Soar Sound

How can people in Leicester take greater control of their health and wellbeing? What support is available locally, and how can community organisations make it easier for people to get the advice and assistance they need? In the second episode of Soar Sound’s coverage of the Community Assessment Day at Braunstone Leisure Centre, community reporters Rob Watson, Helen Pettman and Karolina continue their conversations with residents, health professionals and voluntary organisations. The discussions range from preventing diabetes and detecting lung cancer earlier to mental health, supporting carers, saving money on household energy bills and the importance of community spaces. Together, they reveal how health and wellbeing are closely connected with people’s everyday circumstances, their relationships and their ability to access practical support. Supporting Older People and Carers Dave Robinson from Age UK Leicestershire and Rutland explains how the organisation supports older people and those with caring responsibilities. Its Leicester City carers’ service provides advice and assistance for adults aged eighteen and over, including benefits checks, carers’ passports and opportunities to join support groups. Dave also introduces the Warm and Wise project, which helps people aged over fifty understand their household energy use and identify ways to reduce their bills. The service offers free home energy assessments, practical advice about heating and assistance for those experiencing difficulties with energy payments. Households can also receive useful equipment, such as draught excluders, energy-saving light bulbs and radiator reflectors. The discussion illustrates an important connection between health and household finances. Keeping a home warm, managing energy bills and receiving appropriate support can make a significant difference to people’s wellbeing and independence. What Makes Leicester an Active City? Karolina, representing Moving Conversation through Active Together, returns to a question at the heart of the Community Assessment Day: what do people already do to keep themselves active, and what would help them become more active in the future? One resident describes walking to work each day, amounting to more than an hour of walking on a typical working day. Although already active, they would like to make more regular use of a gym. The conversation demonstrates that becoming more active does not always require a major change in lifestyle. Sometimes it involves finding the time, motivation and opportunities to build on activities that people already enjoy. Karolina also discusses the PhotoVoice project, which encourages residents to document features of their neighbourhoods that affect their willingness or ability to get out and about. Photographs of unsafe bus stops, traffic, rubbish and inaccessible community facilities raise questions about the quality of Leicester’s public spaces. The loss of places where people can meet, such as libraries and informal social spaces, is another concern. Encouraging physical activity is therefore not simply a matter of individual motivation. It also depends on creating neighbourhoods where people feel safe, welcome and able to participate. Wesley Hall – Building Connections Through Community Activities Arvind, a project coordinator at Wesley Hall Community Centre, describes the considerable range of activities provided by the charity. Serving residents from across Leicester, Wesley Hall offers activities for different age groups, including wellbeing sessions, computer classes, English and driving theory support, food-related projects, music sessions and opportunities for informal social contact. The centre also provides support for people seeking asylum, recognising the importance of communicating across different languages and helping people understand unfamiliar systems. Arvind explains that multilingual staff, volunteers and translation technology help make the centre accessible. However, he also acknowledges that organisations need to do more than simply advertise services. People must feel comfortable entering a community space and confident that they will be welcomed. Wesley Hall’s regular coffee mornings offer opportunities for local organisations and residents to meet, discover shared interests and establish relationships. Arvind’s invitation to other organisations attending the Community Assessment Day is particularly relevant. Rather than expecting residents to find their way through a complicated network of services, providers should spend time in established community settings, getting to know the people they hope to support. Running, Mental Health and Community Reporting John Coster joins Helen Pettman for a conversation about exercise, journalism and community media. John explains that running provides an important way of maintaining his mental wellbeing, particularly when balancing a demanding workload and frequent international travel. He describes preparing for a ten-kilometre run and the value he finds in exercising early in the morning, enjoying the peace and solitude. The conversation then turns to his work supporting the development of S24 Television in Nigeria, where he has been drawing on his experience of community reporting and media development in Leicester. John reflects on the establishment of Citizens Eye in 2008 and the subsequent growth of community reporting networks, volunteer-led news services and opportunities for practical media training. These experiences continue to inform his work, both internationally and in Leicester. He also recognises the contribution that Soar Sound and the Evington Echo can make by encouraging local people to participate in reporting and sharing information. His observations raise a wider question about the role of community media. The value of local reporting is not simply in distributing information, but in helping organisations and residents become more aware of one another and develop stronger working relationships. Preventing Type 2 Diabetes Through Everyday Changes Oliver from Xyla Health and Wellbeing introduces the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, which supports people identified as being at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The programme involves thirteen educational sessions delivered over approximately nine months, addressing nutrition, physical activity, stress and sleep. Oliver explains that the programme is designed around gradual changes in behaviour rather than expecting people to transform their lifestyles immediately. Participants are encouraged to set achievable goals and review their progress, helping