LeftLion January 2023 Issue 155

Alan Gilby Reb-Al Reb-Al alan.gilby@leftlion.co.uk

George White Editor george.white@leftlion.co.uk

Jared Wilson Editor-in-Chief jared.wilson@leftlion.co.uk

Lizzy O’Riordan Assistant Editor lizzy.oriordan@leftlion.co.uk

Natalie Owen Head Designer natalie.owen@leftlion.co.uk

These people #SupportLeftLion

Curtis Powell Head of Video and Photography curtis.powell@leftlion.co.uk

Adam Pickering Partnerships Manager adam.pickering@leftlion.co.uk

Tom Errington Web Developer tom.errington@leftlion.co.uk

Addie Kenogbon Fashion Editor addie.kenogbon@leftlion.co.uk

Jamie Morris Screen Co-Editor jamie.morris@leftlion.co.uk

Oliver Parker Screen Co-Editor oliver.parker@leftlion.co.uk

Al Draper, Alison Gove-Humphries, Alison Harrison, Alison Hedley, Anamenti, Anne Jennings, Ant Haywood, Barbara Morgan, Ben Lester, Caroline Le Sueur, Catriona, Chloe Langley, Chris Jarvis, Chris Mead, Chris Underwood, Claire Foss, Claire Henson, Claire Warren, Clare Foyle, Colin, D Lawson, Dan Lyons, Dan Hemmings, Daniel Watts, Darren Harvey, David Knight, Dean Collier, Dick Watson, Donna Rowe-Merriman, Eddie, Eden PR, Ellen O’Hara, Emma Hibbert, Emma Lipinski, Erika Diaz Petersen, Felicity Whittle, Fred Glenister, Freddy Angell, Graye Wilde, Hayley Howard, Heather Hodkinson, Heather Oliver, Helena Tyce, Ian Storey, Ian Yanson, In memory of Anna Novak (Bradford and Scoraig), In memory of Jenny Smith, James Medd, James Place, James Wright, Janine Lees, Jayne Paul William & Pirate Jack, Jed Southgate, Jem Woolley, Jenni Harding, Jess Gibson, Joanna Furniss, John Haslam, John Hess, John Holmes, Jon Blyth, Jonathan Axworthy, Jonathan Fenn, Jos Potts, Joshua Heathcote, Judy Gray, Julian Bower, Justyn Roberts, Kathryn Hewitt, Kathleen Dunham, Kay Gilby, Kiki Dee the Cat, Koprowskit, Lawrence Poole, Leanne Moden, Les Hayes, Livi & Jacob Nieri, Liz Knott, Lizzy and Margot, Lizzy Colyer, Louise Duffield, Marc Weaver, Mark Barratt, Mark Gasson, Matt Cliffe, Matt Turpin, Matthew Riches, Mighty Lightweights, MinorOak Coworking, Miri Debah, Moira Scothern, Monica White, Nick Donovan, Nick Waine, Nigel Cooke, Nigel Hudson, Nigel King, NottingJam Orchestra, Paul Boast, Paul Woodall, Pete Barker, Peter Coghill, Philip Miller, Rachel Ayrton, Rachel Hancorn, Rachel Morton, Raphael Achache, Rhys Hawkins, Rich Fisher, Richard Barclay, Richard Goodwin, Rob Arthur, Roger Hughes, Ron Mure, Ross Balzaretti, Roy Manterfield, Russell Brown, Sam Hudson, Sam Nahirny, Sam Rose, Sarah Manton, Sarah Moore, Sarah Scriver, Simon Evans, Siobhan, Spicer, Steve Lyon, Steve Riordan, Steve Silver, Steve Stickley Storyteller, Steve Wallace, Stewart Berry, Stuart Wilson, Sue Barsby, Sue Reader, Tim Foster Hair, Tom Justice, Tom Patterson, Tracey Newton, Will

Dom Henry Stage Co-Editor dom.henry@leftlion.co.uk

Ian C. Douglas Stage Co-Editor ian@leftlion.co.uk

Gemma Cockrell Music Editor gemma.cockrell@leftlion.co.uk

Fancy seeing your name (or the name of your band, small business, loved one, pet etc) in this mag every month? It only costs a fiver and the money supports this magazine. Plus you get all kinds of other treats too.

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Daniela Loffreda Food Editor daniela.loffreda@leftlion.co.uk

Marta Tavares

Art Co-Editor marta.tavares@leftlion.co.uk

Fabrice Gagos Photography Co-Editor fabrice.gagos@leftlion.co.uk

Nathan Langman Photography Co-Editor nathan.langman@leftlion.co.uk

George Dunbar Art Co-Editor george.dunbar@leftlion.co.uk

Raphael Achache Naternity Cover Dontemailme@leftlion.co.uk

Featured Contributor

Frazer Varney

Frazer is a freelance photographer based in Nottingham. Although his day job is working in an escape room, he spends his free time taking photographs for some of the city's best independent businesses, dabbling in street photography and portraiture, or chowing down at the best street food spots in Notts. You can find his work at @imjustfrazer on Instagram or check out his website at frazervarney.com.

A New Era

They’ve already performed at Splendour Festival and BBC Introducing - but groundbreaking trap metal artists ALT BLK ERA are only just getting started

Hyde in Plain Sight

Bride of Place

It’s easy to miss Bridlesmith Walk, but wander down and you’ll find a whole variety of small businesses, from the beauty-based to the beer-serving

Artist Richard Hyde uses abstract imagery to paint very real pictures - focusing on the positive aspects of the everyday

Stroke

of Courage

Brown Gal Can’t Swim’s Summaya Mughal opens up on the barriers the South Asian community face when it comes to getting in the pool

Open for All

Set up by Muslim Hands, The Open Kitchen on Mansfield Road has become a vital source of hot, healthy food for local people in need

Dizzy Rascals

Creating high quality prints for creatives around the city, Dizzy Ink is the one-stop shop for zine makers and artists in Nottingham

Stack Exchange

Join the Club

We catch up with Fortune & Glory Film Club to find out how they turned their early love of cult classics into a vibrant Nottingham LGBT+ society

For ten years, Short Stack has been a staple in our filmmaking community - a regular night dedicated to shorts from creators in the area

A New Beat

Ahead of their upcoming performance at January’s Beat The Streets festival, we chat with new indie-rock trio Girlband

Tat’s Life

We catch up with Anna Garvey, the tattoo artist specialising in post-surgery tattoos, and learn more about the joy of reclaiming your body after trauma

Out of Time: Florence Paton

Notts’ first female MP, Florence Paton, was empowerment personified - using her platform to stand up for women and the working classes

Editorial Leftlion in the wild

Hello there, I hope you had a great Christmas break, full of meeting family and eating food and all that good stuff.

Right, now the pleasantries are out of the way, let’s get one thing straight - we like to think that every issue of LeftLion is empowering in its own way. Whether we’re shouting about a great new independent business, sitting down with an up-and-coming artist, or featuring one of our own brilliant contributors, we try to make sure this is a positive place for those seeking a platform to express themselves - and hopefully we succeed more often than not.

Yet after the past year, which has been filled with strikes, protests and rising costs, and following a month in which the World Cup - the single biggest sporting event on the planet - has been marred by controversy and intolerance, now felt like the right time to properly dive into the issue of empowerment.

Look across this exceptional city, and there are so many people, organisations and creatives epitomising its very notion. Across everything from food to film, charity to literature, countless are unapologetically themselves.

So we thought it was only right to highlight a few of these in the next forty-or-so pages. In the world of music, ALT BLK ERA are breaking new ground in a sphere that has been shut off for too many for too long (p16). In art, postsurgery tattooist Anna Garvey is helping women to feel confident about their bodies (p40). In cinema, Fortune & Glory Film Club are creating an inclusive, welcoming space for every movie fan in Nottingham (p22). Throughout this magazine, we’re celebrating those who embody empowerment, and we hope you join us in that.

So, enjoy this uplifting issue, and may 2023 prove better than the best twelve months. We’ll catch you in the next one.

Big ups

LeftLion Ltd is a carbon neutral company, having reduced our direct emissions by 99% since 2018. We offset the rest via direct air capture from Climeworks. LeftLion Magazine is fully recyclable and compostable, made from recycled or FSC® certified (C015932) sources, and printed using renewable energy. The emissions of this paper are offset via the World Land Trust.

Going Underground

Jud in Time

I’m not into all this ‘fate’ mumbo jumbo myself, but the hippy lot out there claim Judita Oyaluade’s crazy day was meant to be You see, on her way home from completing a first aid course, Judita instantly had to put her skills to workperforming CPR on an unwell member of the public. Sure, it’s a coincidence, but I still don’t believe in fate. If it was real, Sharon wouldn’t have ditched me for another mole, leaving me all alone. Please call me back, Sharon. I miss you.

Nature is Eeling

I won’t lie to you, I’m not the biggest eel fan. They’re slimy, and creepy, and move far too quickly. But the folk at The Canal and River Trust are clearly nicer than me, because they spent £60,000 putting together an ‘eel pass’ for them. The handy installation helps eels to navigate Stoke Bardolph Weir near Radcliffe on Trent, and means they can make their trek between Bermuda and Europe. I’m obviously happy for them, but I’ll be staying well out of their way. Out of sight, out of mind.

Hair’s a Jolly Good Fellow Award-winning professor. YouTube star. And now a freeman of Broxtowe. Is there anything this Sir Martyn Poliakoff bloke has yet to achieve? For all his groundbreaking success in the world of science, it was his work in the community that brought this prize home, with his contributions to the Beeston District Civic Society and Greening Beeston winning him plaudits. I’m still miffed he hasn’t relaunched Poliakoffee yet, though.

Pick Six

Book

Instructor at a Pilates class: "You can use the long or the short strap for this next move, the longer strap will make it slightly easier. It's only a few inches but we know that makes all the difference [winks]."

Man one: "What you got me for Christmas?" Man two: "F**k all. It’s like Wollaton ‘all, but wi’ bigger windas."

"I don't know why she left her husband for this new boyfriend. He's minging. You'd have to keep your eyes shut."

"Having a heart attack doesn't make him a bad person."

Teenage lad: "Do you wanna know what being shot or stabbed feels like or is it just me?"

"Yeahmymum'sgettinga newwashingmachineand crumbledryer."

"He’s had his Henry card taken off him cos he’s buying weed with it!"

Losing It: Sex Education for the 21st Century by Sophia Smith Galer is a book I wish I had when I was growing up. While exposing the dire state of sex education in the UK, it busts common myths about sex and responds to the questions many people have but are scared to ask. Galer also explores topics that rarely get covered at school, like pleasure and LGBTQ+ relationships.

Song

I rarely get out of bed without my “getting ready” playlist on. A recent addition to it is Forbidden Feelingz by Nia Archives. The 22-year-old from Bradford hasn’t even released her first album yet, but she’s already winning awards and energising festival crowds. Check her out and you’ll see why her nineties club culture-inspired jungle is exactly what I want to be waking up to.

Film

My taste in film isn’t very high-brow - when I come home after a stressful day at work, I often just want to relax with something funny and familiar. For this purpose, you can’t go wrong with Wild Child - an adorable comedy in which a spoiled American teenager (Emma Roberts) discovers the meaning of friendship in a strict English boarding school. I pretty much know it by heart.

"I went deep water diving and they told me I was the most buoyant person they'd ever seen."

Holiday Destination

Much as I love the Nottingham beach, it doesn’t really count as a holiday destination because it’s ten minutes on the bus from my house. So I’ll say Berlin. I’m a huge fan of its cultural offering, food from every corner of the world and - of course - its (in)famous nightlife. And in the morning after a night out, nothing wakes you up like wild swimming in one of the stunning lakes.

Meal

Little is more comforting than my mum’s daal and rice on a cold winter evening. But in terms of eating out, I love a good vegan fish and chips. My favourite places to get it in Notts are the Angel Microbrewery (which uses tempeh as a substitute) and the Golden Fleece (which uses tofu). Both are delicious, served with mushy peas and chips.

Notts Spot

Got to be The Bodega. The Pop Confessional night - where you get a shot for a “confession” to the DJ ”priest”is iconic. It’s such a local institution that even my Catholic mum is a fan. Shout out to the DJ who has to put up with constant song requests and agrees to play Just Can’t Get Enough after Forest games. My New Year’s resolution is to limit myself to one request a night.

Our mole on the ground isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty to bring you the Notts stories you might have missed...

illustrations: Kate Sharp

In this issue of empowerment, we’ve tasked our regular columnist and Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome with choosing a few of her favourite things…

Your shadow is a confirmation that light has travelled nearly 93 million miles unobstructed, only to be deprived of reaching the ground in the final few feetall thanks to you.

Spotted Ilkeston town A610 closed while some policemen attempt to negotiate with some loose horses

Spotted: Long Eaton This post must have come from someone that's just woken up from a coma they've been in since 2002

STAPLEFORD COMMUNITY GROUP

Stapleford is really an ok place

Spotted: Long Eaton May the tears of Christ quench your empty glass.

Spotted Eastwood Poo watch. Not as good as spring watch but

STAPLEFORD COMMUNITY GROUP while I appreciate the effort it Looks like a sick cucumber

Spotted: Long Eaton

If Santa knows what's best for him, no.

STAPLEFORD COMMUNITY GROUP

Hallelujah ! I am depressed

Hucknall Community Group

Well that was exciting (Not)

Spotted: Long Eaton

The World Cup

At least England lost fair and square. It makes a change from going out on penalties. However, we didn’t actually watch any of the tournament, except seeing the odd goal on the news. We weren’t boycotting it, we just don’t really like watching football.

2023

We bought ourselves a new amplifier for Christmas so we can enjoy playing some music at home again. We’ve got ourselves a good record player already, but certain records like Rocket by Def Leppard just need to be played louder - and now we can do it. So that’s our January nights in sorted! We might take up yoga again. Other than that, it’s just going to be business as usual.

Moon Landings

They’ve already got up there once, fifty-odd years ago. I don’t know why they’re so bothered about trying to get up there again. Is it just some rich man’s escape plan if climate change becomes a real problem? They’re not exactly going to be able to fit eight billion of us up there, are they? It’s one rule for Elon Musk and it’s Logan’s Run for the rest of us.

