Feature article: The case for Leicester
The case for Leicester as a vibrant live
music scene and all kinds of arts
Why come to Leicester?
Leicester is a city full of big ideas, a rich diversity of
people, its centre is vivid, vibrant and bustling, has a wealth of businesses,
it creates opportunities for entrepreneurs to grow, and is rich in face to
face networking opportunities.
Leicester has three international airports within 40 minutes
drive. The city centre has a computerised parking system, linking all the multi-story
car parks and giving on street information about the availability of spaces.
With three motorway junctions, two for the M1 (South
to North) and one for the M69 (East to West), a busy train station with half
hourly departures to London and cross country routes, the city is centrally placed
and easy to get to.
Radio Leicester is the longest established local radio station
in the UK. It still operates from its city centre premises.
The HighCross shopping centre is one of
the most modern in England. The Open Market is one of the biggest
in Europe. The city centre hosts regular food fairs, often with a continental
theme.
The Cultural
Quarter is a focus for the arts and creative
industries.
The area occupied by the city of Leicester has had almost
2,000 of years of continuous habitation and has one of the finest mixes of buildings
from Roman times to the present day. The city has a rich architectural heritage.
Two universities are in the centre of the city: Leicester
and De
Montfort,
while Loughborough is only a 15 minute train ride away. Leicester
College offers a broad range of courses for students and people in the community.
Leicester now has a Mayor,
who, with his team, is planning
the economic development of the city.
Why Leicester is a good destination for creatives
and artists
This city is unusual in having so many opportunities for
artists to display their work, perform and find an outlet for their talents.
James Scott-Howes and Ryan Albutt of The Great Imitation.
Weekends are full of surprises. Find
out what happened over Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th June, to get a flavour
of what a weekend in Leicester can be like.
CURVE is one of Europe's newest theatres.
Its state of the art facilities puts it in the forefront of theatrical productions.
The Little Theatre is popular with local audiences who support
amateur productions. The Y theatre's stage offers a variety
of shows, including comedy and live music. Music is also a key part of the De
Montfort Hall.
The O2 Academy is a prime example of private sector inward
investment in to Leicester.
The Leicester Creative Business Depot offers a range of studios and offices
for start-up creative businesses.
Leicester has a wide range of live music venues, from the
large (1000 - 1300 cap) down to several small venues (150 to 200 cap). There
are live music events taking place every day of the week. There are over 350
active rock bands in Leicester/shire. The city also has a thriving Urban scene
with talented rappers, RnB and hip-hop artists.
For painters, visual and digital artists there are several
places where work can be exhibited to the public. Artsin has reported on recent
exhibitions by local artists.
The world of films is headed by by one of our flagship centres:
the Phoenix is major
new venue for film and digital media.
Where
would Leicester be without its festivals? Hundreds of
thousands of people come to the city to join the celebrations every year, including
the Caribbean Carnival, Gay Pride, The Mela, Diwali and a host of music events,
large and small. The Comedy Festival is famous throughout Europe.
A wide diversity of cultural
events and shows take place
both in the city and at the county venues.
Leicester is an ideal location for companies and businesses
wanting to relocate and for new businesses looking for an area that promises
prosperity. Centrally located, with a wide range of new premises, business parks
and science parks, Leicester is a must for any company's checklist.
As a destination for artists, Leicester stands out as a rich
and vibrant opportunity, full of creative talent and constantly busy with public
events of all kinds.
The National Space Centre
In the field of sports, Leicester is noted for its Foodball,
Rugby, Cricket and Horse Racing.
Find out more
Leicester at the weekends: our round up of Fridays, Saturdays
and Sundays in Leicester
Leicester's Economy
Prospect Leicestershire
One Leicester