them develop habits that can be maintained over time. The discussion also explores the importance of understanding blood glucose measurements, portion sizes and the relationship between food choices and long-term health. Oliver’s background in sport and exercise psychology brings an additional perspective. Knowing what constitutes a healthy lifestyle is not necessarily the same as being able to make lasting changes. The challenge is helping people develop the confidence, motivation and practical routines that allow them to put that knowledge into everyday practice. Lung Cancer Screening – Finding Problems Earlier Grace, who works on NHS lung cancer screening engagement, explains plans for a screening programme in Leicester aimed at identifying lung cancer before symptoms develop. The programme is intended for people aged fifty-five to seventy-four with a history of smoking, including those who stopped smoking many years ago. Grace describes how eligible people will be invited to take part in an initial risk assessment, with those meeting the programme’s criteria offered further screening. A significant feature of the approach is the use of mobile screening facilities based in accessible community locations rather than requiring everyone to attend a hospital. The aim is to make participation as straightforward as possible, particularly for people who might otherwise find it difficult to attend appointments. The conversation also considers the importance of communicating health risks without creating unnecessary fear. Grace acknowledges that some people avoid discussing cancer because they find the subject distressing. However, the purpose of screening is to identify problems at an earlier stage, when treatment is more likely to be effective. At the time of the interview, the programme was being prepared for introduction in Leicester towards the end of November 2026. The discussion highlights the importance of clear, accessible communication when introducing new preventative health services. Understanding Stress, Anxiety and Mental Wellbeing Sheila Solanki from NHS Talking Therapies, provided locally by Vita Health Group, explains how residents can access free and confidential support for common mental health difficulties. The service supports people aged sixteen and over who are registered with a GP in Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland. The difficulties addressed include stress, anxiety, low mood, depression, sleep problems and phobias. Sheila discusses the distinction between the ordinary stresses of everyday life and difficulties that may benefit from structured therapeutic support. The service offers a range of psychological therapies, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, with assessments used to determine which approach may be appropriate for an individual’s circumstances. Employment support is another important part of the service, particularly for people returning to work after an extended absence or experiencing difficulties maintaining employment. The conversation also explores how people interpret everyday situations and how changing their responses can sometimes help them manage anxiety. Sheila uses the example of being delayed by traffic lights. We cannot always control external circumstances, but we may be able to change how we respond to them. The discussion reinforces the value of recognising when additional help might be useful rather than assuming that people should manage every difficulty alone. Bringing Services and Communities Together Across the second episode, a recurring theme emerges: many of the challenges affecting people’s health are connected. Someone experiencing financial pressure may struggle to keep their home warm. A person living with anxiety may find it difficult to return to work. Poor access to public spaces may discourage people from walking, while the loss of community facilities can reduce opportunities for social contact. At the same time, Leicester has a substantial network of organisations offering practical assistance, specialist advice and opportunities for participation. The challenge is making those connections visible and accessible. Events such as the Community Assessment Day create opportunities for residents to speak directly with practitioners, ask questions and discover services they might otherwise never encounter. They also allow organisations to learn from each other and identify opportunities for collaboration. For Soar Sound, the event demonstrates the value of community reporting as a participatory activity. Rather than simply publicising what organisations provide, community reporters can ask questions, explore people’s experiences and encourage conversations that might not otherwise take place. As Karolina reflects at the end of the day, one of the most important lessons from interviewing people is learning to listen. That is also a useful starting point for improving community health. Understanding what people need, what they already do and the difficulties they encounter can help local organisations develop services that are more relevant, accessible and effective. Listen to the second episode of Soar Sound’s Community Assessment Day podcast to hear the conversations with residents, community organisations and health professionals at Braunstone Leisure Centre. Soar Sound is Leicester’s community radio station, supporting local people and organisations to tell their own stories, share information and participate in community broadcasting. Source

What does it mean to be active? It might mean going to the gym, swimming or cycling, but it can also mean walking to the shops, taking the children out, meeting friends or simply finding more reasons to get up and move during the day. That was one of the messages coming through clearly when Soar Sound joined the Community Assessment Day at Braunstone Leisure Centre, where local residents, community organisations and health professionals came together to talk about health, movement and wellbeing. Working alongside Karolina and the Moving Conversation initiative, Soar Sound spoke with people taking part in the event and with organisations offering practical support across Leicester and Leicestershire. Starting With Everyday Movement Karolina explained that Moving Conversation is interested in the ordinary things people do to stay active. Exercise does not have to mean competitive sport or an intensive fitness programme. Walking, shopping, spending time outside with friends and family, swimming and other everyday activities can all help people keep moving. The challenge is that everyday life often gets in the