To the scum who keeps letting their dog fowl on our street and does not pick it up, it will now not be long until your caught! There are 16 of us with cameras to get you

Beeston Updated

What's going off with the tree? It looks like it's had 10 pints in the Crown

Arnold Community Group UK Here we go communist Britain

Spotted in Gedling/Netherfield/Carlton I'll bite her toenails for her.

Carlton Hill Community once told a women that I had seen her let her dog poo outside my front gate and if she ever did it again I would post it through her letter box. She walks a different route now I think.

Spotted

I

Sherwood in Nottingham Community Group does anyone have a giant toothbrush in the garage or loft that they no longer need ?

Spotted Eastwood I bet you just watched it happen tho. Then took to Facebook like a hero

WHATS HAPPENING IN HUCKNALL AND SURROUNDING AREAS

These fast for a police pursuit? Asking for a friend.

Spotted: Long Eaton Does anyone else worry about the size of their piles????

Arnold Community Group UK

Phone found on top of my car roof this morning next to a bottle of Corona. Please get in touch if yours

This Is Wilford

Someone has blood on their hands! Fancy reporting a rooster that likes to crow. Cock a doodle doooooo!

Nottingham’s most opinionated grocers on...

words: Dani Bacon

Eastwood

for one am for the cane to be brought back in all schools it’s very much needed please sign my petition.

Nadia on... the Night-Time Economy

It’s been three years since I became an MP. My memories of that moment are bittersweet: the joy of getting to represent my community, the shock of a Tory landslide, the sudden realisation that my life was about to completely change overnight.

But as soon as I recovered from this cocktail of emotions (and the flu I picked up on the campaign trail), I did what I’ve always done: went out to celebrate at The Bodega.

The dancefloor is my happy place. I’ve been in love with Nottingham nightlife ever since I was a teenager, going on my first night out to Stealth and bumping into my visibly confused older brother. In my late teens and early twenties, you could often find me on a weekend ordering sour cherry teapots at Rescue Rooms, trying to lift my feet off the sticky floor of Rock City or dancing the night away at the much-missed Maze. As an MP, I may not have the time to let my hair down quite as often - but, when I get the chance, I still enjoy a night out at The Bodega’s Pop Confessional.

The night-time economy sometimes gets a bad reputation, associated by some with drunkenness, noise and antisocial behaviour. But there’s so much more to nightlife, which brings joy and provides livelihoods to so many in our city.

Before the pandemic, the Night Time Industries Association estimated the value of the UK’s night-time economy at £112 billion. Nottingham alone is home to over 200 clubs, pubs, bars and music venues, which combined employ thousands of staff. This attracts people to our city and is one of the reasons why Nottingham consistently ranks as one of the best places in Britain to be a student. This in turn brings more money to our local economy and creates countless more jobs.

But it wouldn’t do nightlife justice to talk about its value purely in economic terms. Clubs and bars are places where people can escape their daily worries, find community and discover the creativity of Nottingham’s artists and DJs. For decades, nightlife has fuelled developments in music and fashion, and shaped our culture in ways we might not even fully realise. It’s played a particularly significant role in the history and daily lives of marginalised groups such as the LGBTQ+ community, providing spaces for people to come together and be themselves.

But as the energy crisis deepens and inflation reaches historic levels, our venues are at risk. Not only are they seeing their bills soar, but as young people’s disposable incomes shrink, attracting customers is an ever-growing challenge. As a result, across the UK, fourteen nightclubs a month are closing their doors for good. The current

economic downturn adds to the difficulties already faced by a sector that was still recovering after sixteen months of COVID restrictions. One in five clubs have already shut down since the start of the pandemic, and hundreds more are at risk. In Nottingham, we lost Propaganda - the city’s only dedicated LGBT+ club, which sadly didn’t survive lockdown (luckily great queer-friendly bars like The New Foresters still stand).

Ultimately, the best way to support the night-time economy is to put money in the pockets of those who fuel it. Policies that benefit ordinary people help our small businesses as well. Give a young person on the minimum wage an extra £100 and they might get a gig ticket and a round of drinks at the local bar. Give it to a rich CEO and it will likely disappear unnoticed in a savings account.

Local authorities also have a responsibility to protect independent venues. In many cases, the approach of the council can make or break an area’s nightlife. That’s why I welcome Nottingham City Council’s decision to scrap the night-time levy, previously paid by businesses for the right to sell alcohol after midnight. Far from a frivolous nuisance, our night-time economy is a valuable part of our city’s life, and deserves support during this tough time.

At the same time, we must keep working to ensure that the night is safe for everyone. It’s never the responsibility of victims to protect themselves from sexual harassment or violence. I applaud initiatives like the Safe Space Pledge, developed by the Nottingham BID and the Consent Coalition, or the national Ask for Angela scheme. I dream of a world where men are educated to respect women and we can all go out without fear. But until then, venues must make it clear that unwanted sexual behaviours won’t be tolerated, and staff are trained to respond.

Have a great night, party responsibly - and see you on the dancefloor.

Far from a frivolous nuisance, our night-time economy is a valuable part of our city’s life, and deserves support during this tough time

words:

Nadia Whittome photo: Fabrice Gagos

Fluorescent nights

Emma Ford - @emmafordphotography Time

Eloise Idoine

Candy cane lane Mortan Walker - @mortanfw

Keeping on track

Amber Whittaker

Yo! valley Emma Ford - @emmafordphotography

Getting the Boot

James Armstrong - @james_a_armstrong

Gotta go fast Nigel King - @nigelbig “Where’s Kevin?” Nathan Langman - @_meadowman2

Hyde in Plain Sight

of the everyday,

The artist David Hockney observed that “most people don’t know how to look. They scan the ground around them to move around but that’s about it”. A highfalutin statement, but he’s really talking about the ‘artist’s eye’, with its heightened ability to see beyond the surface, to strip away complexity and reveal hidden patterns. This ceaseless enquiry tortures musicians, writers and visual artists alike, but also keeps them alive in the moment because one day, just maybe, they might discover the elixir of life.

I haven’t found such a potion yet, but I’ve trained my artist’s eye to see better by using consition. This wonderful word means to ‘remove redundancy to make what remains more meaningful’. I love that mantra, not just for art, but as a way to navigate life, so I use consition to delve into the cracks of the present, to interrogate what we blissfully ignore and to slow us down to give a glimpse of a more affirmative reality. I want to help my audience step off the treadmill of consumerism and gain more control over their lives. Given the melee of social and political arrows we now dodge, even this small nugget of empowerment can go a long way.

We need to accept that our world is riddled with uncontrollable chaos so art that helps us to embrace disorder, rather than fear it, gets us closer to the ultimate source of chaos - nature

I recently took a mind-numbing tram commute as a starting point and used consition to find a novel aesthetic beyond the window condensation and rubber floor. Taking time lapse photos then extracting the dominant colour from each image created a linear palette from Nottingham city to Toton Lane. View from a Tram Window created a fascinating pastel change from grey to green as nature encroached. Detail was removed to expose a wonderful clarity, so we should all add consition to our armoury, as if it enriches a modest tram journey then it might be your new superpower.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has taken our most complex decision-making away from us, which arguably we all benefit from. But how might AI erode the human experience next? Indeed, what have Elon Musk and the rest in store for us? I am concerned that these unseen forces challenge what it means to be human. My ongoing project, Cafe Wisdom, studies the behaviour of Homo sapiens to bring out the quirks and rough edges that no machine could ever replace. When we socialise with those who know us best, our barriers are set at their lowest and we delve deep, uncovering confounding anecdotes, ingenious humour and uplifting

flattery. I watch and listen then blend characters and conversations to show the very best of who we are. I accept that sharing this work can’t fix the problem, but it can help maintain open mindedness about the need to cherish our biological selves. So to keep AI in its place we just need to keep remembering, laughing and caring… face-to-face.

I get a kick when a project takes on a life of its own, which one of my favourite artists, Jeremy Deller, has used to astounding effect (remember his Turner Prize-winning Battle of Orgreave). We need to accept that our world is riddled with uncontrollable chaos so art that helps us to embrace disorder, rather than fear it, gets us closer to the ultimate source of chaos - nature. Nature often vents horrific suffering in the world, but art can create a moment of doubt and maybe help us suffer and survive more successfully. The evidence for this is the ground swell of creativity that surfaced during the pandemic, particularly Grayson Perry’s Art Club which initiated a national explosion in creative endeavours.

The chaos of nature was unleashed in a project I called Free as a Bird, which explored the panopticon design of the former Millbank prison in London. This cunning structure allowed a single prison guard to observe all cells from a single, central location. A prisoner had a nagging feeling of always being watched, whether they were or not. For me, the omnipresent CCTV camera is the modern day panopticon, given that the average Londoner is unwittingly caught on camera 300 times a day. So, as a subversive act, I created a suspended panopticon bird feeder, filled the geometric shapes with peanuts and captured a time lapse film of bird life as it innocently grabbed the free booty. Positioning a historic motif of control against the freedom of the skyway asks questions of surveillance in contemporary life. Accepting nature cares little about being observed, unless there is threat to life, should we not feel the same? Or has the monitoring of our lives crossed a moral line in the sand?

A challenge for all of us is making our voice heard in an impossibly cluttered world. It’s tempting to continuously make and deliver our creations but incessant making also feeds a capitalist mindset. Perhaps we need to focus on simply touching people’s lives, even if that’s just a single person. Ideas spread from person to person and, in a wonderfully chaotic way, your influence can spread forever.

Banksy tells us that art should “disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed” which brings morality and wellbeing beautifully together and reflects my belief that the best art questions and heals at the same time. He might just have a point.

richardhydeartist.com @richardthyde

Local visual artist Richard Hyde uses abstract imagery to paint very real pictures - focusing on the positive aspects

including the boundless beauty of nature, to take us away from the stresses and mundanity of normal life. Here, he dives into his creative process, and why he does what he does…

words and illustration: Richard Hyde

Sometimes the crowd will know who we are and they’ll be screaming when we walk on stage. Others aren’t sure what to expect, but the second the first song kicks in, their faces change and they’re fully on board

words: George White photo: Fabrice Gagos

They’ve already performed at Splendour Festival and BBC Introducing, they’ve already picked up thousands of followers on social media - but groundbreaking trap metal artists Nyrobi and Chaya Beckett-Messam, aka ALT BLK ERA , are just getting started. We hear all about their journey so far, and what they have planned for the future…

“We make nu metal and whatever else we want.” In this single sentence during my interview with Nyrobi and Chaya BeckettMessam, the teenage sisters behind the genre-smashing ALT BLK ERA, the spirit of the West Bridgford duo is perfectly encapsulated.

Empowerment personified, the pair are knocking down barriers in an area of the music industry that, in their words, suffers from “a real lack of diversity”. As “two young black women who are bringing energy and power to the stage”, they are reinventing what it means to be metal. And their everevolving sound is defining them as an act that are impossible to define.

“We grew up listening to old school soul, R&B, reggae, but then one day we were in the studio, making Obsession, and we realised we needed something harder, that there was something missing,” says Nyrobi of the progression of their style. “So we threw in a guitar, a heavy bassline, we started rapping over it, and we realised that was our sound. Bringing different genres into the mix - combining rap, rock, punkhelps to show that there are no rules when it comes to music. We’re just about expressing ourselves.”

Expressing themselves has clearly worked, with the sisters gaining a loyal following in a short amount of time. By refusing to box themselves into a single category, and by taking swings that have never been taken before, they’ve found that a growing audience are connecting with their fearlessness and authenticity.

“The response has been so positive. We’ve had a great reaction from people who are into so many different things; rock, grime, heavy metal heads with proper jackets and big beards. It feels like we bring together so many sections of people, no matter their background or what type of music they typically listen to. When we’re performing, everyone is in that moment together, there are no barriers to enjoying what we do.”

Anyone who’s seen ALT BLK ERA on stage will know they’re all about energy. Sporting punk attire, ramping the volume to max,

getting the crowd moving - they’re an act that gives it their all every time. So confident and self-assured are they as performers that it’s easy to forget how new to the game they are; that they haven’t been doing this for decades. Yet, sitting on Zoom, there’s almost a shyness to their demeanour - so how do they transform their mindset to win over big crowds when they take to the stage? Well, quite easily, it turns out.

“We are always so ready to perform,” Nyrobi affirms with a smile. “Being given the opportunity to do so is such a blessing. Even backstage we’re so pumped to get out there and tear it up. Sometimes the crowd will know who we are and they’ll be screaming when we walk on stage. Others aren’t sure what to expect, but the second the first song kicks in, their faces change and they’re fully on board for the ride. There’s no better feeling than soaking in that atmosphere, so we’re always ready to go.”

We were in the studio and we realised that there was something missing. So we threw in a guitar, a heavy bassline, we started rapping, and we realised that was our sound

And when I say they win over big crowds, I mean it. Since we first spoke to Nyrobi for the LeftLion website back in March, ALT BLK ERA have gone on to perform everywhere from Splendour Festival to Hockley Hustle, as the support act for False Heads to one of the headliners of BBC Introducing.

For all the incredible highlights of the past twelve months, though, two moments stand out in particular. “Rock City will always have a really special place in our hearts, because it was the first time we’ve performed in

front of a big crowd of completely mixed backgrounds,” Nyrobi muses. “It was the moment we realised we could do this forever, it was such a warm and special environment.

“Riverside Festival was also really special. There weren’t many people who went there to see us specifically, but for our last song people were running down the steps to come and mosh in front of the stage. There was a massive swarm just belting it over to come and party. That was insane.”

So how do two self-described “misfits”, who are yet to hit the twenty mark, break through so impressively, picking up thousands of followers on social media and tens of thousands of streams on Spotify in the process? The support of the receptive, expressive minds in Nottingham’s music scene has played a big part, they say, with the pair being welcomed into a “really strong community” in the city. “Our success so far has been down to that,” Nyrobi adds. “Everyone has been behind us from the start, and we’re so thankful for that. So whenever we do a show in Notts we make sure we go hard, and that’s our way of expressing how grateful we are.”

It’s tough to imagine that the duo will go harder than at their headline gig at The Bodega, which is currently scheduled for Friday 31 March. A venue, like so many in the city, that is known for spotlighting the next wave of world-dominating musical talentArctic Monkeys, London Grammar and more have cut their teeth in that iconic upstairs room - seems the perfect place for this exciting act to take the next step towards stardom.

