me that she misses the tension that she’s become accustomed to in the other seasons since we met!I say non-football-fan,but I don’t think I can really say that anymore…

Pick six: playwright Jane Upton

For this month’s Pick Six we turned to local playwright, Jane Upton, who’s new show Scenes from a Friendship comes to Nottingham Playhouse from Friday 15 May.

In conversation with Bob Mould about Sugar, politics and the power of finding your voice

Thirty years on from their untimely split, American indie punk pioneers Sugar reunite to play an extensive UK tour with a date at Rock City on 31st May. 2026 is shaping up to be a landmark year for the power punk trio with the super deluxe reissue of their 1992 debut album Copper Blue and the release of two new songs: House of Dead Memories and Long Live Love. We chatted with Iconic frontman Bob Mould about all things Sugar, Hüsker Dü, and the current state of political affairs in the US...

A walk in the park: how the King George V Memorial Fund helped preserve our green spaces

We’re lucky to have lots of local parks in Nottingham – but they don’t just establish or maintain themselves. As the lungs, playgrounds, and life-givers of our city, they’ve seen a whole range of uses over time, from wartime food growing through to cricket grounds, football pitches, and skate parks. Celebrating the enduring legacy of King George V’s memorial fund, genealogist and local historian Russell Davies of Leaves of History digs deep into the origins of the parks it bestowed, and their shifting purposes and stewardship.

Mapperley’s silent discos speaks volumes

Tucked away at the south end of Mapperley Top, framed by lush garden borders and the open stretch of Haywood Road Green, sits the Haywood Road Community Centre. While the centre is a bustling hub for meetups and activities throughout the week, the green space truly comes alive once a year for a local phenomenon: the annual Silent Disco. 

Enthralling theatre and crowd pleasing comedy: Here's what's on in Nottingham this week Monday 13 - Sunday 19 April

The weather's getting warmer, and here in Notts everybody's getting out and enjoying culture, whether as part of some memorable screenings at local cinemas, or some top tier local music. Here's some events which we think you shouldn't miss...

New Nottingham Journal Reopens for Submissions

After selling out its debut issue, the New Nottingham Journal – the city’s print literary journal publishing short fiction, slow journalism, poetry and black-and-white art – is preparing its return in 2026.

LeftLion's Latest Listens #43: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens, our music team reviews new releases from Book of Churches, Dusty 4 Track, Firmament and JJ Lovegrove...

Theatre Interview: Sam Harry Macgregor actor and writer from Hold The Line at Nottingham Arts Theatre

Hold the Line is a new play coming to the Nottingham Arts Theatre that lifts the lid on life and work at the NHS 111 telephone service. Rising star Sam Harry Macgregor, who wrote and stars in the play, talks to Leftlion about the journey...  

Nadia on... student loans

Labour MP for Nottingham East Nadia Whittome discusses university loans and student fees...

Laid bare: James bassist Jim Glennie talks the story of the band before their Motorpoint show

Plenty of legendary bands have come out of Manchester but James are one of the most enduring. Through four decades the group have continued to evolve – delivering iconic indie anthems like Sit Down, She’s a Star and Laid – alongside their famously unpredictable live performances.

They’re playing Motorpoint Arena this month, as part of a UK tour in support of their new Definitive Best Of collection – in advance bassist and founding member Jim Glennie looks back on the story of the band… 

Undercover artist: April Seaworth depicts springtime Notts in motion

The stars align this month, as our regular contributing illustrator April Seaworth presents our April 2026 cover. Below April talks about her work, inspirations, and why we should listen closely to the city and to nature… 

Perfect Pawtraits: Dog Life Drawing at Blend Cafe

Dog Life Drawing is much like any regular life drawing class except for one key difference; the models all have four legs! Kathy Giddins went along to the latest session at Blend Cafe...

Notts County goalkeeper James Belshaw on his storied life in football

Born and raised in Clifton in a Notts County-supporting household, James Belshaw took a circular route to finally becoming Notts County’s goalkeeper. After dropping out of the Magpies youth system in 2005, at the age of 35 he finally signed for the club last January. This followed a journey via the USA, the English National Leagues, two play-off final wins for Harrogate (including one against Notts), and player of the season award at the Bristol Rovers…

Gig review: Kofi Stone at Rescue Rooms

Straight off the top: the Nottingham jam nights where musicians test their skills

Anyone who takes a deeper than average dive into Notts music will probably come across a corner of the scene with a very particular kind of magic – jam sessions – improvisation events where new connections are forged and the music is completely different each time. Acoustickle’s Parisa East and Joe Egan, founder of popular jam Perkalater, talk about why these occasions are valuable. 

A semester in Notts: US photographer John Dean's snapshot of Nottingham in the 70s

In the Spring of 1976, a then twenty-year-old photography student named John Dean arrived in Nottingham unaware that he would go on to capture some of the most beautiful, compelling and personal street photographs our city has ever seen. Five decades later, many of those images are being shown for the first time in a new exhibition at Bonington Gallery; A Semester in Nottingham, 1976. 

Ahead of his exhibition, held at the very university that he briefly studied at fifty years ago, Dani Bacon sat down for a transatlantic Teams call (with a questionable signal), to talk to John about his time in Nottingham, his career and why he’s chosen now as the perfect time to unveil his photographs.

LeftLion's Latest Listens #42: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this week's edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens for 2026, our music team reviews new releases from Leah Wilcox, Eyre Llew and Origin One & Snowy...