way. Work, childcare, transport and the cost of organised activities can all make it harder for people to participate. The conversations at Braunstone also suggested that many people are already doing more than they might give themselves credit for. Several people interviewed during the day described regular gym sessions, swimming, walking in Leicester’s parks and exercising at home. One seventy-two-year-old participant spoke about gradually increasing the distance he runs at the gym and using activity monitoring to encourage himself to keep moving. His aim for the future was straightforward: to keep going, remain able to get up and about independently and maintain his physical and mental fitness as he gets older. Health Is Also About Confidence The organisations gathered at Braunstone demonstrated how closely physical health, mental wellbeing and confidence are connected. Jess, a physiotherapist with the Falls Prevention Service at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, explained how a fall can sometimes lead people into a cycle of reduced activity. Someone becomes worried about falling again, stops doing things they previously enjoyed, loses strength and then becomes more vulnerable to another fall. Falls prevention therefore involves more than exercises. The service looks at strength, balance, walking patterns, confidence and the home environment, including practical issues such as footwear, clutter and everyday movement around the house. The underlying aim is to help people retain or rebuild their independence. A similar emphasis on confidence came from the NHS Talking Therapies team. Their work supports people experiencing stress, anxiety and other difficulties associated with everyday life, including caring responsibilities, long-term health conditions, education and employment. Activities such as drumming were described as one way of helping people connect with others, relax and open conversations about mental wellbeing without making those conversations unnecessarily clinical. Talking About Health Issues We Often Avoid Some health problems are particularly difficult for people to discuss. Amina Yakuub, a pelvic health physiotherapist, explained that pelvic health problems can affect people of different ages and can have a profound effect on everyday life. Problems with bladder or bowel control, pain or other symptoms can lead people to organise their lives around access to toilets, avoid exercise or withdraw from activities and relationships. Her message was that people should not simply assume these problems are something they have to live with. Assessment and specialist physiotherapy can help people understand what is happening and identify appropriate treatment. Arthritis Support Leicestershire presented another approach to living with a long-term condition. Conrad described the charity’s work around exercise, nutrition, pain management and mindfulness. One of the ideas discussed was the “spoon theory”, which encourages people to think about the amount of energy available to them during a day and how different activities use that energy. Rather than measuring success against what somebody used to be able to do, it can help people recognise what they have achieved while avoiding exhaustion from trying to do too much at once. Connecting Health With Work and Daily Life Health also affects people’s ability to work. The Work Well service supports people whose physical or mental health may be making it difficult to remain in employment, return after a period away or find work. Support can include health coaching, advice about conversations with employers and connections with other services. Support for Carers Leicestershire similarly highlighted the needs of people whose own wellbeing can easily be overlooked because they are caring for somebody else. The service offers information, assessments, support groups and opportunities for carers to talk through the pressures they experience. Supporting the carer is an important part of sustaining the wider caring relationship. Health Starts in the Community Leicester City Council’s Public Health team brought the conversation back to prevention and everyday community life. Their work includes encouraging people to take up health checks, promoting children’s oral health and supporting activities such as gardening. Libraries across Leicester are involved in gardening initiatives, including access to seeds for library members. Gardening provides a simple example of how physical activity, mental wellbeing and social interaction can come together in an activity that does not necessarily feel like formal exercise. The environment around us matters as well. Karolina brought photographs created through a PhotoVoice project in which local people documented features of Leicester that can either encourage or discourage people from being active. Traffic, transport, obstructed or unpleasant routes and concerns about safety can all affect whether someone feels comfortable walking around their neighbourhood. Making Leicester more active is therefore not simply a matter of telling individuals to exercise more. It also means thinking about the places, services and opportunities that make activity possible. Listening to the Community At the end of a busy day, Karolina reflected on what had surprised her. She had expected to talk about the need for people to become more active, but instead found many people, including older residents, already making a considerable effort to keep moving. She also saw the value of bringing many different organisations together in one place. Instead of expecting people to know which service they need, an event like the Community Assessment Day allows residents to talk directly with specialists, ask questions and discover forms of support they may not previously have known existed. There was another lesson from the day too. Asked what she had learned from interviewing people for radio, Karolina’s answer was simple: listen. Community reporting works best when it creates space for people to explain their own experiences rather than telling them what they ought to think. That principle applies equally well to health and community development. If Leicester wants more people to be active, connected and healthy, the starting point is not simply another instruction to exercise. It is listening to what people already do, understanding what gets in their way, and connecting them with the opportunities and support that can help them take the next step. Listen to the Soar Sound podcast from the Community Assessment Day at Braunstone Leisure Centre to hear the conversations with residents, health professionals and community organisations in their own words. Source