“We’re excited for what the future has in store,” Nyrobi admits. “We're going to be releasing new music soon, and we’ve been doing a few shows in London - hopefully we can start taking our music even further around the country.” With a fearless attitude, utterly unique sound and the support of the city behind them, we reckon that’s the least they can achieve.

Bride of Place

words:

Nestled away in the city centre, it’s easy to miss Bridlesmith Walk, the entrance no bigger than a small passageway. But wander down the walkway and you’ll find a whole variety of small businesses ranging from the beauty-based to the beer-serving. That’s why, for this month’s theme of empowerment, we wanted to shine a light on these independent owners taking on the big boys, and encourage you lot to have a gander down one of Nottingham’s secret shopping streets…

Despite not being a particularly big city, Nottingham is packed with charming little nooks and crannies, places you’re unlikely to know about unless you’re following a recommendation, or have accidentally taken a wrong turn - but places which are filled with unique shops and micro communities, ready to be explored. An example of which is Bridlesmith Walk.

Stationed just off Bridlesmith Gate and leading up to Weekday Cross, the Walk is a thin, covered passageway with a bright glass roof. Originally named King John’s Arcade and built in 1882, it’s now home to a series of independent shops including a piercing studio (Rogue Piercing), a tattooist (Revenant Tattoos), a hairdressers (The Gate), a salon (Regent Beauty), White Rabbit Teahouse, and two interconnected bars (The Herbert Kilpin and Junkyard) serving some of the best beer in the city.

A tiny strip of Nottingham, it’s impossible to be located in the Walk without a feeling of belonging, Aiden from Rogue Piercing tells me. “There is a real sense of community here,” he explains. “A lot of our team go to The Gate to get their hair cut and we share supplies with Regent Beauty if we or they run out. All of the business owners and staff regularly pop in to check on each other and that really is a great feeling.” Aiden adds that the walkway has always felt “wholesome” and “peaceful”, tucked away from the busyness of the town centre. “We joke that you have to seek us out, which makes the whole experience special.”

That the smallness of the area adds to its charm seems to be a sentiment shared by the rest of the vendors too, with Anna from Revenant saying that “there's something exciting about finding a favourite spot in a city that is slightly hidden away”, and Frances from White Rabbit Teahouse commenting that one the reasons she was initially drawn to Bridlesmith was because she “liked this hidden feel to it. It was a little bit out of the way, but still close enough to town that you didn’t have to wander off the beaten track to get to us.”

However, it’s not surprising that these tucked-away shops are worried about the cost-of-living crisis and how it will affect spending - particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, which was already difficult for small business owners in the city centre, during which many people avoided leaving the suburbs. “Obviously it is different from when we first opened,” Frances, who has been on the Walk for ten years, comments. “We couldn’t open during COVID and it took a long time to build a customer base back

up, and our older customers still don’t come into the centre as much. And now we’ve been hit with a new period and the tearoom is really quiet again, because people don’t have as much money to spend.”

“I do think that small businesses have a strong sense of resilience, though,” she finishes. It’s a sentence mirrored by Aiden, who adds that “COVID and the cost-of-living crisis have brought struggles to all of us on the Walk but we have all managed to pull through. We are all super passionate about what we do, so I think that has really kept us going.”

Walk

a complete makeover including piercings, tattoos, a haircut, beauty treatments, new clothing, a new job and a delicious meal

Issues around neighbouring Bridlesmith Gate haven’t made things easier. Well-remembered by many in Nottingham as the main shopping spot in the city, thanks to it being pedestrianised in 1973, Bridlesmith Gate was once packed with thriving trade. However, in recent years, it has been described as a ‘ghost town’- something that is only now starting to change with the opening of new stores like 101 Vintage, Sneakrverse and Stick and Ribbon. The striking new mural artwork, which was created by artists including Laura Decorum, Dilk, Lesser Than Three, Kynobi, Zena Kay and our own Emily Catherine at the end of last year, has helped too - adding a feeling of colour and excitement back into the area. So, though the cost-of-living crisis is frightening, there is still a definite feeling of hope among the vendors nearby.

Regardless, it doesn’t seem that Bridlesmith Walk or any of its tenants are going anywhere any time soon. In fact, they’re as proud as ever. “We laugh about how you can come to the Walk and get a complete makeover including piercings, tattoos, a haircut, beauty treatments, new clothing, a new job and a delicious meal,” Aiden says. Whatever you’re after, this resilient little walkway is well worth visiting.

Lizzy O’Riordan illustration: Emmy Lupin

We laugh about how you can come to the

and get

Though she attended a few lessons as a child, BBC radio presenter Summaya Mughal never actually learnt how to swim. Then at 27 she decided it was the right time to take lessons. From here, the podcast Brown Gal Can’t Swim was born - delving into Summaya’s personal journey, alongside all the barriers that the South Asian community face when it comes to getting in the pool. Perfect for our empowerment issue, we learn all about her eight-week swimming mission, modesty in sport and the emotional challenge of learning to swim as an adult…

Swimming. It’s a skill that many people master as kids. Something that we take for granted. But still, drowning is the thirdlargest accidental killer in the world, and according to Swim England, one in three adults in England can’t swim. That’s why BBC presenter Summaya Mughal decided to document her journey of learning to swim through Brown Gal Can’t Swim - the podcast which breaks down the cultural barriers to swimming in the South Asian community, calling in help from Olympic pros like Nottinghamshire’s Rebecca Adlington and Alice Dearing. “Brown Gal Can’t Swim is me finally doing that thing I’ve been putting off for two decades,” Summaya explains, “and I hope that sharing my journey will inspire others too.”

Focusing on the South Asian community specifically, Summaya says that there are plenty of (what she calls) ‘perceived barriers’ to swimming. Things that might have prevented people from accessing swimming lessons and pools. Firstly, and perhaps most obviously, is the struggle around modest swimwear for women in the Islamic community. “Modestly is very important for many women in Islam, so if they feel they can only wear a swimming costume with arms and legs out, they just aren’t going to go swimming,” Summaya explains, “and likewise, for me, it was important to find swimwear that I felt represented both my British and Pakistani heritage, particularly because I wanted to relate to the Muslim community and illustrate that there are options that fall between a burkini and a normal costume.”

family and through the conversations I’ve had with others in the community, I know that physical ability isn’t as prioritised as academia,” Summaya says. “My dad was born in Pakistan, which is a largely landlocked country, so he didn’t go swimming or learn to swim because it’s not in their education. You have to consider people’s heritage. The reason that many people can’t swim is because of this generational factor.” But, Summaya reiterates, it’s really important that people do learn to swim, despite all the challenges - because, ultimately, it has the potential to save your life.

That’s not to say it wasn’t a journey without bumps for Summaya, and over the eight weeks she learned to swim, Summaya was challenged both physically, emotionally and culturally, with the podcast causing tension within her family - something that she decided to share with podcast listeners via an audio clip of her and her brother’s disagreement about modesty. It was “terrifying”, she says, to include “the people I love most in my life talking about religion, culture and identity. Usually, arguments are behind closed doors, so to bring this into the public sphere was frightening.” Yet it was also important, because, as Summaya says, it was her aim for this podcast to resonate with men as well as women, so she felt including her dad and brother was vital. “I involved my dad as a doctor and a community leader because he can relate to the men in these families and encourage them, their wives and their daughters to swim. I can’t relate to blokes, but my father can. Like many people who have a dual heritage, I experienced that tension of having two identities that are so different. So, I know this experience [around identity and family tension] is one many people relate to.”

child, it wasn’t long before she burst into tears. “It was bringing up all those emotions of being a child and being anxious, being embarrassed, and finally doing something about it. This journey has been amazing, but not without mad emotional tests.”

But it was a journey which came with plenty of support, largely from Summaya’s swimming teacher, Victoria Charles, who helped with the physical side of learning to swim, and Rebecca Adlington and Alice Dearing, who Summaya describes as being her “emotional and mental champions”, commenting that their involvement and pep talks acted as a massive confidence boost. Plus, of course, Summaya’s friends and family acted as her wider support system, as well as those who followed her journey online, all of whom offered up constant words of encouragement and support.

It’s also just more unlikely that South Asian people are going to know how to learn to swim because of cultural factors, and while “there are definitely Pakistani and Muslim people who can swim, in my

Additionally, the physical act of learning to swim was intimidating to Summaya. “I was scared of drowning. I was scared of deep water. I was scared of my feet not touching the ground. Terrified at the lack of control.” And, on top of that, “Dealing with shame and anxiety was massive. Not being able to swim was a secret I’d kept my whole life.” So, when she did finally return to Southglade Leisure Centre in Beeston, where she had taken a few lessons as a

Culminating in one final challenge, Summaya finished her eight week swimming programme by taking part in a 500 metre cold water swim - an idea that began with Adlington and which seems fitting considering the project's emphasis on safety and drowning prevention. Taking place on a rainy, cold day in October, it was undoubtedly the biggest trial of the journey, yet Summaya admits that it was actually one of the first times she really enjoyed swimming. Surrounded by her loved ones, who were all wearing big duffle coats and massive woolly bobble hats, she felt exhilarated. “Though I was tired and it was difficult, I was just focused on getting from one buoy in the water to another, and that was it.” She finished the challenge able to swim and having started a conversation to help others too. We’d call that a success.

You can listen to Brown Gal Can’t Swim for free on BBC Sounds @summaya.mughal

words: Lizzy O’Riordan illustration: Evie Warren

My dad was born in Pakistan which is a largely landlocked country, so he didn’t learn to swim because it’s not in their education

It was terrifying to include the people I love most in my life talking about religion, culture and identity

Join the Club

Showcasing bad and cult cinema in an inclusive environment, Fortune & Glory Film Club first started almost by accident. Our writer Sam Harvey catches up with local film connoisseur Emma Duncan to talk about how they turned their early love of Indiana Jones and cult classics such as The Room into a vibrant and eclectic Nottingham LGBT+ society…

The Fortune & Glory Film Club began seven years ago, when terms such as ‘social distancing’ and ‘lockdown’ were thankfully not on anyone’s radar. Initially forming as a passion project amongst Emma and their group of friends, the group started by previewing exclusively ‘bad’ movies, but soon began branching out into showing cult classics, and giving ‘straight-to-DVD’ childhood movies the big screen treatment. “It’s all Tommy Wiseau’s fault, really,” Emma tells me, describing the group's inaugural showing of The Room over in Screen 22. “I just got a bunch of friends together, and because there's a known interactive element to those films, I gathered all the things such as plastic spoons and rose petals… and we all dressed up.” These screenings proved to be popular outside of the friend group, so soon after Fortune & Glory took to Facebook.

Listening to how a typical screening is run, it sounds like a perfect way to spend an evening; each viewer is provided with a themed goodie bag depending on the movie being shown, containing a mix of snacks, props and knick-knacks which help to create a unique and immersive viewing experience. Emma also compiles a playlist of trailers to show before the film starts, and an interval packed with more fun and activitiesincorporating the best bits of going to the cinema or theatre. The mood is relaxed, and the vibe is welcoming. “I want people to feel like we're just a group of friends,” says Emma. “I want people to know that they’re in a safe and friendly space.”

I want to make people feel part of something that can only be experienced with that group of people for that one night

If you’re thinking of attending a show and are signed up to the mailing list, you can expect to receive an email a few days before each screening giving you all the details. Emma puts together a pre-show music playlist before each movie - usually linked to the genre or theme - as well as a presentation explaining the meaning behind all the goodie bag items, delivering the rules for any drinking games and designating the ‘Innuendo Chicken Holder’ - the sacred title bestowed to the person responsible for honking a rubber chicken whenever they hear a dirty joke or phrase uttered on screen (usually completely unintentionally). After that the trailers roll and the movie begins. The interval involves a range of activities, depending on the genre or film being shown - building tinfoil hats for Mars Attacks! or decorating marshmallows during Ghostbusters. You can also expect caption contests and jokes, all judged on the ‘Groan-oMeter’. Prizes are awarded and then it’s onto Part 2.

All showings are geared towards being as inclusive as possibleall venues have disabled access, films come ready with subtitles and although alcohol is served, it is far from a requirement. “We have a drinking game, but, you know, I compete with a cup of tea,” says Emma. With the number of LGBT+ drinking venues growing in Nottingham, it’s good to have a queer space that isn’t geared exclusively towards drinking. Fortune & Glory has also held events hosted by local drag queen legends Nana Arthole and Marilyn Sane, and they are planning to do more events with Nottingham drag queens in the future. Emma has also collaborated with Clelia McElroy - of Monstrous Flesh: Women’s Bodies in Horror fame - to host a Q&A and screening for this year’s International Women’s Day, with another one planned for 2023 (keep your eyes peeled for details!).

I asked Emma why they chose specifically ‘bad’ movies or cult classics to base the film club around. “Bad films are just more fun as a crowd,” they say. “It's just such a wonderful experience to me, particularly with the films that are nostalgic classics and films from your youth. You might have watched them a dozen times, but you've never watched it at a Fortune & Glory screening.” Emma draws inspiration from classic anniversary screenings of ancient 1930s B-movies. “I want to make people feel part of something that can only be experienced with that group of people for that one night: completely unique.” Listening to their description, I think it’s safe to say Emma has definitely accomplished this!

As an LGBT+ inclusive film club, Emma explains how Fortune & Glory does its bit to empower the queer community in Nottingham. The main thing for them was to realise that being an LGBT+ film club meant more than watching cliched queer movies with sad endings. “If I have to watch one more costume period drama with a sad lesbian on a beach, I’ll scream!” Fortune & Glory instead strives to claim a space for LGBT+ people to come and feel safe and respected. This includes hosting in venues with gender neutral facilities, being respectful of pronouns and creating a space where queer people can make jokes about the community without being the butt of them.

So, if you’re interested in coming along to a viewing, the group meets roughly every six to eight weeks. They have a Facebook and Instagram page where they post pictures from events, terrible memes and the latest in goodie bag curation. You can also sign up to their mailing list, which will give you all the details prior to the next screening, as well as a regular newsletter. It’s safe to say that if you come along you won’t be disappointed. Emma has created a truly unique, LGBT+ friendly space for cinephiles of all ages to come together and revel in their love of unconventional, underappreciated, or just downright terrible movies!

