News about the arts and entertainment in Leicester/shire 2012

This is the home page for the arts news section 2012

2nd May

May 12th - Bands Question Time

Musicians, singers and rappers get a chance to put questions to a panel of music industry experts about 'How can we make our act successful?'

Get the details about Bands Question Time on 12th May

19th April

DeMontort Hall Appoints Manager

A NEW general manager is set to take charge of one of Leicester's best-loved entertainment venues. De Montfort Hall has confirmed that it has appointed Antony Flint as its new general manager.

Leicester's leading entertainment venue has been managed by Mags Mernagh as interim manager since March 2011, and the new manager is expected to take over charge of the hall from mid-July.

Mr Flint currently works as general manager at Royal Spa Centre and Town Hall, in Leamington Spa, having previously been director of marketing and external affairs at Coventry's Belgrade Theatre.

Leicester Assistant City Mayor responsible for heritage, leisure and sport, Cllr Piara Singh Clair, said: "It is very good news that De Montfort Hall has a new manager at the helm and I wish Antony Flint every success in this post.

"I am sure that he will bring much experience and energy to this important venue and I look forward to working with them. "

De Montfort Hall has an exciting few months ahead with plenty of crowd-pleasing shows, including Avenue Q, Chicago, Frankie Boyle, Summer Sundae Weekender and Grease to name just a few.

Community Media

Launched on 17th January, the Community Media Centre aims to establish the UK's largest independent media hub. Every Tuesday, the Community News Cafe hosted at the Coffee Republic store on Granby Street provides volunteer Community Reporters the opportunity to share their ideas and gain details of upcoming opportunities as part of the cmc2012 project.

Find out more about this

Cultural Olympiad Launched

The 2012 programme of the Cultural Olympiad has been launched in the East Midlands. The programme ties in with the 2012 games. Young people and Students from the Leicester and Nottingham areas are invited to take part in a series of fun and creative performing arts and dance workshops which will culminate in a series of extraordinary, synchronised street performances, featuring innovative design, dance and street theatre techniques.

From Music Nation, Derby to Global Footprints in Northants, or AfterGold in Loughborough, Lionheart in Lincolnshire and Let's Dance in Leicester, through to the finale of World Event Young Artists in Nottingham and the closing production of Games Time at Derby Feste - the region comes together to show just why there is so much to be proud of across its six counties.

Igniting Ambition Cultural Olympiad web site

New magazine out now

Melosounds brings you the sweet sounds of music. Issue 4 is online now. Running since 2007, MeloSounds' website has changed many times - due to the ever changing internet. We started out supplying music artists and radio stations with web sites, but over the last few years the internet has changed and most people now use Facebook and our own web site.

Melosounds magazine is particularly strong on Drum & Bass, Hip Hop, Grime and more. Quite a few interesting interviews with artists.

Melosounds magazine March 2012 | See MeloSounds music magazine on Facebook

8th March

The Queen in Leicester

Accompanied by Prince Philip and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, The Queen came to Leicester today at the start of her Jubilee Tour.

The Queen's car enters the High Street on her way to the show at the Clock Tower

Huge crowds lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the Monarch as she began a tour of the nation, here in Leicester, to celebrate the year of her Diamond Jubilee. Leicester's welcome to the royal party included a fashion show and performances by dancers from our diverse ethnic communities.

Becka Hunt with the shoe she will present to Kate Middleton

After her arrival at Leicester Station, the royals went to De Montfort University where students showed off their talents with a fashion show and a display of shoes. The Duchess of Cambridge chose a shoe designed by DMU student Becka Hunt; it was a vivid blue colour (echoing Kate's engagement ring) and based on a nineteenth century design.

2012 marks the sixtieth year of Queen Elizabeth II's reign. At 85 she is one of the longest serving heads of state in the world. As part of the Jubilee celebrations, the Queen's tour will take her to 13 cities in England and Scotland. The visit ended with a street performance, at the Clock Tower, by Indian dancers accompanied by traditional music.

Commentators suggested that Leicester was chosen as the starting point for the national tour because of its central position and because it reflects the diverse, multi-ethnic character of modern Britain.

A collection of photographs capturing the Queen's six visits to Leicester since the 1950s was presented to Her Majesty by Leicester's City Mayor Peter Soulsby. The collection of 20 photographs capture people of all ages enjoying themselves at street parties, pageants and other royal occasions. They show the Queen meeting with dignitaries and the public at a range of venues across the city including the Leicester Royal Infirmary and Curve theatre, which was opened by the Queen in December 2008.