What happens when something reaches the end of its expected life? For many materials, the answer is still straightforward. They are thrown away, stored indefinitely, or sent into waste systems where whatever creative potential they once contained disappears from view. ReCreate, the new scrap store established by Kala Arts on Frog Island, starts from a different question. What might this material become next? We visited ReCreate during its soft launch on 15th August, when artists, volunteers and visitors were beginning to explore the space and discover what a scrap store might offer. The atmosphere was appropriately informal. Founder Sim welcomed people inside with a makeshift ribbon-cutting ceremony before visitors began looking through shelves, materials and workspaces. Nearby, artist and volunteer Daniel invited people to add pieces of discarded plastic to a collaborative mural. It was a simple activity, but one that expressed much of the thinking behind the project. Plastic that might otherwise have entered landfill was being treated as creative material. Something apparently without value was being reconsidered through making. ReCreate grew from Kala Arts’ own experience of trying to work sustainably. Sim explains in the podcast that an earlier arts commission required a considerable amount of time simply to locate suitable materials. Connections were made with community members and scrap stores elsewhere in the country, but the experience exposed something missing locally: a place where reusable materials could be gathered, organised and made accessible to creative people. The scrap store is therefore about more than inexpensive art supplies. It represents a circular approach to creative practice. Manufacturing surplus, paper, card, craft materials and community donations can remain in circulation rather than automatically becoming waste. A box of old VHS tapes, for example, becomes interesting precisely because its future purpose has not yet been decided. Its previous function does not have to determine what happens next. That principle extends beyond materials. Sim describes scrap stores elsewhere bringing together crafters, makers, hobbyists, students, nurseries, childminders and other people interested in making things. ReCreate hopes to create similar connections through workshops, swap events, sharing activities and opportunities for volunteering. Volunteer Diane describes her involvement in equally practical terms: an interest in art, sustainability and working with other people. Asked whether volunteering requires a particular talent for sorting and organising, she suggests something more accommodating. People bring different strengths, learn as they participate and somehow make the organised chaos work. There is something important in that description. Creative spaces do not necessarily emerge because every element has been designed in advance. They can develop because people are given somewhere to contribute, experiment, learn from one another and gradually discover what the space can become. The building itself reflects that process. Kala Arts left its previous workshop space because a scrap store required something different: loading access, storage, room to organise materials and enough flexibility for people to move through the space easily. The Frog Island premises began largely as an empty shell. Much of its development has followed the same resourceful principles as the scrap store itself, with materials, expertise and support gathered through relationships with other people and organisations. At the same time, the building has deliberately been treated as an artwork rather than simply a warehouse. Its exterior and interior communicate that this is a place concerned with imagination as much as storage. That distinction matters, because sustainability can sometimes be presented primarily as restriction: using less, consuming less or giving things up. ReCreate suggests another interpretation. Reuse can also enlarge the creative possibilities available to us. An unwanted object can become the starting point for a sculpture. Manufacturing surplus can become workshop material. A discarded piece of plastic can become part of a communal artwork. An unused building can become a meeting place. The value lies not simply in preventing something from being thrown away, but in changing how we look at what is already around us. ReCreate is still at the beginning of that process. Its soft launch offered an opportunity for people to look around, ask questions and imagine how they might participate before the fuller launch planned for September. In this edition of Spotlight on Arts, we hear from Sim, Daniel and Diane about the origins of the project, the practical work involved in creating the scrap store, and the possibilities that emerge when creativity, sustainability and community participation begin to overlap. Perhaps the most interesting question is also the simplest. Before something is discarded, might we first ask what else it could become? Source

What happens when people affected by addiction are given the opportunity to tell their own stories, in their own way? In this edition of Spotlight on Arts, Rob Watson talks with filmmaker and recovery advocate Maddie Kitchen about the Recovery Street Film Festival, a UK-wide festival dedicated to films made by and about people affected by substance use. The festival invites people to make short films of between one and three minutes. This year’s theme, Rewriting the Script, asks filmmakers to reflect on their experiences of recovery and the changes that become possible when people begin to imagine a different future. For Maddie, the important thing is not expensive equipment or professional filmmaking experience. A film can be made with a professional camera or with the phone somebody already carries in their pocket. What matters is the story. That principle runs throughout the conversation. Maddie describes how the festival creates space for lived experience voices that are often missing from conventional media. Films might address difficult experiences associated with addiction, but the emphasis is not simply on suffering. They can also explore recovery, hope, relationships, creativity and the gradual process of rebuilding a life. Maddie brings her own experience to this work. She trained in filmmaking, worked at ITN and later with the Media Trust, before establishing Sobriety Films in 2019. Her filmmaking practice now combines professional experience with her own long-term recovery from alcohol dependence. She describes filmmaking as something that has remained