@fortuneandgloryfilmclub

words: Sam Harvey photo: Fabrice Gagos

Fortune & Glory strives to claim a space for LGBT+ people to come and feel safe and respected

F oo D A n D DR

Set up by Muslim Hands just over a year ago, The Open Kitchen on Mansfield Road has become a vital source of hot, healthy food for local people in need. We catch up with manager Imran Khan, who lifts the lid on just how important the Kitchen has become in that time…

For those who don’t know, what is The Open Kitchen?

We basically help anybody who is struggling to figure out where their next meal is coming from, providing them with hot food for free. We also offer a range of other foods, including tinned goods, vegetables, crisps, chocolate, cereals. We’ve got a lot of items that can keep people going throughout the day.

We work alongside other local organisations in the same field, like churches and community centres. There are details on the noticeboard here so our service users always know where they can go to get a nutritious meal or shelter any day of the week.

You’ve touched on the fact that people can receive hot, healthy meals here. How important is it to offer these nutritious, well-rounded options?

It’s a key focus of what we do. Every day we cook different meals, so there’s always variety. One day we’ll offer Korean rice, tomorrow could be pasta and chicken - and we always have vegetarian options. We keep a hot plate on the go which means the food stays warm, so people can come in and have a proper, filling meal.

Yet The Open Kitchen isn’t just about food - you also provide a warm, safe space for people to learn and socialise…

Yeah, it can get really busy here as people take a seat and chat with each other. We invite people from different organisations too, like the East Midlands Chamber and outreach groups, who come and help people to get jobs and find accommodation. We don’t just want to offer a place for people to eat, but to get back to living a full, happy life.

Have you seen an increase in demand over the past year?

Definitely. Since April, we’ve gone up to 100 meals a day. Before that we were only handing out half that number. Working here, you hear some really tough stories about how people are being affected by rising costs, poverty, homelessness. The Government needs to do more to help, because they’re just not doing enough at the moment.

How can people support your work?

Donations are so important. What we do is really expensive, and Muslim Hands is responsible for funding and running the project. So any financial backing always helps massively, as well as donations of non-perishable food. If people can’t afford to help out, they’re welcome to come in, have a chat, maybe help to tidy up and chip in that way. We’re always grateful for anyone’s support.

We have a massively diverse group of people that rely on the service, and it really changes their lives. Working here, I can visibly see the improvement in people’s livelihoods

The Open Kitchen has been open for around a year now. How crucial has the service become in that time?

This is one of very few places where people can get a hot meal seven days a week. There are other organisations that open their food banks every day, or offer hot food some evenings, but there aren’t many kitchens that are open every lunchtime. We have a massively diverse group of people that rely on the service, and it really changes their lives. Working here, I can visibly see the improvement in people’s livelihoods. We’ve had individuals who come in looking weak or depressed, but over time you see them gain weight and look happier and healthier. We’ve done so well that now other cities are looking at what we do for inspiration. I think that’s fantastic.

You can donate to The Open Kitchen on the Muslim Hands website, where you can also find information on opening times and the charity’s other projects

muslimhands.org.uk

To Visit Rosa’s Thai Joining our thriving Thai scene is Rosa’s, which is now open on King Street. If you’ve been down to London, you’ve likely spotted these before - but this is the first to open in the East Midlands. rosasthai.com

No Name Bar

Trying out Veganuary? Don’t worry, you can still treat yourself to some chocolatey goodness. These No Name Bars from The V Spot are packed with biscuit, custard and, of course, the beautiful brown stuff. v-spot.co.uk

To Sup Divine Elements

Going vegan doesn’t mean missing out on top class beer, either. In fact, loads of options are animal-friendly - including this “scarily sessionable six percenter” from our pals at Black Iris. blackirisbottleshop.co.uk

To Nosh

interview: George White photos: Nigel King

Nestled in the village of Walesby in Newark, you'll find The Carpenters Arms Italian Kitchen. It's utterly charming - think Roman trattoria, but with classic English pub decor. It took us an hour to get to Walesby from Beeston, and boy, was it worth it.

This is world-class Italian food, but without the fuss. No silly garnishes, just good, honest, authentic meals made by someone who cares about the ingredients, and the people he is serving.

ooD Review: sliCe 'n' bRew

Looking like something straight off the streets of New York City, Slice ‘n’ Brew is perhaps one of Nottingham’s most exciting new restaurants - joining the likes of Oscar and Rosie’s, Pizzamisu and Happy Dough Lucky in the ever-expanding list of the city’s pizza joints.

With a line coming out of the door the evening I arrived, I visited the new spot on a Saturday night and sat admiring the red checkerboard aesthetic before ordering my favourite cocktail of all time - an ice cold margarita, which came in a very cute can from Whitebox Cocktails.

Wanting to try everything on the menu, we decided to order the Coppa and Wild Mushroom Pizza to share, along with a baby gem salad and a burrata. Not for everyone, the former came topped with an egg yolk in the middle, which may put some eaters off. But we both really enjoyed the flavours which included bechamel sauce, pecorino, white truffle oil and chives, alongside the obvious toppings of coppa ham and mushroom. Plus, the speckled dough was just perfect.

ZeRoing in

January is a month of new beginnings, and with many of us hoping to start the new year boasting positive and healthy habits, we’re sure a fair few of you will be considering Dry January.

For anyone not familiar with the concept, it’s a chance to spend the first 31 days of the month alcohol-free. So if you’re thinking about taking on the challenge, we’re here to remind you just how exciting kicking the booze can be…

Tahiti Beer

This tropical treat is great for those who aren’t quite ready to give up the delights of a good pint. This vegan-friendly sour is available at Brew Cavern, and mixes flavours of rum punch and juicy mango to give you a taste of summer during the cold winter months.

Cos-no

We were delighted with a tasting menu for the afternoon, and each dish presented came with endearing stories from Rome, or details of the homegrown vegetables. We sampled the homemade ricotta and gorgonzola - creamy and salty - accompanied by homemade bresaola with bread that took three days to make!

We had various pastas such as raviolis stuffed with lobster, pumpkin, ricotta and duck egg yolk, as well as rigatoni in a mouth-watering braised beef and red wine sauce (my favourite). When we think we're done, more plates are brought out. We had lamb shoulder, crispy pork belly, smoked cod in risotto, and the star of the show - the braised ox cheek with crispy potatoes. The meat practically melts as you pull it apart. It was so good I wanted to cry, and I even said as much.

We had to ask the owner, John, to stop feeding us, so he skipped a plate and brought out dessert: tiramisu made with Lavazza coffee, and the lightest almond cake served with cream and homemade jam - I felt like I had died and gone to heaven.

I am so excited to add this Italian to my top three in Notts. If you do anything this new year, please make a booking. You'll be doing yourself a disservice if you don't. The Nottingham Food Guide

Boughton Road, Walesby, Newark, NG22 9NJ

The sides were likewise deliciousparticularly the baby gem salad, which could have easily been underwhelmingly plain, but which was instead served with an incredibly flavoursome creamy dressing and the addition of almond crumb, leading to a surprisingly tasty dish. I do wish that the portion of burrata was bigger, as we received only a section of the cheese - but still, it was lovely, and the beef tomato it was served with was the perfect companion.

A really cool and sophisticated food location, Slice ‘n’ Brew is the ideal place for a date night, and though a little pricey for the portion sizes, I’d absolutely come back to try more off their menu. Lizzy O'Riordan slicenbrew.co.uk 10 King's Walk, Nottingham, NG1 2AE

If you’re heading out into Notts over January for a couple of classy drinks, why not try out this twist on a cocktail classic, the cosmopolitan? Available at the Alchemist, this fruity concoction promises the same great taste as its alcoholic counterpart, without the headache the next day.

Strawberry Nojito

Everyone loves a mojito, so why not head along to the Roundhouse to try out its strawberry alcohol-free rendition? Available for just £4.50, it’s not only a lot less harsh on your liver, but your bank account too.

Berry Boobtini Slug & Lettuce also offers a small but carefully curated range of mocktails. The Berry Boobtini mixes strawberry puree with cranberry juice, coconut syrup, lime and apple juice. Topped off with cream and a raspberry, this bev can even double up as your dessert.

Tiny Rebel – Clwb Tropica

To Follow

Yokocho

This Hurts Yard joint serves up beer, cocktails, whisky, and the finest sake this side of Tokyo. With an ever-changing selection of drinks available, keep an eye on Yokocho’s page to see what’s in store.

@yok.ocho

A n D DR in K

Want your Nottingham foodie business featured in the mag? Fancy writing for us? Email us at editorial@leftlion.co.uk

Last but not least is this incredibly flavoursome IPA. Packed with citra, mosaic and simcoe hops, this can of sunshine will be sure to leave you feeling refreshed and chill as ever this January. Grab one for yourself from The Bottle Top.

facebook.com/carpentersarmsitalian

words: Daniela Loffreda illustrations: Iulia Matei

Created by entrepreneur Tahlia Gray in 2017, Sheer Chemistry was launched to fill an important gap in the hosiery market, giving women of colour the chance to get their hands on good quality skin colour tights - something which until recently hadn’t been readily available in everyday shops. It may be hard to believe in 2023, but like many other women of colour, it’s a challenge Tahlia has experienced many times over the years. And, after scouring the streets of New York for a pair of tights to match her skin tone during one chilly winter day, she set out on a mission to make a change.

“I had just finished university and I got my first job in New York,” she says. “I was excited about being in this new city - one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world - and I expected things like make-up and tights for brown skin just to be readily available on the high street.

“So, I walked into a department store and said, ‘Can you show me where the tights for my skin tone are?’ The sales advisor looked at me puzzled, and was like, ‘Erm, we've got nude,’ and then showed me over to this wall of tights with a sea of beiges. And I was like, ‘This is ridiculous. We're in New York.’ The same thing happened to me in London and in other cities around the world too. And I thought someone really needs to do something about this.”

According to a 2021 census, 18% of those living in the UK belong to a black, Asian, mixed or other ethnic group, yet the reality is that diversity is often not reflected in the common products found in regular high street stores, including make-up, plasters, shapewear and hosiery.

“I started Sheer Chemistry really on the premise to celebrate the diverse beauty that exists within people of colour, while really empowering us to feel confident and gorgeous in our own skin. Because I thought we are worthy of having a brand that's made with us in mind. And spending the time to make sure that the colours actually match our skin tone and are not an afterthought. I really wanted to create a brand that fairly represented us in our best light, and allowed us to be unapologetically ourselves. So that's how Sheer Chemistry was born.”

Today, as well as being available to purchase online through the Sheer Chemistry website, the brand is also stocked in 72 John Lewis and Waitrose stores nationwide - but it’s something that took years of persistence, Tahlia says.

“It has been hard. The first conversation I had with John Lewis was in 2017, when we launched. And it went something along the lines of, ‘We've tried something like that before. It didn't work. Keep in touch.’ And then, what happened in 2020, with the murder of George Floyd, I think was a watershed moment across industries - fashion and otherwise - in terms of taking into account and representing the community that exists within our country, which is very diverse. After that event, sadly - I say sadly, because it's a shame it was a result of this event that things opened up - a lot of the retailers were more willing to have these conversations.”

to type in what make-up shade and brand they wear, and the site will find their perfect shade of tights.

Born in Sydney, Australia, to Jamaican parents, and having lived in London, New York, Brazil and now Nottingham, Tahlia is no stranger to travel, and it is her love of exploring that was the inspiration for the names of all five shades. “They are all named after cosmopolitan and desirable cities. Traditionally brown shades have been named after edible goods such as mocha, latte, caramel, chocolate. And I know a lot of people might be like, ‘It’s not that deep,’ but I feel like it diminishes the multifaceted nature of us. So, I wanted to create shade names that people would feel really excited about.

Sheer Chemistry tights are available in five shades to match a range of brown skin tones, with a scientific approach to shade-matching, ensuring each pair blends seamlessly with the wearer’s skin.

“When I first decided to create Sheer Chemistry, the first thing I wanted to get right is creating shades that perfectly match all brown skin tones,” explains Tahlia. “So I thought I needed a reference point that already existed. And at the time, there were brands in the cosmetic space, like MAC and Bobbi Brown, who did make-up for darker skin tones. So I went to the cosmetic counters of these brands and collected little sample pots, and spoke to make-up artists to collect a lot of intel in terms of what the most popular shades were for different ethnicities.”

Tahlia then got large A3 sheets of paper and colourcoded all the shades and did a survey with hundreds of women around the UK, asking them about their tights-wearing patterns as well as what make-up they were currently wearing. “I basically created this massive database of the dominant shades. Then when I did eventually find a manufacturer I sent the actual pots of make-up to them to replicate on tights. It took a lot of back and forth across eighteen months to perfect our shades, but I tested them on real women in terms of sizing and shade match and different lighting until we got to a point where I was satisfied with our five shades of brown.” The Sheer Chemistry website also provides a database which allows buyers

“In terms of colourism, people don’t always want to identify with the darker shades, but when you hear it’s Parisian Dream and you have a positive story about going to Paris or you’ve always wanted to go to Paris, it evokes a lot of positive connotations and memories. So I wanted to emphasise that our beauty is as much where we’re from as where we’re going, and really have something positive around our shade names. The shades are named after my five favourite citiesHavana Glow, Rio Romance, New York Soul, Nairobi Sunrise and Parisian Dream. My shade is New York soul because that’s where the story started.”

It’s been a busy five years since launch, but Tahlia believes it’s just the beginning, with plans to expand the collection with a plus-size range that will go up to size 28, a new shapewear and lingerie collection and the addition of tights for other skin tones too.

“I do get feedback from lighter skin people saying they’ve never been able to find their perfect match and I do want to expand in terms of being available for all skin tones. But the reason why I thought it was important to start off specifically focusing on brown skin tones is because it didn't exist. For the lighter shades and various other skin tones, there are already many different brands out there that they can choose from, but for black and brown people, there just isn't.”

“I want our customers to fall in love with their skin tone, to feel empowered to do whatever they desire and feel that there are no limits. I want people to feel invincible when they wear Sheer Chemistry.”