Music and dancing are frequently part of Royal Visits, as was the case on previous visits to the city. These occasions are an opportunity for the public to enjoy a special occasion and today the warm sunshine was particularly welcome and saw thousands of people taking to the streets, some of them waiting for six hours to be in the right position to get their view of the royal party.

Cyclist in fancy dress in the city centre today Photo © Harjinder Ohbi

Over 10,000 Union Jack flags and 1000 metres of bunting were put in place by the City Council in preparation for the visit. Sir Peter Soulsby, Mayor of Leicester, announced plans for a new public square - Jubilee Square - and the queen unveiled a plaque to commemorate her visit today. Many school children contributed to today's celebrations, some of them singing at the service which the royal party attended at Leicester Cathedral.

Students and young people had turned out to see the Queen and celebrate her visit Photo © Harjinder Ohbi

2nd March

Event calls for young talent to be recognised

An event held at the Mercure Hotel today brought together businesses and talented young people, aged 16 to 25. Artists performed to a gathering of entrepreneurs and business people who listened to presentations about how young talent can be recognised and celebrated in the world of commercial organisations.

Joshua Bennet The Spoken Wordsmith

The event - iGen3Live - was developed by management consultancy firm Consultancy V é rit é Ltd , a Leicestershire-based business. New Yorker Joshua Bennett, a performance poet, was one of the artists who took part in the mixed programme of acts and presentations. Leicester singer Hannah B performed some of her songs and Serbian pianist Marija Andjic played pieces by Debussy and de Falla.

The event also had taken place in London on 1st March before coming to Leicester for a repeat of the programme. Singer Hannah B told us "it's been really interesting. It's very inspiring to find out about other people's stories." Hannah has now moved to London, after launching her music career in Leicester.

Speaking at the event Blake Brandes, hip-hop artist, said "all of us here have talent - the key is to recognise it." Blake went on to engage in some pretty impressive beatboxing to back freestyle rapping on the stage. Youth Ambassdor Hafsah Ali told the meeting "I have had to get myself out there and make myself stand out." She said that work experience is a valuable and life-changing experience for young people. Trainer and coach Tim Keck urged people to learn from each, across the generation gap. "What stops people from discovering each other's talents is fear", he told the meeting. Tim's presentation emphasised the importance of developing open working relationships and the formation of partnerships on the path to success.

International trainer David Cotton talked about a project in Syria in which young people came together to learn about enterprise, irrespective of their religious differences. This was just one of many examples of work that has taken place in which the hopes and passions of young people had come to fruition, through creating the right environment in which they realised the full potential of their talents. Speakers pointed to the ways in which younger and older people have worked together to share a common purpose. "Listening to each other, " he said, "is the best form of respect."

Award-winning pianist Marija Andjic performed a duet with David Cotton, who accompanied her on the Mandolin. It was an interesting and unusual afternoon, bringing together enjoyable music and poetry, to engage the audience in the core messages from the presenters - how business organisations can realise the full potential of young people. The messages that young people want to get across can be delivered in ways that are fresh and innovative.

iGen3 works to bring together businesses and talented young people; it's purpose lies in addressing the challenges young people face in finding their route into business and in tackling the communication issues that often exist between generations within organisations. The LIVE event was aimed at celebrating the wealth of talent that already exists within organisations and also the talent that lies outside, waiting for a chance to impress.

Find out more on the CVL website | See iGen3Live on Facebook

Read our report on some of the artists who took part - in our Music Events Diary.

See our page on Business and the Arts

27th February

Live music bill set to become law

THE Live Music Bill is set to receive the Royal Assent in March. The new law will de-regulate small music venues that put on live shows. The new act will, it is claimed, remove much of the bureaucracy created by the Licensing act 2003.

Pubs and clubs are venues most likely to be affected. Venues that have fewer than 200 people present - listening to amplified music between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. - will not have to apply for a licence. This will enable community halls, for example, to put on gigs without having to obtain a licence.

The Bill has now gone through its third reading in the Commons in January and has been passed by the Lords. Some commentators have argued that this move will lead to an increase in live music shows, benefiting both communities and musicians. An increase in the growth of live music will benefit up and coming bands, seeking to establish their careers, it has been argued.

Some venues and promoters, however, believe that the quality of live music shows will decline as pubs and church halls try to cash in on the new opportunities created by de-regulation and start supplying sub-standard events. Opinions, it seems are split, on the impact of the new law.