fundamental to her throughout her life. Creativity as Part of Recovery The conversation moves beyond the film festival itself and considers what participation in creative activity can mean for somebody recovering from addiction, trauma or periods of serious difficulty. Making a film can involve learning about cameras, sound, editing, writing, directing or producing. But the significance of the process may lie somewhere deeper. People work together, exchange experiences, and begin to discover forms of creativity that may previously have felt inaccessible. As Maddie explains, the finished film is only one part of that process. For somebody who has experienced addiction or who is beginning recovery, seeing something they have created projected onto a cinema screen can provide a powerful recognition that their experience matters and that they are capable of creating something other people value. Finding a Voice Rob and Maddie also discuss the relationship between creativity, feeling and personal identity. The conversation draws briefly on Carl Jung’s idea of individuation: the process through which a person gradually develops a stronger understanding of themselves. Maddie sees a parallel with recovery, where people may need to rediscover an identity that is no longer organised around substances or previous experiences. Filmmaking can help create the conditions for that exploration. Maddie describes beginning workshops with apparently simple questions. What is your favourite film? What does creativity mean to you? What does recovery mean to you? From those starting points, stories begin to emerge. She recalls working with one woman who initially insisted that she could not make a film. Asked who she loved most in the world, she eventually began talking about her cat. That conversation opened into a much larger story about recovery, survival and poetry she had written years earlier. The example illustrates one of the main ideas running through the programme: creative ability does not necessarily have to be taught before somebody can participate. Sometimes it has to be recognised. The Recovery Street Film Festival Comes to Leicester The Recovery Street Film Festival provides one setting where that can happen. This year the festival comes to Leicester for the first time in the Midlands, working in partnership with Phoenix Cinema and with sponsorship from Leicester City Council. The public screening takes place at Phoenix on 26 September between 2pm and 4pm. Audiences will be able to watch the selected films and take part in a question-and-answer session with filmmakers. An afterparty is also planned at the Stairway Project. Film submissions remain open until 23 August. The festival is particularly encouraging younger filmmakers to participate. A special prize has been introduced for people aged between 16 and 25, recognising that younger people affected by substance use may have experiences that are not always represented publicly. Participation Matters Ultimately, the discussion is about more than filmmaking. It is about what can happen when people are trusted to speak for themselves, when technical barriers are reduced, and when creative participation becomes something ordinary people can undertake rather than something reserved for professionals. For community media, that distinction matters. The value of making something together cannot always be measured simply by the quality of the finished production. It can also be found in the confidence developed, relationships formed and stories discovered along the way. Listen to this edition of Spotlight on Arts to hear Maddie Kitchen discuss the Recovery Street Film Festival, her own experience of recovery and filmmaking, and why creativity can provide a powerful way for people to begin rewriting their own scripts. Source

What can happen when an overlooked urban space is placed in the hands of people prepared to imagine something different? This edition of Spotlight on Arts visits the Braunstone Gate Archways, where a former industrial unit beside the Great Central Way has been transformed into a distinctive space for art, craft, food, gardening and community activity. Recorded during an arts and crafts market organised by artist Traci Howard, the programme brings together the voices of artists, makers, volunteers and gardeners. Their experiences reveal how creative activity can give new purpose to neglected spaces while creating opportunities for conversation, experimentation and participation. A Space With Its Own Character The archway once formed part of the infrastructure connecting the railway, canal and surrounding industries. In more recent years, it was used as a mechanic’s workshop before being left damp, dusty and filled with discarded materials. Traci first became involved while volunteering in the neighbouring community garden. Although the archway was in poor condition, she could see its potential. After clearing the space, she began inviting local people to use it. An informal gathering was followed by a willow-weaving event, craft sessions, exhibitions and, eventually, the arts market featured in the programme. The arch remains deliberately rustic. It has no conventional electricity supply or running water, but lighting, an inverter, a sink and other facilities have gradually been introduced. Rather than disguising its history, the space retains the texture and atmosphere of its previous uses. For Traci, the archway is a kind of “giant canvas”: a place that can continue to change according to the ideas people bring to it. Creativity as a Shared Experience The market includes professional artists, independent makers, clothing designers and food producers. What connects them is not simply the opportunity to sell something. The event creates a setting in which people can explain their work, exchange ideas and meet others involved in Leicester’s creative community. Tal, who has helped develop the site, describes it as both an event space and a testbed for off-grid living. Rainwater collection, solar energy, composting facilities and the neighbouring community garden demonstrate practical alternatives to conventional urban infrastructure. The aim is not to withdraw from the city, but to become more conscious of where water, food and energy come from. In this sense, the archway is both a cultural venue and a small-scale experiment in self-sufficiency. Making Time to Notice Food writer and producer Matt Glover presents his Jars of Danger range, developed from recipes in his cookbook. He describes the idea behind the products as creating a “pause on a plate”. That pause matters because independent food and craft can invite