I started Sheer Chemistry really on the premise to celebrate the diverse beauty that exists within people of colour

Addie Kenogbon catches up with Tahlia Gray, entrepreneur and founder of Nottingham hosiery brand Sheer Chemistry, to hear about how her range of tights is helping to empower women of colour…

interview: Addie Kenogbon

wRite to pRotest

This month’s empowerment theme seemed easy. From political pamphlets to anti-racism reading lists, writing and empowerment are intrinsically linked. Because words do change the world around us. They plant concepts in our minds, point us toward new perspectives and operate as tools for conversation. Take, for example, Chinua Achebe’s 1958 novel Things Fall Apart, which opened up a dialogue about the dangers of colonialism, or Simone De Beauvoir’s 1949 book The Second Sex, which was among the first to label gender as a social construct. These texts are the building blocks of our modern thinking.

From political pamphlets to antiracism reading lists, writing and empowerment are intrinsically linked

And on a more personal level, certain texts can completely alter readers' lives by giving them access to a particular theory or character to resonate with. This was the case for former Harper's Bazaar Assistant Editor Bindu Bansinath, who read Nabokov’s Lolita and realised that she was being abused too. Author Tsitsi Dangarembga also credits Toni Morrison’s Beloved for changing her life, commenting to The Guardian that it completely reshaped the way she saw pain - allowing her to move past her belief that it was a weakness.

In this way, books empower readers to change in all areas of their lives, whether by allowing them to find freedom in their relationships with others or themselves, or by inspiring them to get involved in political or social issues. This was the case for The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists, a novel which inspired a whole bevy of socialist thinking, and Oliver Twist, which quickly became a vehicle for social criticism at the time. Books have a long-standing history of kickstarting transformation, and that is why, as an art form, they’re so important.

Creating high quality prints for creatives around the city, Dizzy Ink is the onestop shop for zine makers and artists in Nottingham. But what is it about physical print that is so important? We catch up with Craig Proud from Dizzy to talk about the history of print and empowerment, Zine Fest and how activism is central to their business…

Can you start by explaining what Dizzy Ink is?

Dizzy Ink is a design and creative print studio. We combine specialist print mediums to be able to achieve really high-quality, interesting printed products, whether that’s for books that are being published, artist prints, zines, or exhibitions. It takes many different forms, but really we are all about any creative way of using print.

You’ve just had your Zine Fest. Can you tell me about this? Yes! So, this is the fifth year I’ve organised Nottingham Zine Fest. It ran consecutively each year from 2015-2019 and then there has been a break because of COVID. This year, it’s been organised by myself, Hannah Whitlow, Matt Gill and Kat from Moan. And basically the festival is an opportunity for us to organise an event to celebrate all our local creators, so it’s a market that allows people to sell their things and make a bit of money, while also inviting people from outside the city to meet our creatives and collaborate.

You’re also in the process of relocating your zine library? Yeah, the library has been going for about four years. It started in Lee Rosy’s and then when they closed we became the artists in residence at Nottingham Contemporary and for a while we were located in their Gallery Zero, which was their way of reaching out to local artists. But now we’re going to be moving down to the Blend Cafe in the Contemporary. I’ve always thought that zines need to be in more recreational spaces rather than being studied or in galleries, so I’m hoping that they can be enjoyed more casually, and that people will read through them at their own pace. They can enjoy them with a cup of tea or coffee and a slice of cake.

This interview is going to be part of our empowerment issue. Do you think there is something inherently empowering about print?

One hundred percent. It’s almost cliche to say print is powerful, but the two do go hand-in-hand, and throughout history we’ve seen print used to communicate messages of activism, rebellion and change. That’s something I deeply resonate with, and some of the first instances of me being involved in print were through an activist perspective.

We still use a lot of the print methods that have been used for activism for a long time - whether that’s the Risograph, which has loads of connections with politics, or our screenprinting, which we’ve used to support all kinds of groups around Nottingham like Black Lives Matter or refugee forums.

It sounds like activism is actually very central to what you do… Absolutely, we see that we are the means of production and that’s really powerful. We want it to be one for the people. We have also tried to raise money for different charities or organisations. Last year, for example, I taught Nadia Whittome how to screen print and we produced a run of posters which we sold through our website and raised £1,000 for Safe Passage, who work with refugees under the age of eighteen. So, that was really successful and we’ve just done it again, this time raising money for food banks since we felt a lot of people right now are going to need access.

Throughout history we’ve seen print used to communicate messages of activism, rebellion and change

It seems like there is an amazing community of artists and activists and zine makers. It must feel great to have contributed to that?

The Nottingham scene is really amazing, and though I know we’ve done our bit, we aren’t the be all and end all. That’s what’s really special about Notts Zine Fest, for example, because I get applications from people who I’ve never met before, and they’ve started these zines and grown and grown and now they have a table at the Zine Fest. The print community goes so much further than us; there are so many people learning, and that’s something I love.

dizzyink.co.uk

@dizzy.ink

To Do

Songwriting with

ROB.GREEN

A different kind of writing, empower yourself to try something new at this songwriting session. Open to those aged 16-24, this is a chance to explore lyrics, melody and great storytelling.

Fri 20 Jan, 5pm

To Read The Power

Speaking of power, author Naomi Alderman asks what would happen if roles were reversed? If women became the physically stronger sex? A great science-fiction to get your mind moving.

@georginawildingpoet

interview: Lizzy O’Riordan

words: Lizzy O’Riordan

To Follow Georgina Wilding

Newly appointed as the director of the 2023 Writing East Midlands conference, Nottingham poet Georgina Wilding is up to exciting stuff. Drop her a follow.

new y e AR, new Films

Forget Sight & Sound’s ‘Greatest Films of All Time’ list, LeftLion’s ‘Here’s Some Films to Check Out in 2023’ list is the real deal. So here it is, featuring four releases you have to catch on the big screen over the next twelve months…

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor

Among

Thieves

Sure, it doesn’t sound like it’s going to end well - films based on games are usually bad enough, but one based on the nerdiest game ever?

You might think it can only end in disaster. Yet I’m putting full faith in John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the directorial duo behind comedic masterpiece Game Night. They better not let me down.

George White

Released 7 April

Suzume

At some point over the past year or so – after several tearyeyed rewatches – I came to the realisation that Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name is my favourite film of all time. The director's 2020 follow-up, Weathering with You, was similarly spectacular, so even in a year where Into the Spider-Verse is getting a sequel, Shinkai’s latest is without a doubt my most anticipated film of the year.

Jamie Morris

Released 14 April

Oppenheimer

Christopher Nolan has never before tackled a biography and I never thought he ever would - so he must have something up his sleeve, to make it completely insane and with a stacked cast that includes Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer and Gary Oldman as President Truman. I’m hoping for his best film yet.

Harry Mangham

Released 21 July

Ferrari

After his unfairly maligned cyberthriller Blackhat flopped eight years ago, Michael Mann is back with a biographical film about the Italian racer and businessman Enzo Ferrari. It has been described as an opera, which seems like the perfect environment for Mann’s insatiable desire for romantic melodrama and death-driven action. Oliver Parker

Release date TBC

For ten years, Short Stack has been a staple in Nottingham’s filmmaking community - a night dedicated to showing a variety of shorts from creators in the area. We spoke to David Lilley and Ella Townsend about their upcoming event in January, and why short films are so important…

So for those who aren’t aware of Short Stack, how did it get started?

David: Our first year was 2013 and it started out as a DIY film event in the basement of a furniture shop. I came together with a group of friends who were also fellow filmmakers; we wanted to create a place where people could share their films with other people. The initial one was called ‘Don’t Go in the Basement’ and was composed solely of horror shorts. After that, we moved to Rough Trade for a while, this is where it started to become more formal. We did a variety of things such as student nights and female filmmaker nights. Eventually we moved to Broadway, where after a few years I met Ella and we started collaborating.

Ella: I think it has been a year now. I’ve been in Broadway for 11 years and mostly work with the BFI Film Academy team, although I have started working more in curation alongside David. Working with the BFI was great because I could create a link between the two and help showcase some of the work they have been funding too. It’s been quite special because it means younger people can get their work shown on a big screen, which is always fantastic.

Short films seem to be a bit of a niche. What do you both think is special about them?

David: A large part of it is it’s your journey into the filmmaking world. Ella is working at a really grassroots level in that regard, helping young people understand what it means to put together a short film. In general, though, I do love a cracking short film or music video. They’re just fun, you don’t have to invest a lot of time into them and you can watch a lot of them in a shorter time frame.

Ella: I think you can have a short film that is just as attractive and interesting as a feature film. The young people I work with through the Film Academy are sort of dismayed when we tell them the time limit is four minutes; but those guidelines are really crucial to providing some sort of structure. It’s a great way to practise.

What qualities are you looking for specifically when judging the entries to Short Stack?

Ella: Authenticity, primarily. Genuine characters and not churning out something that’s already been done before by somebody else.

David: It’s a number of things for me. We have a large selection panel who all score the films, but Ella and I will meet and decide the final list. There are always great conversations about them. But for me it ultimately boils down to a simple case of, “Did I enjoy it?” We’re not looking for anything in particular, we just want good films that entertain people. But

also I think it’s really important they inspire people - we want people leaving Broadway feeling like they can also make a film even if they had never considered it.

Ella: David wrote a really helpful list of “do’s and don'ts”, which is actually on the website. It's good guidance for people who want to submit films, and mostly focuses on things like sound quality, scripts and so on.

David: Another thing is length; the longer the film, the higher the expectation is going to be. If we have a one-minute film that isn’t perfect, we are much more likely to show it than a longer one with the same issues – because it takes up much less time.

What are some of the films being shown on the night?

Ella: So we select two shorts that work as the featured ones. In August, myself and David lost a dear friend, Roger KnottFayle. He was a Nottingham filmmaker and at his service his family showed the last film he was working on. It’s called Walk In My Path and we’re going to be screening it at Short Stack as a tribute to him. He was such an inspiration to the filmmaking community and it’s a pleasure to show such a funny and lovely film. We were also approached by Anna Griffin, a Nottingham producer who helped make a BFIfunded short by Leanne Davis, which will be our second featured short. It focuses on the relationship between a mother, who is suffering from Alzheimer's, and her daughter on a beach trip.

David: The rest of the films are a mixture, really: there is a really nice animation by Sophie Johnson-Hill, another Christmas-themed animation by regular contributor James Pyle, some music videos and then a bunch of shorts from BFI Film Academy alumni.

Short Stack will take place at Broadway Cinema on Sunday 15 January. Tickets available at the Broadway website and box office

interview: Oliver Parker

I love a cracking short film. They’re fun and you can watch a lot of them in a shorter time frame

A new be At

We chat with G, Jada and Kay from local indie-rock trio Girlband about their upcoming performance at Beat The Streets festival…

Firstly, congratulations for being announced as part of the Beat The Streets line-up for 2023! It’ll be your first time playing the festival as a band, how are you feeling?

G: I’ve been lucky enough to play Beat The Streets a few times, but this time certainly feels different, playing as a band. We didn’t even know we were playing until we saw the poster at Hockley Hustle and went, ‘Woah!’

Kay: We’re all super stoked about it, especially the opportunity to show our music to more people. It’s a great platform for it, and it’s also all for a great cause.

What can fans expect from your set?

Jada: It’s always top-notch energy with us, it’s overflowing like a volcano. We’re good at controlling the dynamics of the set, though. We have a couple singalong tunes and know where to place them. It’s not all sunshine and unicorns!

G: That is a big part of our set - the kind of intense, frenetic energy that we bring to every show. As a band, we’re Beat The Streets virgins, so it’s going to be a vibe.

Which of Nottingham’s venues would you recommend to people who might be visiting Beat The Streets for the first time?

Kay: Definitely Rough Trade, it’s such a sick venue and you get a pretty wide variety of acts, not only in genre but in following as well.

G: I spent most of last year at The Bodega. I got to play it, which was great, but it’s also the fact you’ve got live music going on upstairs and downstairs. It’s really special.

Jada: I’d say the same thing about Rescue Rooms. You’ve got like four different acts within the same building, and you’ve got Rock City next door. I’ve played Wax Bar before and that’s great for student bands.

Beat The Streets is all in support of Framework. How does it feel being able to raise money for your local community through music?

Jada: It’s definitely unique, being able to get the band out there and perform alongside local artists all for charity. It’s an honour.

G: Obviously, Nottingham is filled with great artists, and Beat The Streets feels like one of those events where everyone comes together. Supporting the homeless is so important, especially right now.

Are there any other artists on the line-up you are excited to perform alongside, or even go along and see perform yourselves?

G: I love Ferocious Dog. Last time I saw them I was in a mosh pit at Rock City and everyone had their tops off!

Kay: I’m very excited to see Jack Wolff & Ty Healy.

Jada: I’ll go with The Chase. I’ve known them since I was young, so playing alongside them is going to be magnificent. Oh, and ALT BLK ERA too!

Kay: We’re spoiled for choice in Nottingham, really! It’s rare to have a place where anyone who wants a platform to share their art with the world can have one.

Lastly, have you guys got any memorable festival stories that you can share with us?

Jada: Hockley Hustle last year was a lot of fun. I remember there was a dog that got lost. Do either of you remember the dog’s name?

G: I have no idea what you’re on about!

Kay: I don’t remember much about a dog. I just remember walking around in the rain. I think I ended up in Das Kino listening to house music.

Jada: It was just there! There was a dog vibing in the crowd at the silent disco!

Beat The Streets will take place on Sunday 29 January

The Big Sad Notts’ only noise alt rock duo (probably). If you like a boogie and

value your hearing too much, then come check us out.

@thebigsadband

C he CK these out

don’t

The Avion We’re a high-energy garage/ psych band from Notts, writing and practising from our shed. @theavionband

Lilac Grove

Alternative rock band formed in Beeston in 2016, drawing influence from a variety of genres from indie rock to metalcore.