Live Music Bill Passes, for better of for worse

23rd February

New hotel boosts Cultural Quarter

A new hotel opened in the centre of Leicester today and hopes are high that this will add a further boost to the fortunes of the Cultural Quarter.

The Ramada Encore launched itself tonight with a reception attended by celebrities, VIPs and people from Leicester's arts and tourism sectors.

The new 115 bed hotel is located at one of the gateways to the Cultural Quarter, in Charles Street, only a stone's throw from Curve. Martin Traynor, Chief Executive of the Chamber of Commerce, told us: "This is another important addition to Leicester's hotel stock. It further positions Leicester as a national centre for conferences."

vip guests at the ramada encore launch night

Councillor Robert Wann, The Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Leicester commented to us: "This is a fantastic development given the current economic climate. It is great that Ramada are investing in Leicester, a city of rich cultural diversity and an important destination for art lovers and business people."

Fiona Allan, Chief Executive of Curve told us that a deal had been struck between the Ramada Encore and Curve, allowing people to see a show at the theatre and get overnight accommodation in one package. Fiona told us that the hotel's proximity to the Cultural Quarter would encourage people to come to Leicester from around the country.

Leicester Tigers player, Jordan Crane (No. 8) said "It's a nice place ... swanky." Jordan is a fan of Kasabian. Miss England Winner, Alize Lily Mounter was there to add a touch of glamour to the evening. The national final of the Miss England competition takes place at The Athena Theatre on Tuesday 26th June.

Speaking at the hotel's opening ceremony, General Manager Henrik Jesperson told the invited guests that work on the hotel had begun in February 2010. The hotel was converted from an old office block and this has been completely rebuilt to produce the current finely established property.

The hotel features comfortable and contemporary accommodation, innovative in design and featuring modern amenities. Guests can relax in The Hub, our upbeat bar area or enjoy our modern restaurant serving excellent cuisine in stylish surroundings. All 115 bedrooms have modern decor and are bright and spacious. Rooms are well equipped with walk in showers, generous work area, hi speed internet access, tea/coffee facilities and flat screen TV.

Find out more about the Ramada Encore hotel

14th February

Original Bands Showcase ready to roll

The 2012 OBS gigs are ready to roll. Starting on Friday 9th March, the shows for bands from the Midlands will take place at the Musician live music venue in Leicester.

Details are on our OBS 2012 news page.

Local artist brought colourful smiles to Rainbows Hospice

Local artist, Bali Sangha-Jenkins (Baliartbali) donated some her original art paintings to the Rainbows Children's Charity in Loughborough. On Saturday 4th February.

The Artwork includeed eight foot hot air balloon, autumn berries, happy days and many more from her old and existing art collections. As Bali is a keen supporter of the charity, she wanted to show her support by donating some of her spectacular Art just for Rainbows Hospice.

Artist, Bali Sangha-Jenkins said "I feel the children, the hard working volunteers and the dedicated staff could do with some colorful abstract artwork which could help to brighten up and place and most importantly bring smiles to the children's and families time at the Hospice."

The Community fundraiser of Rainbows Charity, Jennifer Leach, said "Bali work is beautiful and we are so happy to accept a generous donationands we would love to have the colorful Abstracts up on our walls around the hospice they would be stimulating for the children with the bright shapes and colors."

See Bali Sangha-Jenkins web site

4th February

EDL march passes peacefully

Leicestershire Police Chief Constable Simon Cole has sent a public thank you to the people of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland for their support in ensuring that yesterday's marches in the city centre passed peacefully.

Around 700 supporters from the English Defence League (EDL) and 200 from Leicester Unite Against Fascism (UAF) carried out separate marches in the city centre.

There were no arrests directly connected to the marches. Mr Cole said: "The success of the operation is due to a number of factors, not least the support from Leicester City Council in preparing the city for [today's] event and the co-operation of the Leicester public.

"Today more than 2,000 officers and staff were involved in policing the marches joined by colleagues from 17 others forces and to those we owe a huge debt of thanks for their support."

City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: "Whereas the last visit from the EDL ended in violence and the city being brought to a standstill, this year it has largely been business as usual. This goes to show that allowing the EDL and UAF to march was the right thing to do."

"It is now important to get our city back to normal. The Leicester Comedy Festival is in full swing and on Tuesday the city will be hosting the second Big Eat."

The Phoenix Arts Centre was one of the few city's venues that decided to close its doors during the day and open only in the evening at 6.30 p.m. Curve theatre operated normally throughout the day.