people to slow down and notice what they are experiencing. Rather than treating consumption as an automatic transaction, the market allows visitors to meet the person who created an object or prepared the food. The value lies partly in the product, but also in the time, care and individual judgement invested in making it. Resisting the Monoculture Artists Stuart Heaking and Carl from Persecute discuss the difficulty of working independently in a culture dominated by multinational retailers and standardised fashion. Carl argues that large corporations often produce a visual monoculture in which people are encouraged to look increasingly alike. Independent clothing and design provide an alternative: something distinctive that allows people to express their own tastes rather than simply adopting the imagery promoted by global brands. Stuart’s prints draw on everyday objects, including cameras, sewing equipment and kitchen utensils. These objects are closely connected with his personal memories, but they also resonate with other people who recognise similar experiences. The conversation raises an important question about artistic work. Artists may begin by making something intensely personal, but once that work enters a shared space, it can prompt recognition, memory and discussion among others. Art, Identity and the Natural World Artist Maya Stigner brings together graphic design, painting, citizen science and ecological research. Her work depicts bees, bumblebees and moths from Europe and the Indian subcontinent, reflecting her English and Indian heritage. By telling the stories behind different species, Maya encourages people to think beyond familiar garden insects and recognise the global networks of pollination on which food, spices and ecosystems depend. Her work demonstrates how art can communicate scientific and environmental ideas without reducing them to information alone. A painting becomes a point of entry into questions of identity, ecology, conservation and interdependence. Creativity Creates Conversation Cat, who makes polymer-clay earrings, explains how a craft activity at a friend’s hen celebration developed into a possible independent business. For her, sincerity is central to creative practice. Making and selling objects is important, but the interaction with the person standing in front of the stall can be more meaningful than the transaction itself. Craft markets offer an alternative to the isolation and self-consciousness that can be reinforced by social media. They bring makers and visitors into direct contact, creating opportunities to talk, respond and encounter different perspectives. As Cat puts it, creativity creates conversation. Growing Food in Limited Space Next to the archway is a volunteer-led community garden managed as part of the wider effort to improve Braunstone Gate. Lead gardener John Thompson explains how vegetables, flowers and plants are grown in containers and raised beds throughout the year. The garden also helps people understand that a conventional garden is not necessary to grow food. Many nearby homes have small yards rather than gardens. By demonstrating container growing and offering plants that can be taken home, the project shows that windowsills, pots and modest outdoor spaces can still be productive. The garden is therefore not only somewhere to grow food. It is a place where knowledge is exchanged and people can develop confidence through practical participation. Bringing Forgotten Places Back Into Use The Braunstone Gate Archways demonstrate what can happen when creative people are allowed to work incrementally, informally and with limited resources. The project does not depend on turning the space into a polished cultural venue. Its value comes from its particular character, its affordability and its openness to different uses. Exhibitions, workshops, markets, music, poetry, shared meals and gardening can all sit alongside one another. The space is shaped not by a single institutional programme, but by the people prepared to contribute time, ideas and practical labour. This Spotlight on Arts programme captures a creative community in the process of making something together. It is a reminder that cultural activity does not always begin in established galleries or purpose-built venues. Sometimes it begins by clearing an abandoned archway, switching on a string of lights and inviting people inside. Listen to the Podcast Listen to the full podcast to hear from Tracy Howard, Tal, Matt Glover, Stuart Heaking, Carl from Persecute, Maya Stigner, Cat and John Thompson. Find out more through Tracy Howard on Instagram at @tracy_howard, Braunstone Gate Archways on Facebook, Matt Glover at @mattgloverfood, Persecute at @persecute, Maya Stigner at @thisillusorylife, and Cat at @cat_scratch101. Spotlight on Arts is produced for Soar Sound, broadcasting online and on DAB across Leicester, Loughborough and Rugby. Source

The sound of hammering carries through Studio 17 as the final preparations are made for a major retrospective of work by Leicestershire artist Stephen Fox. Curator Paul Dexter is arranging paintings in the Tangent Gallery at Albert Street Artist Studios in Loughborough. Selecting work for the exhibition has meant looking back through an unusually large and varied archive. Stephen has been a member of Studio 17 for 17 years, producing hundreds of paintings during that time. His work includes watercolours, oils, acrylics, abstract pieces, landscapes and still lifes. For Paul, the process of assembling the exhibition has revealed several unexpected highlights. “We have uncovered some real gems,” he says. Flowers feature prominently, particularly sunflowers, lilies and roses. There are also butterflies, village scenes, roads, trees and landscapes inspired by photographs, magazines and Stephen’s surroundings. Rather than reproducing every detail precisely, Stephen simplifies the images he sees. The resulting paintings are bold, direct and highly distinctive, often using colour in unexpected ways. Stephen describes blue, red and green as particular favourites. He allows colours and shapes to develop as he works, sometimes drawing from photographs and sometimes constructing the composition more freely. “I make it up as I go along,” he explains. “All the different colours sort of appear on the palette.” A return to the gallery Although Stephen has exhibited before, this retrospective marked his first major solo exhibition for many years. His previous shows included an exhibition in 2011 and a display of oil landscapes at Hermitage FM in Coalville in 2012. The Studio 17 retrospective brought together both recent paintings