@lilacgroveband

interview: Riley Halls Backler

photo: Nigel King

We’re spoiled in Nottingham, really. It’s rare to have a place where anyone who wants a platform to share their art with the world can have one

Chris Miggells

Stone Giant (Single)

The premier job of any composer is to create an atmosphere - and, with his latest single Stone Giant, Nottingham’s Chris Miggells certainly achieves that. With plunky piano keys transporting you to a more relaxing place, it’s a soothing tune that properly eases the mind. Admittedly, at over five minutes in length, it does run the risk of outstaying its welcome, but this marks a solid release for the multi-talented musician nonetheless. George White

Cucamaras Porcelain (Single)

Released just prior to their headline Rescue Rooms show, Cucamaras follow up their Soft Soap EP with new single Porcelain. Their recent releases have seen them reinvent their sound, shifting away from their former indie influences slightly, to channel a more post-punk-inspired sound that is becoming increasingly popular at the moment. Meshing this with a dance-infused bassline, Porcelain demonstrates that Cucamaras have truly found their groove, and have spent this past year flourishing into a band with a clear mission statement. Gemma Cockrell

hidingthehurt

Dear Everyone (Alive) (Single)

If you can feel that post-festive melancholy creeping in, hidingthehurt’s latest single Dear Everyone (Alive) might just be the one to cure it. Nottingham’s very own emo-pop star brings something for everyone on this track, with autotuned introspection over warm acoustic guitars giving way to soaring hyperpop synths which are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Following a string of successful releases in 2022, he remains an exciting prospect in the local music scene. Sam Christelow

Rezzonator and Bassey Rest (Single)

Nottingham’s own Rezzonator has teamed up again with the equally Nottingham-based Bassey for their second single, Rest - a lovely slice of electronic wizardry, with Bassey’s vocals adding that extra magic to the proceedings. The track recalls Leftfield’s 1995 track Open Up, and Bassey’s vocals are somewhat Lydonesque on this track too. A standout release that is accompanied by an equally standout video by artist Gerry Carnelly. Get it in your ears! Rich Higton

After Daylight

The

Edge of Darkness (Album)

After Daylight’s latest album The Edge of Darkness delivers a beautifully apocalyptic and atmospheric instrumental sound, with ten tracks of post-rock driven by jagged guitars and moody, distant synthesisers. Despite the overarching bleakness and despair, there is a hint of hope and beauty running through the course of the album, a flicker in the darkness. If you want to live your best brutalist, cold post-rock dreams, this is the one for you. Iulia Matei

Upon entry into the gallery, you are confronted by the embrace of the Ladyhare with Dog II; a giant sculpture in bronze of a human figure hugging a large dog. The various characters are displayed embracing, or standing alone or in spiritual formations, cast in bronze, plaster and marble. The exhibition is a display of the prodigious studio output of British artist Sophie Ryder over her long career.

The art is playful and unusual. It shows incredible levels of skill as well as a certain creative abandon, with many statues having a rough hewn texture with various objects stuck into them. These objects include toy cars, scissors and old mobile phones. The statues depict humanoid figures, animals and mythical creatures such as the minotaur hugging a ladyhare.

The dog being hugged could almost be seen as the child in a family, with the minotaur as the man and the ladyhare as the woman. And the objects seem very reminiscent of household objects and things associated with childhood.

The University of Nottingham's art team organise workshops to accompany the exhibitions, and organised an interview with Sophie Ryder to discuss her work. In the interview, Ryder said she wanted to intentionally show the minotaur as an empathetic figure. Indeed, much of the exhibition seems to show relationships and love between things.

The most stand-out part of the exhibition is a gallery space that you enter through a narrow corridor, which opens out into a dimly-lit room with red lighting, like the lighting used to incubate eggs. Except, instead of eggs, there is in front of you a sea of three-foottall sculptures of hares. It is like a spooky relic room, with the feel of an Egyptian tomb crossed with a giant incubator. They are like Ryder's rabbit children trapped in a room. This is The Temple of the Two Hundred Rabbits.

is a vegan, and animal rights very much matter to her. She makes the viewer metaphorically place the mask of the hare onto their own head to see through its eyes, to be able to empathise with them. It is beautifully surreal and thought-provoking.

But why are hares and minotaurs hugging? And why are these objects stuck into them? In classical mythology, the minotaur is a thing of nightmares, it is the monster in a hedge maze, and not something you might want to hug. But while Ryder's characters have clear allusions to the traditional, ancient folkloric and mystical beliefs of various other cultures, they are very much of her own world. Her art practice plays with contrasting symbolic themes, combining them. She shows dualities, different modes of perceptions and ways of interpretation. Instead of the classically aggressive minotaur, it is instead depicted lovingly embracing Ryder's ladyhare. The statues typically have the head of a hare or a minotaur, but are humanoid from the neck down. This suggests they are wearing masks, which brings into question the identity of the statues.

This "temple" is a prison for the rabbits, but is presented within a religious framing. A piece of writing with the exhibition explains that Ryder saw a rabbit farm as a child and was disturbed to see a dimly-lit room filled with rabbits, some dead, all contained for ultimate consumption. Clearly this image stuck in her mind, and the hares are a strong monotheme of the exhibition that perhaps represent this repressed childhood trauma. The hare sculptures are made much larger than life in size, and as a result they make you feel like you are viewing them from the height of a child.

Just next to it is a sculpture of humanoid figures standing in the woods like druids. This shows connections with questions of spiritual freedom and physical freedom. We are shown the hares’ individuality as well as the importance of showing them as having a right to life. It questions human belief about nonhumans. How do we relate to the natural world, and other life forms? Do we worship animals, or do we put them in cages and eat them? Indeed, Ryder has said she

As a presentation of her studio work, the exhibition gives an overarching view of Ryder's practice. She is experimental and very hands on. It has a broad appeal and her drawings display a traditional style of art. The exhibition is a quirky, mystical and empathetic display showing a huge amount of talent and skill that is very nice to see.

You can find Sophie Ryder: Sculpture, Drawings, Prints at Djanogly Gallery until Sunday 12 March

lakesidearts.org.uk

Mythical hybrid rabbits, hogs, dogs and humanoid figures are now presented in drawings, prints and sculptural forms in this new exhibition by British artist Sophie Ryder at Djanogly Gallery...

words: George Dunbar photos: Andrew McClymont

It questions human belief about non-humans. How do we relate to the natural world, and other life forms? Do we worship animals, or do we put them in cages and eat them?

The hare sculptures are large in size, making you feel like you are viewing them from the height of a child

The super skilled Iulia Matei tells us all about her powerful January cover…

What was the inspiration behind the cover?

You and I wouldn't be where we’re at right now without the support of everything that came before us. Without the people that raised us, without those that relentlessly fought through the decades for a better world. I wanted this month’s cover to radiate gratitude. Gratitude for people, art, science, nature, storiesyou name it. It’s a thank you to all the things and people that lift us up and make us who we are.

How does it compare with some other projects you’ve worked on?

I dabble in many creative things but my heart will always lay with illustration. It felt good to get to drawing again. My work these days is mostly graphic design, so I don’t get to sit down with a pen very often anymore.

What was the biggest challenge that you faced in creating the piece?

The pressure of knowing that many eyes will be on this cover. Sharing your work with people is terrifying! I fiddled with it to hell and back, I’ve redrawn it at least three times, asked for feedback left and right and changed my mind about the colour palette more times than I can count. Having to let go of that control over the final outcome was the biggest challenge. Truth is, though, your work is often better than you think, and it doesn’t have to be perfect to be great.

Tell us about some projects you’ve worked on in the past…

I’m a bit all over the place with my work. I tend to get excited about everything so I jump on all of the projects, all at once, all of the time. One day I’ll start saying no, but not today! Some of my illustrations are in the Nottingham Horror Collective zines and I animated a music video for the heavy-metal band Evil Scarecrow.

What have you got planned for the future?

Definitely the same arty mischief I’ve been up to since forever. One thing I’m interested in at the moment is zines, though. I like collecting short stories, art styles, even words that I find interesting. I think those collections that I keep hidden in the pages of my notebooks are finally ready to take shape and come out into the world.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell the LeftLion readers?

Stay playful, stay kind, and as always, be excellent to each other!

It’s hard to not have the environment on the mind during these perversely cold days, but Nottingham-based artist John Newling has been in conversation with the natural world for the past fifty years. Considering his garden a studio, Newling’s work enshrines the natural forms that can otherwise pass us by relatively unnoticed in our dayto-day lives.

Commanding an entire gallery wall, A Library of Ecological Conversations consists of 36 panels of leaves, paint and foil leaf in gold, silver and copper. The leaves themselves were once assembled into the construction of these works but later removed to become abstract vestiges of nature. Ghost-like remnants emerge in the leaves' place, transcending the earthly works into something more ethereal. The results appear less concerned with an aesthetic expectation; rather, they delight in the ways the layers and materials interact with one another — each one of the 36 unique with feeling. Individually, the panels are poetic, but as an installation they are evocative of nature as an uncontainable, shape-shifting thing. Pieces that relay tranquillity are side-by-side with ones that feel like a storm descending over a weather map; complex and intense. As your eyes move along the surface of one hot-pressed paper piece to another, you are a witness to nature’s constant flux itself.

and manipulating the delicate material into solidified shapes — even though they look as if they could uncoil at any moment. A similar contradiction occurs in Playing a Sentence, a series of six objects including a paper plane, fan and mobile phone made from leaves. The objects look both newly glossy and dried out, as if they are ancient relics pulled from the past. In both of these works, play is a prevailing factor and despite the wary undertones of the show and its comments on our lack of respect for the environment, Newling’s desire to experiment and understand natural forms is infectiously optimistic.

Newling’s motivations can also be charted in the colourful early drawings that date back to 1978 and 1979 — completed during his time at Chelsea School of Art. Concerned with the realms of human consciousness, the drawings in graphite and ink showcase that the artist’s interest has always occurred in the moral as well as the ecological. Whether it’s in these early DNA helix drawings, the books written or the recent blanket of gilded leaves infused with emotive metaphors, Newling’s work across the last fifty years has always posed the question of why we do what we do in nature.

The precise execution of these incredibly intricate drawings is one thing, but the construction of them as geometric ideas is another thing altogether. It’s hard to fathom how one could create something so mosaic in the mind to then transfer it to paper. In this sense, the artist’s technique in this traditional medium is undeniable and clearly created a strong principal foundation for the more conceptual work he would go on to create in subsequent years.

Elsewhere in the exhibition, leaves are visible in more tangible ways. Scrunched-up ‘paper balls’ made from cherry tree leaves connote human carelessness in preserving nature. You can almost imagine a performance piece in which these sculptures are tossed out of the window of a car, littering the streets. The paradox is that the artist looks to have taken great care forming

Though we are each infinitely connected to and surrounded by nature, it is easy to forget such amidst the blue light and demands of daily life. By spending time in conversation with John Newling’s natural forms, consciously witnessing their rise and fall, we are reminded that nature has its own language too and is asking us to listen.

Fall is on display at Beam Editions until Sunday 5 March beameditions.uk

To Visit Nosferatu

Continuing their incredibly cool Into the Shadows programme, the Contemporary are bringing back one of the greatest horrors ever - and throwing in a live score from Minima just for the hell of it. Sat 14 Jan, Nottingham Contemporary

To Do International Postcard Show

This exciting annual event is back - selling and showcasing postcards featuring art from talented local and global creators. And if you’re quick (by Friday 6 January quick) you can even submit your own. From Fri 13 Jan, Surface Gallery

To Follow Nottingham Green Quarter

The Green Quarter project is kicking into gear, promising a creative, artistic green space right in the heart of the city. Drop them a follow to keep up-to-date with progress. facebook.com/groups/ nottinghamgreenquarter

The latest exhibition at Beam Editions, John Newling: The Fall, provokes heightened awareness to the ways in which we interact with the living things that surround us and asks us to not turn away — but to look at them with the dignity they deserve…

words:

The

The precise execution of these incredibly intricate drawings is one thing, but the construction of them as geometric ideas is another thing altogether

Progress in renewable energy generation and storage technology is showing signs of causing a real shift in our economic model. As fossil fuel prices continue to climb disastrously high, getting away from them can’t come soon enough. The parlous state of our housing stock and energy system was chillingly highlighted by December’s cold snap.

At a recent talk, economist and former Nottingham South MP Alan Simpson laid out the opportunities; communities that produce and manage their own energy sustainably aren’t beholden to fluctuating prices. He also points out the drastic drop in insulation measures carried out per year since 2012 - from well over two million to around 100,000 in 2020.

Trent Basin, a new riverside community in Nottingham built by developer Blueprint, points the way forward. It aims to provide sustainable housing that generates and stores its own energy through a combination of solar PV and Europe’s largest communal battery, built by Tesla in partnership with the University of Nottingham.

I spoke to Steve How, one of the first people living at Trent Basin to go fully off-grid, and he says he “can’t understand why all new developments aren’t being built with solar power and a communal battery”. He’s not noticed the difference in his day-to-day use of energy, but it has made him think more about being economical with it. “You begin to consider and really own your energy supply,” he tells me.

Trent Basin, a new riverside community in Nottingham, aims to provide sustainable housing that generates and stores its own energy

This is just one example of how we might communally address human needs in a sustainable way, yet there are many more: Munich boasts solar district heating on its Ackermannbogen; Hamburg’s “smart is green” building includes passive design and vertical gardens, generating more energy than its residents use. Now there’s an empowering thought.

From studying for her GCSEs to playing a key role in the Nottingham Youth Climate Assembly, fifteen-year-old Liv Marshall is already a leader in the fight for the planet. It’s not always easy, but when it comes to preventing literal world-ending events, she tells us it’s important to always keep going…

As I sit on my bed with a pile of homework staring me in the face, I find it hard to search for hope in a world that feels like it was not built for me. The news doesn’t bring much comfort either, as every day it's a new disaster in the headlines, with a reporter looking more serious than my headteacher at school. He stands there in assembly and talks about our futures, about how we can take the reins and create a society full of love and innovation, and in that moment, we all ask the same question: how?

It’s a question I’ve pondered on a lot myself. How are we supposed to take on the responsibilities of those who have come before us, those who have succeeded before us, and those whose stories are told in the history books we read in lessons? The pressure can feel immense, but a little searching can bring the confidence we need to make Nottingham a cityand make the UK a country - that we want to live in.

We were born in a generation of role models and game changers, and historically, young people always have been. You only have to look back to the hippies of the sixties who brought a wave of counterculture to the otherwise traditional western world, or the young climate activists pushing the conversation forward today, to see that youth brings strength and power to us all.

These occurrences aren’t just a part of the past, either. Today, there are thousands of young people, including right here in Nottingham, who are taking what they have and making the changes they want to see.

It might seem like those in power don’t have the time to listen to your ideas, or that there are bigger issues at stake, but that does not mean your voice can’t be heard. There are groups, like the Nottingham Youth Climate Assembly, who are putting our ideas into documents and pushing council and MPs for new policies, and it’s working. It’s certainly a marathon and not a sprint, but from a residential weekend in July, to holding panels and meetings with those who can make a difference, I’d say it’s going quite well.