The city council and the police asked licensed premises to close between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The SoundHouse told us that they expect any disruption to be minimal as they will be open in the evening and not during the day. The Exchange Bar in Rutland Street planned to open at 2.30 p.m. The Firebug planned to open at 2 p.m.

Sloans and other bars in New Walk opened on the advice of the police. The Musician was not expecting any impact and will open as usual in the evening. The Shed opened as normal for its evening gig. The Crumblin' Cookie's comedy shows were not affected by either the march or the snow.

THE city council is advised people to be aware that some buses and traffic would be re-routed in the city centre and there were a small number of road closures and changes to city centre bus stops while the marches took place.

30th January

Cultural Exchanges

Cultural Exchanges is a diverse week of interactive discussions, performances and talks at DMU; showcasing an eclectic programme of guests. The Festival and its programme represent the culture and creativity of De Montfort University, the city of Leicester and contemporary society in order to bring together cultures and industries. It is hosted by the Faculty of Art, Design and Humanities, and is run by degree students.

This year's festival highlights include:

Matthew Bourne - award winning choreographer Matthew is renowned for his visionary interpretations of classical ballet such as Swan Lake and The Nutcracker.
Dame Janet Suzman - known for her outstanding portrayals of most of Shakespeare's illustrious heroines.
Jamal Edwards - CEO of the online music channel SBTV. Hugh McIlvanney - the only sportswriter to be named Britain's journalist of the year.
Heather Peace - best known for her roles in the TV dramas Lip Service and London's Burning and will soon be on our screens in Waterloo Road.

More details are available on Facebook

27th January

App launched for bars and clubs

An App for smartphones was launched last night. Grapevine City provides an App that will deliver information about bars, clubs and nightlife in Leicester. Users can plan their budget, their tastes and their night out by searching data, supplied to their App, on their smart phone.

The localised information is available to download free from the supplier's web site. At present it is available for Android, iPhone and Blackberry handsets.

The launch took place at Manhattan 34 bar in Rutland Street. Jono Mays told us: "I used to run SuperFly nightclub so I realised how useful it would be if people could check out what is going on using their phones.

"If you are on a night out you can check the latest drinks offers, which DJs are playing and find where the best scene is likely to be. People used to do this on Facebook but that has become too cluttered with noise".

Jono showed me how users could look for live rock music and plans are being made to increase the supply of gig dates in the system. Jono said "The data is pretty much limited to Leicester and Leicestershire. We have plans to widen that out to Nottingham, Loughborough, Derby and other nearby cities".

You can download the App from the Grapevine-city web site.

16th January 2012

Club owner convicted over flyposting

THE owner of a city centre music venue has been ordered to pay almost £5,500 after being convicted of a string of flyposting offences. Tim Sturgess, who operated the Auditorium venue in Market Place, Leicester, was convicted of seven offences of flyposting across the city, which is illegal under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 section 224.

Leicester magistrates heard how Sturgess was responsible for so much flyposting across the city that Leicester City Council is now looking to impose a Criminal Antisocial Behaviour Order (CRASBO) preventing him from flyposting in future.

At a hearing on January 16, magistrates heard how posters for the Auditorium had been seen in Loughborough Road, Sanvey Gate, Narborough Road, Humberstone Road, Woodgate and St Nicholas Circle.

Sturgess pleaded not guilty to the offences, claiming the venue wasn't his business, despite all the venue's licence applications, business rates and day-to-day running being handled by Sturgess. Magistrates imposed fines totalling £1,295 for the seven offences, and ordered Sturgess to pay £4,153 in costs, along with a victim support charge of £15.

The Auditorium closed in September 2011, but if the CRASBO application is successful it will apply to other venues owned and operated by Sturgess. He currently runs Thread, in Yeoman Street.

Leicester assistant city mayor responsible for neighbourhood services, Cllr Sarah Russell, said: "Flyposting is a blight to our city and the removal costs are an ongoing drain on council resources. "Most proprietors work with us in a responsible way, and to protect the responsible premises it's important to take action against people who flout the law."

Pages in this section:

Bands news - for 2012 | for 2011| for 2010

Dance - news about dancers and dance shows for 2012 | Dance news 2011 | Dance news for 2010

Drama - news about theatre, plays and drama for 2011

Literature - news about writing, authors and books for 2012

Venues - news about venues for 2011 | Venue news for 2010

Visual arts - news about painting, films, photography, digital arts and much more for 2012

News pages in other sections

Our section for the press and media

Acoustic song news

Comedy news for 2011

Comedy news for 2012