Site search

There's more content than you would believe. Hopefully this will make finding it a bit easier...

Exhibition review: Pieces of Me at the National Justice Museum

Tue 18 Aug 2026

Made by artist Elahè Raofi and built by the stories of members of Refugee Roots, a free exhibition at the National Justice Museum creates a space that says, ‘all are welcome’, while tackling themes of work, identity and belonging.

Pick Six: Just The Tonic founder Darrell Martin

Mon 03 Aug 2026

This month we feature Darrell Martin, who founded Just The Tonic Comedy Club in Nottingham in 1994, which has since grown to host comedy nights nationwide and at Metronome every Saturday. At this month’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival they will be promoting 215 shows across nineteen performance spaces…

Exhibition review: Physical Culture and And The Soul is for the Birds at Nottingham Contemporary

Thu 23 Jul 2026

Two very different exhibitions are currently displayed at the Nottingham Contemporary. In one, classical sculptures intersect with modern fitness culture. In the other, a Brazilian artist creates an imagined folklore…

Artists, Lovers, Outsiders: the new exhibition at Nottingham Castle

Tue 21 Jul 2026

The latest exhibition over at Nottingham Castle tells the story of Robert MacBryde and Robert Colquhoun, two Scottish artists, lovers, and outsiders, whose mark on mid-century Modernist art has largely been overlooked. Sophie Gargett caught up with curator and award-winning writer Damian Barr, whose fictional biographical novel The Two Roberts sheds light on a love story that was hidden for decades.

Exhibition review: Drawn Through Time at Lakeside Arts

Sat 11 Jul 2026

Nottingham'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 Interviews Podcast #19: Selina Mosinski (AKA Charity Shop Sue) and Matt Chesney of Backlit Studios on Selina’s new Edinburgh Fringe show Puss in Boots: a Working Class Fairytale

Fri 10 Jul 2026

This episode we are joined by Selina Mosinski (AKA Charity Shop Sue) and Matt Chesney of Backlit Studios to talk about Selina’s new Edinburgh Fringe show Puss in Boots: a Working Class Fairytale.

Theatre Review: Dyke Systems Ltd by Fag Packet at the Nottingham Playhouse

Fri 10 Jul 2026

This 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...

Altered State: Nottingham’s vital role in 1990s dance culture

Thu 09 Jul 2026

In 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.

Meet 2Two’s and Omari Marsalis: the champs of the Future Sound of Nottingham award 2026

Wed 08 Jul 2026

Last 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.

People Laughing: Music to dance and cry to

Fri 03 Jul 2026

People 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...

More than a gig a day: Catching up with Isaac Neilson

Thu 02 Jul 2026

Singer-songwriter Isaac Neilson is from Buxton in our neighbouring county and based here in Nottingham. But since 1 January it’s been hard to find him in the city. On that fateful day, Neilson began a mind-blowing challenge: to perform a gig on every single day of 2026. LeftLion caught up with Neilson at the halfway point of the year…

Actor Chelsea Da Silva talks about Roald Dahl's The Enormous Crocodile at Nottingham Puppet Festival

Mon 29 Jun 2026

Later 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...

Gig review: Feel the Nusic, Future Sound of Nottingham 2026

Tue 23 Jun 2026

With 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...

Future Sound of Nottingham 2026: chatting to the finalists

Mon 08 Jun 2026

Future Sound of Nottingham is back again and provides you with a rare chance to go to Rock City for free (no ticket required). If you’re unaware of how it works, seven of the city’s artists and bands play Rock City’s main stage through one night, competing before a judging panel for the chance to play Wollaton Park’s Splendour Festival, in the summer. Here's what some of the finalists had to say...

Comedy Review: Danny Bhoy at the Nottingham Playhouse

Sun 07 Jun 2026

A veteran comic’s vibrant victory lap at the Nottingham Playhouse has the audience smiling...

How Dale Harvey's 'Great British Pub Crawl' became a social media sensation

Sat 06 Jun 2026

Dale Harvey is a man on a mission to champion and save British Pubs. A former publican, in March 2022 he, alongside his partner Holly Booth, set themselves the challenge to visit every pub in Notts. A year or two later, having completed this, they expanded to covering all the pubs in England, Scotland and Wales too. Thus the social media sensation The Great British Pub Crawl was born. Four years, 9500+ beers and over 300k social media followers later ‘Professional Drinker’ Dale is fast closing in on visiting his 10,000th pub…

Tattoo studio Good Mornink talk community, artistry and their upcoming charity flash day

Tue 02 Jun 2026

Situated on the top floor of Hopkinson, one of Nottingham's most creative and quirky hangouts, tattoo studio Good Mornink is a welcoming community of international artists. Founder and Co-owner Melisa Büyük talks about turning dreams into the reality of owning a studio, and their upcoming charity flash day to raise money for Stonebridge City Farm...

Bittersweet streets: a look at artist Julian Pinnick's new exhibition at Broadway Gallery

Sat 30 May 2026

Anyone who has lived in Nottingham for years will have snapshots in their mind of characters, shops and moments lost to time, but one local artist has gone a step further, memorialising fleeting scenes of Nottingham’s past in paint. Ahead of an upcoming exhibition at Broadway Gallery, Liz Johnson talks to Julian Pinnick about his creative journey and why slow art can capture a changing urban landscape

LeftLion's Latest Listens #45: Notts music we're currently spinning

Fri 22 May 2026

In this week's edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens, our music team reviews new releases from The Littlemen feat. Hector Moralez, Lucy Crisp, Darling I Dreamt and Kid Spirit...

Dance Review: Breakin' Convention

Mon 18 May 2026

Impressive Break Dancing on offer at Nottingham's annual festival

Comedy, music festivals and local talent: Here's what's on this week in Nottingham 18 -24 May