But what if it all goes wrong and we end up with a climate disaster?

The fear of what could be can often be a cloud floating above our heads, but failure is a part of every learning process. While, in many cases, you will be your own biggest critic, you can’t allow these thoughts of doubt to ruin the progress you are making.

I want you to think of someone you look up to. This could be a celebrity, a family member, a teacher; they can be quite literally anyone. That person you’re thinking of has made

mistakes, thousands of them. There have been so many times in their life where they have found themselves lost with seemingly no escape, where they wanted to give up, where they couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.

onment

But this doesn’t change your opinion on them, because they kept going. They didn’t throw in the towel when every part of their body said to give in, and that’s what is so important to their success.

In the words of Sir Lewis Hamilton, “It’s not about how you fall, it’s about how you get up, it’s always about how you get up.”

It’s a quote I live by, especially as a young activist, because every day it reminds me how vital it is to just keep going. In every speech I make, without fail, I will make a mistake, and that’s okay. Sometimes events don’t fully go my way or I don’t get my point across in the right way and that is okay too, it doesn’t make my success any less incredible.

These slip-ups are littered in everyone’s lives, throughout school and work, in relationships and friendships; we’re all human, and without those errors we wouldn’t have anything to learn from. Staying the same will get you nowhere, but making progress, however painful that may be, certainly will.

There will be times when you fail, when your ideas fall short, and in those moments, it will feel like the world is sitting on your young shoulders. But we can’t let this failure dictate our future. Don’t expect everything you do to be perfect, because anything you do won’t seem as special compared to the images you have in your head.

You have to get up after every loss, make do with what you have and, when in doubt, fake it till you make it. Every single person in Nottingham has the potential to do something great, including you, and I hope that you can bring yourself to share that faith and get up tomorrow with a mindset that you can, and will, make change.

words: Adam Pickering

words: Liv Marshall photo: Adam Pickering

It might seem like those in power don’t have the time to listen to your ideas, but that does not mean your voice won’t be heard

Breast cancer affects thousands of people a year in the UK, with an average of 55,000 cases confirmed every twelve months - approximately 40% of those resulting in a mastectomy, in which some or all of the breast tissue is removed. But what happens after the mastectomy, and how do people adjust to life with a scar? We catch up with Anna Garvey, the Nottingham tattoo artist who specialises in post-surgery tattoos, and learn more about the joy of reclaiming your body after trauma…

Taking an average time of only ninety minutes, a mastectomy is a relatively short medical process. One in which either some, one, or both of the breasts are removed. But despite its brevity, it’s a surgery that has a lasting effect. Whether those who undergo a mastectomy choose to have reconstructive surgery or not, they will live the rest of their lives with a scar - which can often lead to body image issues and a loss of self-esteem.

There is, however, one tattooist in Nottingham who helps aid breast cancer survivors in accepting and celebrating their post-surgery bodies. That is Anna Garvey, who has been tattooing nearly eighteen years and specialising in tattooing on scars for ten, working on skin that has experienced “spinal surgery, self-harm, top surgery scars, tummy tucks” and more, with a particular emphasis on creating post-mastectomy pieces.

Part of the Mastectomy Tattooing Alliance - an organisation that helps to both fund post-mastectomy tattoos and recommend artists - Anna describes her work as “applying a beautiful image over an area that has either been damaged or had surgery performed”, which is “a real way for people to take ownership of their bodies and feel some joy after trauma”. A journey that began after a client approached her to do a mastectomy tattoo and she found herself excited by the challenge and the “opportunity to take this journey with somebody”.

Likewise, the artist has to be prepared for the emotional nature of the task. While Anna emphasises that she tries not to let her emotions override her professional work, she notes that each session is moving in its own way. “So many people I’ve done this on have said they’ve spent years hiding this part of themselves from others and even from themselves, and now they want to show everyone, when sometimes two weeks ago they couldn’t even look in the mirror.” The tattoos give people a chance to re-own their body and to celebrate themselves, and Anna says that “giving people power over how they feel is a really phenomenal thing”.

Full of admiration for her clients, Anna explains that the most inspiring thing about what she does isn’t the artwork but “the work that people do for themselves. It’s really brave to let somebody touch your scar and to look at you, and it’s amazing to see people saying, ‘I can be confident, I can be brave.’” Of course, she thinks these bodies are beautiful herself. “They might be different, but they show strength. They have this texture of scar that I see as lovely. We should never be ashamed of our bodies being different.” Recalling an incident in which one woman's partner commented after seeing the tattoo, “I hope you see yourself as beautiful now as I see you every day,” it’s clear that Anna wants the same - for her clients to feel strong and beautiful.

For many people, the post-mastectomy tattoo is their first tattoo, and so it’s vital that Anna guides them through this journey with care, especially because the process of getting the initial breast removal can be traumatic. And that’s why Anna puts a real emphasis on “metaphorically holding their hand” through the process and creating a truly nurturing environment. “It’s also really exciting to work on people’s first tattoo,” she adds, emphasising that she loves helping people explore a different side to themselves.

Now something of an expert in the field, Anna is among the six artists recognised in the Mastectomy Tattooing Alliance’s directory, which means she is especially qualified to tattoo on post-surgery bodies. As she explains, “It is quite technically unique, because the biological structure of skin that’s experienced trauma is completely different. It’s very much about making minute, continuous alterations. You have to understand how to coax the ink into the skin,” meaning those who create these artworks have to be skilled and experienced.

So, while it may be intimidating or overwhelming to think about getting a postmastectomy tattoo, anyone who wants to access the service would be in safe hands with Anna, and it could mark a really exciting new chapter in life. Or, if cancer survivors want a different tattoo style, or alternatively areola tattooing on top of a reconstruction, then the Mastectomy Tattooing Alliance is a great resource more generally. “You can just book a consultation through my website,” Anna explains, “then we can have an open dialogue about the whole process and go from there.”

words: Lizzy O’Riordan photo: Florence Fox Photography

So many people I’ve done this on have said they’ve spent years hiding this part of themselves and now they want to show everyone

bRe Athing spACe

Happy calendar flip! I do hope 2023 is a year of abundance and love for you.

Let’s get straight into our mini meditation…

The best place to start is the breath. Breathing is the quickest and easiest way to calm yourself and help bring your mind to the present moment. This is known as manual breathing. You can close your eyes or focus on a specific item, like a candle, plant, or crystal. Whatever feels natural to youbecause it is important you do what feels right.

Give minimeditation a go for a week and I promise you will feel a difference

Take a few deep breaths in. Don’t worry about the exhale at first. Just give your body the oxygen it needs and gain a sense of being in control. Once you’ve done it a few times, on the exhale, do so slowly. You can form an ‘O’ with your month to help guide the breath out.

When you feel comfortable, as you inhale, count to four, and on the exhale, count to four. Repeat as many times as it takes to feel relaxed. That is a simple breath meditation.

Once you’re ready, you can add mantras and affirmations as you go through the practice. I like to keep it basic when I do this when I wake. “I am filled with love.” “I am protected, always.” “I am in control of only me.” You can use these affirmations, or use your own. Give the mini-meditation a go for a week and I promise you will feel a difference.

As we have stepped into 2023, our New Year Affirmation is:

“I AM EMPOWERED AND ATTRACTING ABUNDANCE.”

Until next time, my loves: be safe, no fear and stay blessed.

at Blend, settling in for a long chat about his journey from business to spirituality, and all that’s been going on with his new

Intertwine, a new social enterprise created by Ben Stuchbury, was founded with the intention to deepen our relationships and experiences, helping each other blossom, in our own unique ways. After being inspired by the Nottingham Buddhist Centre and some conscious festivals over the summer, Ben has a vision of a “cross-pollination of wisdom from all over the world”. Focusing this into the small scale, he will be hosting events around Nottingham to bring people together and foster new relationships.

“The intention is to feel more deeply connected to the wider community. It can be so easy to stay within your own social bubble, to be talking to the same people in that bubble and have the same ideas circulate. You get stuck in patterns of thinking.”

Ben studies economics and business at Nottingham Trent. He explains he had always wanted to start a business, and was trying to create a sustainable clothing brand with a friend.

“I think the realisation came during that process that what I was doing was a bit selfish.” He is finding exploring the idea of a community project far more fulfilling. However, the formation of this business has taken a process of relearning. “Competition is so ingrained in my mind, but it's not like this in this community.”

So far there has been one event, held at the Playwright on Shakespeare Street. In a cosy corner at the back of the pub, “We did a group meditation to centre ourselves in our own experience, then we did a group sharing circle; one person shared something they’re passionate about, the next person would reflect on what that person had said and share their own until it came full circle. Everyone was actively listening.

“We also did some ancient Norse rune reading, then some collaborative artwork, swapping and passing it around so that by the end, you have a piece of work that has been used by everyone. That was like a visual representation of what Intertwine is all about, layering up with different mediums.”

I ask Ben why he thought Nottingham a good place to start a community project like Intertwine, and our conversation leads into areas of drinking and sobriety.

“From my experience as a student, there’s such a drinkrelated culture. There's so much emphasis on coming together [to drink]. Everyone needs that social interaction, but this can mean that the only time people are really open with each other is when they're drunk, and they can't remember it. It can be used as a crutch by a lot of people to open up in those states but then that leaves you questioning who you are when you're sober, because you feel like there's no avenue to be open otherwise.”

From my experience as a student, there’s such a drink-related culture, and this can mean that people are only open with each other when they're drunk, and they can't remember it

For this reason, there is no alcohol at Intertwine events, with Ben aiming to break the cycle of drinking and openness. It's another aspect of really stepping out of your comfort zone, because by pursuing “sober growth”, as Ben calls it, “you're going against the grain”, finding the ability to express yourself and actively listen in a truly connected way.

Ben finishes by introducing me to a concept within ‘sacred economics’, on the beauty of giving what you can and letting go of any expectation to have something in return. With Intertwine, he is giving people a space to come together and form a new community in Nottingham.

@intertwine_with_life

words: Rose Mason

Overcoming several disappointing results at the polls to become Nottinghamshire’s first female MP, Florence Paton was empowerment personified - using her platform to stand up for women, the working classes and children with learning disabilities. We take a look at her inspirational life…

Empowerment: the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights. Sure, kicking off an article with a dictionary definition rarely leads to Pulitzer Prizes, but nothing could describe the life of Florence Paton, Nottinghamshire’s first female MP, better than this entry into The Oxford Dictionary. From losing at the General Election ballot three times to becoming the first woman to preside over the House of Commons, Paton fought to stand up for the rights of not just herself but countless others, pushing forward representation and progress in a field that had been backwards-thinking and male-dominated for so long.

Born in Somerset in 1891, Paton then spent her formative years in the west end of the Midlands, eventually becoming a schoolteacher in Wolverhampton. It was during this time that she took a keen interest in expanding disabled children’s access to equal education, which is something she took with her to Parliament - becoming a vocal campaigner for increasing education rights for those suffering with cerebral palsy. In 1949, during a heated debate on the issue, the Labour Party MP pushed the Government to provide greater assistance to disabled children and their parents, improving their opportunities at

now AnD then

a time when they were often overlooked. This was just one occasion where Paton stood up for those without a voice on the national stage - but her path to that stage was a long and challenging one.

This demanding journey to Parliament started in 1928, when Paton contested a by-election in Cheltenham - finishing third with less than ⅕ of the vote. Yet her determination to enter the Commons only grew stronger with a move to our county. A year after that by-election defeat, Paton ran for office in Rushcliffe, but found her fortunes remained unfortunate. Two years later, she was back on the ballot again, and again she suffered the same result. It seemed like her dream just wasn’t meant to be.

That is, until a decade later. In 1945, after the Second World War left the country in disarray and heading to the polls, Paton ran for Rushcliffe one final time - and, as Clement Attlee’s Labour Party were voted into power, she too tasted victory. After three failed attempts, Paton finally found herself on the backbenches, representing the people of Rushcliffe in the national arena. And it’s safe to say she got straight to work. Within her first twelve months, Paton had become the first woman appointed to the Speaker’s Panel

of Temporary Chairmen of Committees of the Whole House and Chairmen of Standing Committees, and in May 1948, she became the first woman to chair a debate on the Floor of the House of Commons. That’s what you call making up for lost time.

Clearly a natural leader and powerful presence, Paton used her newfound influence to fight for those who needed fighting for. Spending much of her time campaigning for better working conditions in mines, Paton helped to push through numerous pieces of legislation that would

Sneinton Market, 1963

photo: Tom Quigley

Sneinton Market, Almost six decades later

words: George White illustration: Ciaran Burrows

Paton was asked to represent the country and its people not just at the national level, but the international - serving as the UK's representative to the United Nations in 1947

improve people’s experience of the pits, increasing health and safety levels and job security at a time when tens of thousands returned to the industry from the front line.

Quickly making a name for herself in Westminster, Paton was asked to represent the country and its people not just at the national level, but the international - serving as the UK's representative to the United Nations in 1947, where she would eventually become the only female MP on the General Assembly Social Humanitarian and Cultural Committee. Pictured joking with Eleanor D. Roosevelt, the United States’ delegate to the UN, and speaking openly about the importance of the global body for ensuring world peace - she once described herself as having a “burning hatred of war in her heart” - Paton looked as confident and assured on the world stage as she did in the British capital.

Despite gaining respect across the globe and pushing progress for women and the working classes, though, Paton’s dream role would only last for half a decade.

Before the Labour Party were even ousted by Winston Churchill’s Conservatives in 1951, the former teacher would also become a former MP. After boundary changes forced a by-election in 1950, Paton found that voters in the new Carlton constituency were less supportive of her politics than residents of Rushcliffe more widely, and she missed out on retaining her seat by just a few hundred votes.

While she may not have won over enough people in the city suburb back then, however, her trailblazing work will forever be remembered by local residents going forwardas, in 2019, a sculpture of the history-maker was unveiled in the town. Designed by visual artist Hilary Cartmel, andin truth - looking a little like the Terminator, this sculpture now stands proudly atop Carlton Hill, and highlights everything that made Paton such a special figure. An intricate design incorporates miners’ pickaxes, books and the crest of the Houses of Parliament, commemorating her groundbreaking efforts from her early career to her exit from the Commons.