and pieces produced throughout his long association with the group. Looking through the collection has reminded Stephen just how prolific he has been. “I just can’t believe how much work I’ve got,” he says. “I’ve got hundreds and hundreds of pieces of work.” Much of it has been stored in a bedroom at home, alongside work produced through life-drawing sessions, Workers’ Educational Association classes and other art courses. The volume of work reflects a sustained commitment to making art. Stephen travels around 15 miles from Newbold Verdon to Loughborough and attends the studio almost every day. Colour, shape and everyday subjects Stephen is particularly drawn to landscapes and still life. When choosing a subject, he looks first at its colours and shapes. Flowers provide a recurring challenge and source of inspiration. Roses, he admits, are especially difficult to paint because of their complex structure, although he is usually able to find the colours he wants. His more unusual interpretations include blue sunflowers, an image that has proved popular enough to be reproduced as prints. Visitors and collectors have also responded strongly to his village scenes, with their combinations of houses, roads, trees and figures. Several of his watercolours have sold over the years, including a Spanish landscape bought by the father of fellow artist Joe Gibbs. Yet the significance of Stephen’s work cannot be measured only through exhibitions or sales. It is also rooted in the routine of returning to the studio, working alongside other artists and contributing to the life of the organisation. “It means the world to me” When asked what Albert Street Artist Studios means to him, Stephen’s answer is immediate. “It means the world to me.” He contributes not only as an artist but as an active member of the group, helping with sales, subscriptions and the practical work required to sustain the studio. That commitment is strongly recognised by the people around him. Vicky, who helped clean, frame and prepare work for the exhibition, describes Stephen’s paintings as joyful, immediate and quirky. Ellie, another friend helping to install the show, recalls opening drawers and discovering dozens of previously unseen works. “He seems to be able to open a drawer and there’ll be 40 more,” she says. “He’s a very productive artist.” For Ellie, Stephen’s value to Studio 17 goes well beyond his own creative practice. “Steven probably supports everyone more than he could ever understand or know,” she says. “He’s like a ray of sunshine.” Why studios like this matter The episode also offers a wider portrait of life inside a shared community arts space. Vicky describes Studio 17 as mutually supportive: a place where people bring their skills, encourage one another and create together. “It’s a vibe that’s really vibrant, supportive, encouraging and fun.” The retrospective is therefore not simply an exhibition of one artist’s output. It is also the record of a long relationship between an artist and a creative community. Across 17 years, Stephen Fox has built a body of work characterised by vivid colour, familiar subjects, experimentation and persistence. At the same time, his daily presence has helped shape the atmosphere of Studio 17 itself. The paintings tell one part of that story. The voices in this edition of Spotlight on Arts tell the rest. Listen to the podcast to hear Stephen, curator Paul Dexter and members of the Studio 17 community discuss the exhibition, the work and the importance of supportive spaces for local artists. Stephen Fox can be found on Instagram at @StevenFox760, on Facebook at Steven Fox Art, and through his website, StevenFoxArt-collections.com. Source

What happens when people are given the time, space, and encouragement to create something with their own hands? What changes when creativity becomes a shared experience rather than a performance or a product? In this edition of Spotlight on Arts, Rob Watson speaks with Frances Deepwell of Deepwell Arts and Popi Charitaki of Armonia Music and Arts about the role that creativity plays in everyday life and why accessible arts spaces matter more than ever. Based in a shared creative space, Frances and Popi have developed a growing programme of pottery, crafts, music teaching, dance, exhibitions, workshops, and collaborative projects. Their work brings together people of different ages, backgrounds, and levels of experience, creating opportunities not only to learn new skills but also to connect with others through shared creative activity. During the conversation, Frances reflects on her journey from higher education into community arts practice. After becoming increasingly concerned about the pressures and targets that shape contemporary education, she sought to create an environment where people could learn at their own pace, rediscover practical skills, and experience the satisfaction of making things. Drawing inspiration from the Arts and Crafts movement, her approach encourages participants to develop confidence, curiosity, and their own creative voice. Popi shares her own creative journey through music and explains how Armonia Music and Arts has grown into a space where people can explore music as a language of expression. Her work focuses not only on technical proficiency but also on helping people discover their own relationship with sound, improvisation, and creativity. Through teaching, performance, and collaborative projects, she seeks to create opportunities for people to participate actively rather than simply observe. A recurring theme throughout the discussion is the idea of emergence. Creative practice often produces outcomes that cannot be fully planned or predicted. Whether working with clay, printmaking, music, or collaborative installations, both Frances and Popi describe the importance of allowing ideas to develop organically. Rather than following rigid instructions, participants are encouraged to experiment, explore, and discover possibilities for themselves. The interview also highlights the social dimension of creativity. Both guests describe moments when groups of people become deeply absorbed in making, creating a shared atmosphere of concentration and reflection. These experiences can be difficult to measure or describe, yet they often become the moments participants value most. Feedback regularly speaks of improved wellbeing, reduced stress, increased confidence, and a renewed sense of connection with others. Listeners will also hear about the collaborative projects that have emerged between Deepwell Arts and Armonia Music and Arts, including an innovative exhibition that combined clay-based sound sculptures