In this issue of Empowerment, very few in Notts history empowered so many, did a better job of controlling one's life and claiming one's rights, than the former Ruschcliffe MP. And, for that, Florence Paton should always be celebrated.

obJeC t wAlK

We’ve teamed up with the National Justice Museum to put objects from the past into the hands of people in the present. This month, we took an engraved wash basin to Jo and Annie of Bookwise Nottingham.

This beautifully-crafted design was the work of a Gloucester Prison inmate named Graham in the 1960s, and was likely completed as part of an engraving workshop…

It looks like it could be wedding-related. Maybe a punch bowl? It looks fairly modern.

It's quite intense because it's got “‘til death do us part”, the White Rose of York, and it's clearly dedicated to a ‘Pat’.

I like it because I like symmetry. It’s got some really elaborate patterns, a nice wreath around it. That’s not an easy thing to do.

Is it a wash basin? It is? Wow, it’s wonderful that it ended up with such a beautiful design.

bookwiseshops.co.uk nationaljusticemuseum.org.uk

In this issue of Empowerment, very few in Notts history empowered so many, did a better job of controlling one's life and claiming one's rights, than Florence Paton

SUNDAY 1 JAN

�� New Years Day

Home All Day

MONDAY 2 JAN

�� Nottingham Canal 5K Nottingham Canal £11, 10am

TUESDAY 3 JAN

�� Traditional Irish Music Session Nottingham Irish Centre Free, 7pm

�� The Curious Cabaret The Berliner £22, 8pm

WEDNESDAY 4 JAN

�� SKINT

O’Neill’s Nottingham Free, 7pm

�� Messy Drink and Draw

The Carousel £3, 7pm

�� The Screen: Into the Shadows - Faces The Space, Nottingham Contemporary £5, 6.30pm

THURSDAY 5 JAN

�� Primary Exhibitions Thursday

Tour & Tea Primary Free, 11am

�� Weekday Warhammer Warhammer World, Lenton 10am

FRIDAY 6 JAN

�� National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain

Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £29, 7.30pm

�� Quadrophenia Night Rescue Rooms £14, 7.30pm

�� NYO: Odyssey Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £29, 7.30pm

SATURDAY 7 JAN

�� Parkrun

Gedling Country Park Free, 9am

�� Intro to Beading and Stringing The Bead Shop £25, 2pm

�� Puppet Making with Nikki Charlesworth Nonsuch Studios 2pm

MONDAY 9 JAN

�� Monstrous Flesh: Women’s Bodies in Horror Introduction

Broadway Cinema £70, 7pm

�� Talk Cinema - Afternoon Introduction Broadway Cinema £60, 2pm

TUESDAY 10 JAN

WEDNESDAY 11 JAN

�� Cold Comforts - Scandi Noir on Film and TV Introduction

Broadway Cinema £70, 2pm

THURSDAY 12 JAN

�� Film School (Intro) Broadway Cinema £130, 6.30pm

�� Talk Cinema - Evening Introduction

Broadway Cinema £60, 7.30pm

�� Jimbo The Glee Club £12, 7pm

�� Primary Exhibitions Thursday Tour & Tea Primary Free, 11am

FRIDAY 13 JAN

SUNDAY 15 JAN

�� Sunday Piano Series - Jeneba Kanneh-Mason Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £12, 11am

�� Fedora - Met Opera Broadway Cinema £18, 12pm

�� Come and Sing with John Rutter Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £24, 2pm

�� Animal Rap Battles with Bridie Squires

Broadway Cinema 2pm

�� Peggy’s Band play ‘Broadway’ Peggy’s Skylight £15, 12pm

MONDAY 16 JAN

�� Mac Collins | Open Code Primary Free, 11am

�� Primary Exhibitions Thursday Tour & Tea Primary Free, 11am

�� WRAP Café Nottingham Contemporary Free, 6pm

�� COMMUNITY CAFE New Art Exchange Free, 5pm

�� Is This Only the Beginning? Michael Chessum in conversation with Nadia Whittome MP Five Leaves Bookshop £4, 7pm

�� The Cool Greenhouse The Bodega £10, 7pm

FRIDAY 20 JAN

��

Videodream: Cinema and the Subconscious Introduction

Broadway Cinema £70, 7pm

�� Booba Dust

The Bread And Bitter Free, 9pm

�� Gabrielle Aplin: Live + Signing Rough Trade £13.50, 6pm

WEDNESDAY 11 JAN

�� Nottingham City WI Monthly Meeting MCO Centre 7.30pm

��#SKINT O’Neill’s Nottingham Free, 7pm

�� The Screen: Into the ShadowsMarnie The Space, Nottingham Contemporary £5, 6.30pm

�� Excess Hollywood - America and Capitalist Cinema Introduction Broadway Cinema £70, 7pm

�� Developing Wearables (Exploration Workshop) University of Nottingham Jubilee Campus Free, 11am

�� Live Comedy and Poetry with Lauren Nicole Whitter New Art Exchange Free, 7pm

�� NGHC Mercia Promotions The Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel 7pm

�� Sergio Marciano’s ‘Latin Bridge’ [Cuban] Peggy’s Skylight £17, 7.30pm

SATURDAY 14 JAN

�� The Screen: Into the Shadows - Nosferatu with live score by Minima

The Space, Nottingham Contemporary £10 - £12

�� 999

The Old Cold Store £22, 6.15pm

Just The Tonic Comedy Club Metronome £15.40, 6.45pm

�� Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) Savoy Cinema £5, 8.30pm

�� CVC: Live + Signing Rough Trade £12.50, 6pm

TUESDAY 17 JAN

�� An Inspector Calls

Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £39, 7.30pm

WEDNESDAY 18 JAN

#SKINT O’Neill’s Nottingham Free, 7pm - 11pm

�� Free Lunchtime Concert University Hall Free, 1pm

�� Pangina Heals: The Wide Spread Tour The Glee Club £12, 7.30pm

�� ALLSORTS: Chronic Insanity Open Mic Night Nonsuch Studios £10, 7.30pm

�� Patois Banton Preview Bonington Gallery 6pm

�� Bonington Virtrines #20: Spaces of Translation– European Magazines, 1945-65 Preview Bonington Gallery 6pm

�� Giovanni Pernice – Made in Italy

Nottingham Playhouse £43, 7.30pm

�� EMF Rescue Rooms £22.50, 6.30pm

�� Viagra Boys Rock City £22, 6.30pm

�� Songwriting with ROB.GREEN Metronome 5pm

�� Apradhini: Women Without Men Nonsuch Studios £10, 7.30pm

SATURDAY 21 JAN

�� Just The Tonic Comedy Club Metronome £15.40, 6.45pm

�� The Black Charade and Fell Out Boy Rock City £14, 6.30pm

�� Singarevva and the Palace Nonsuch Studios £10, 7.30pm

SUNDAY 22 JAN

�� The 1975 Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £47, 6.30pm

�� Queen Extravaganza Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall 7.30pm

�� Rob Rosa Trio Peggy’s Skylight £8, 12pm

MONDAY 23 JAN

�� Låpsley: Live + Signing Rough Trade £12.50, 6pm

TUESDAY 24 JAN

�� Diversifying Your Business Model (introductory session)

University of Nottingham Jubilee Campus Free, 11am

�� The Solution The Bread And Bitter Free, 9pm

�� Nottingham Law School Law Fair 2023

Nottingham Trent University Free, 5pm

�� Strictly Come Dancing Live UK Tour 2023

Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £53, 7.30pm

WEDNESDAY 25 JAN

��#SKINT

O’Neill’s Nottingham Free, 7pm

�� Editors

Rock City £30, 6.30pm

�� Project Blackbird Peggy’s Skylight £10, 7pm

�� Sofar Sounds Secret Location 7.30pm

�� Strictly Come Dancing Live UK Tour 2023

Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £53, 7.30pm

THURSDAY 26 JAN

�� Metronome Folk Sessions: Rowan Rheingans Metronome £5 , 7pm

SATURDAY 28 JAN

�� Family Concert - A Night at the Oscars

Royal Concert Hall £25, 6pm

�� Design your own flower garden STAA on St Ann’s Allotments £25, 10am

�� DIVAS Nottingham Playhouse £25, 8pm

�� New Purple Celebration Rescue Rooms £18.50, 6.30pm

�� Dirty Honey The Bodega 7pm

�� Cocoon (Work In Progress) Nonsuch Studios £10, 7.30pm

�� JOURNEY OF THE MIND An Exhibition of Self Discovery New Art Exchange Free, 10am

MONDAY 30 JAN

�� Lovebreakers/Reminders

The Bodega £8, 7pm

�� Undeath Rock City £12, 7.30pm

TUESDAY 31 JAN

�� Florence and The Machine Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £58, 6.30pm

ONGOING

�� Dance and Movement Workshops with Cool Company

The Space, Nottingham Contemporary Sun 1 Jan - Tue 31 Jan

�� RE-FRAME: SOLOMON BERRIOALLEN New Art Exchange Free

Sun 1 Jan - Fri 31 Mar

Cedar Lewisohn: Patois Banton Bonington Gallery

, 10am - 5pm

��

Five Leaves Open Book Group discusses Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro

Five Leaves Bookshop Free, 7pm

�� Rachel Fairburn: Can I Be Awful The Glee Club £15, 7pm

�� Kula Shaker Rescue Rooms £27.50, 6pm

�� Circa Waves Rock City £20, 6.30pm

�� Remains Of Logan Dankworth Nonsuch Studios £15, 7.30pm

FRIDAY 27 JAN

The Hallé

��

Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £38.50, 7.30pm

�� Lewis Capaldi

Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £47, 6pm £20, 8pm

�� Henge Rescue Rooms £15, 6.30pm

SUNDAY 29 JAN

�� Sara Pascoe

Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £26.50, 7.30pm

�� Sarah Jane Scouten + Del Barber Band

The Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel £15, 7.30pm

�� Killing Men and Dying Women with Griselda Pollock Five Leaves Bookshop £4, 5pm

�� Beat The Streets Rescue Rooms £10, 1pm

�� The Hallé 80’s Big Night Out Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall £39.50, 7.30pm

MONDAY 30 JAN

�� JW Francis: Live + Signing Rough Trade £13.50, 6pm

�� Barbara Laws: Nottingham Portraits Lakeside Arts Free

Sun 1 Jan - Sun 19 Feb

�� Sophie Ryder Lakeside Arts Free Sun 1 Jan - Sun 12 Mar

�� Museum Tour

The Haunted Museum & Oddities Collection £8, 11am - 6pm Sun 1 Jan - Thu 17 Jul

BEST OF JANUARY

Monstrous

Flesh: Women’s Bodies in Horror

When: Starting 9 January, 7pm

Where: Broadway Cinema

How much: £70

Famous for its hypersexualisation and gory treatment of women, horror is a genre that has long been considered misogynistic. But it also has the potential to be a rich tool for female empowerment. This January you can connect with tutor Clelia McElroy at Broadway Cinema to delve deeper into horror through a feminist lens, in a ten week analytical course looking at titles ranging from A Nightmare on Elm Street to Ginger Snaps

Animal Rap Battles with Bridie Squires

When: Sunday 15 January, 2pm

Where: Broadway Cinema

How much: Free

Calling all wannabe rap battlers, join former LeftLion Editor Bridie Squires for a laid-back workshop to learn how to spit bars. Perfect for anyone who likes a bit of wordplay, this is a chance to deconstruct jokes and rhyming verses and put them back together again, all with a (you guessed it) special focus on animals.

Organised by the Young Creative Awards and ideal for anyone between the ages of 16-24, this is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Is This Only the Beginning?

When: Thursday 19 January, 7pm

Where: Five Leaves Bookshop

How much: £4

Fancy something a bit political to start the year? One to get those cogs turning again? Join local MP Nadia Whittome and author Michael Chessum in conversation to learn more about the latter’s new book, This is Only the Beginning. Spanning the political landscape from the 2010s until now, the duo will ask what made ‘the New Left’ rise and what Corbyn had to do with its fall. A great one for those who love a debate, this sounds enlightening.

Just

the Tonic Comedy Club

When: Saturday 21 January, 6.45pm

Where: Metronome

How much: £14

Regular funny guys around town, Just the Tonic Comedy Club put on some of the best regular comedy in Nottingham. However, we’re particularly excited for this event, headlined by Lindsey Santoro - who was recently called ‘one of the most naturally hysterical and gifted comedians in recent memory’ by a certain Joe Lycett. Also performing will be Phil Ellis, Peter Brush and Scott Bennett, so it’s sure to be a hilarious night.

The 1975

When: Sunday 22 January, 6.30pm

Where: Motorpoint Arena

How much: From £47

Cast your mind back to 2013 , Girls by the 1975 is playing through your headphones. You’re under the illusion that you’re the only person indie enough to know the band. Life is good. Now snap back to 2023 and the group fronted by Matty Healy is playing in Nottingham at the Motorpoint Arena. Following the release of the single I’m In Love With You Today and celebrating the success of their fifth studio album, it's an essential gig.

Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty

When: Tuesday 24 - Saturday 28 January

Where: Theatre Royal

How much: From £26.50

Panto season might be over but the magic is still going strong at the Theatre Royal with Matthew Bourne’s version of Sleeping Beauty. Showcasing a wondrous world of magical fairies and vampires, join Princess Aurora in the classic tale of good and evil, told through the power of dance. Originally premiering ten years ago at Sadler’s Wells, Bourne’s vision will be gracing the stage in Nottingham for four consecutive nights. We can’t wait.

Lewis Capaldi

When: Friday 27 January, 6pm

Where: Motorpoint Arena

How much: From £47

Rising to fame with his 2019 single Someone You Loved, Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi has made a massive impact on the music industry - his song becoming the longest-standing Top 10 UK single by a British artist. Now the musician is heading to the Motorpoint Arena to tour with his Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent album. Performing songs including Bruises, Hold Me While You Wait and (of course) Someone You Loved, it’s gonna be mega.

Beat The Streets

When: Sunday 29 January, 1pm

Where: Multiple Locations

How much: From £10

Raising money to tackle the homlessness crisis, Beat The Streets is back once again, showcasing the best local talent all while supporting rough sleepers in and around Nottingham. Taking place across Rock City, Rescue Rooms, Bodega, Stealth and Rough Trade, expect to hear from artists including ALT BLK ERA, Girlband, Catmilk, 7th in Line and many more. Featuring over fifty gigs across multiple stages, this is a classic Notts event with a heart.