with live improvised music. These experiments demonstrate how different artistic disciplines can come together to create experiences that are greater than the sum of their parts. Looking ahead, both organisations are planning new developments, new collaborations, and further opportunities for people to become involved. Their shared ambition is to continue building a creative environment that remains accessible, welcoming, and responsive to the interests and ideas of the people who use it. This conversation offers an insightful reflection on the value of creativity in contemporary life. It explores not only the arts themselves but also the importance of creating places where people can gather, learn, experiment, and find meaning through shared activity. Listen to the full conversation on Spotlight on Arts to hear Frances Deepwell and Popi Charitaki discuss creativity, community, learning, and the continuing importance of making things together. For more information, visit Deepwell Arts at deepwellarts.com and Armonia Music and Arts at armoniamusicandarts.co.uk. Source

What happens when artists open their homes and creative spaces to the public? That question was explored during Art-House Leicester, the annual arts event that transforms homes, studios and domestic spaces into temporary galleries, inviting visitors to meet artists, discover new work and experience creativity in an informal setting. For this edition of Spotlight on Arts, Soar Sound visited several Open House venues to speak with artists, exhibitors and hosts about their work and their experiences of taking part in one of the city’s most distinctive cultural events. Unlike a conventional gallery exhibition, Open House offers visitors the chance to encounter artwork within the places where people live and work. Paintings hang alongside family photographs, sculptures sit within gardens and living rooms, and conversations emerge naturally between artists and visitors. Throughout the weekend, hundreds of people explored the various venues, meeting artists whose practices span printmaking, painting, photography, textiles, ceramics and sculpture. The event provided opportunities not only to view artwork but also to learn more about the ideas, techniques and inspirations behind each piece. Printmaker Peter Rapp explained how literature, mythology and sketching inform his work, while artist Lucy Stevens discussed her continuing exploration of nature through painting and drawing. Visitors were particularly interested in the stories behind the artwork and the creative processes that shape its development. Elsewhere, photographer Julian Sahou reflected on the ability of art to prompt discussion around social and ethical questions, while textile artist Zaza Lewis described the warm reception she received during her first experience of participating in Open House. The event also highlighted the important role played by hosts who generously open their homes to artists and visitors. Several participants commented on how displaying work within domestic environments changes the relationship between artwork and audience. Visitors are able to imagine how pieces might look within their own homes, while artists benefit from conversations that often feel more relaxed and personal than those found in formal gallery settings. A recurring theme throughout the interviews was the importance of community participation. Open House succeeds because artists, volunteers, homeowners and visitors all contribute to creating a welcoming environment where creativity can flourish. The event encourages people to slow down, ask questions and engage directly with creative practice. Soar Sound also spoke with Tracy Howard, who is developing a new creative space beneath one of the city’s historic railway arches. Her plans include workshops, exhibitions, music and opportunities for people to gather and explore creative activities in an accessible and supportive environment. Together, these conversations reveal a vibrant creative ecology sustained by curiosity, generosity and participation. Open House demonstrates that arts activity is not confined to galleries and institutions. It exists wherever people are willing to share ideas, open doors and create opportunities for others to engage. You can listen to the full Spotlight on Arts podcast featuring interviews recorded during Open House on the Soar Sound website. Spotlight on Arts is part of Soar Sound’s ongoing commitment to supporting and celebrating arts, culture and creativity across the city and beyond. Source

One of Leicester’s most distinctive arts events returned on Friday 12th to Sunday 14th June, as Open House welcomed visitors into homes, studios and creative spaces across the Clarendon Park area. The annual event offers a different way of experiencing art. Rather than visiting a conventional gallery, visitors are invited into domestic settings where artists display their work, discuss their creative practice and engage directly with members of the public. Rob Watson visited several Open House venues and spoke with artists, hosts and visitors about their experiences of taking part. Printmaker Peter Rapp described how his work draws inspiration from sketching, literature and mythology, including the writings of Jorge Luis Borges and Italo Calvino. He explained that Open House provides an opportunity to engage directly with audiences and receive immediate feedback from visitors. Artist Lucy Stevens discussed her ongoing exploration of nature-inspired themes, including her well-known bird studies and more recent experiments with automatic drawing and painting. She reflected on the value of meeting visitors face-to-face and the conversations that emerge through shared interests in wildlife, gardens and local environments. Sculptor Phil Woolley highlighted the variety of work on display across the event and praised the enthusiasm shown by visitors exploring different venues throughout the weekend. Photographer Julian Sahou spoke about the role of art in encouraging discussion about social and ethical questions. He noted that some of his work had prompted strong emotional responses and meaningful conversations among visitors. Textile artist Zaza Lewis, participating in Open House for the first time, described the positive reception she received from visitors interested in her mixed-media techniques and creative process. The programme also includes a conversation with Tracy Howard, who is developing a creative space beneath one of the city’s historic railway arches. Her vision combines workshops, arts activities, music and opportunities for people to gather, create and relax in a welcoming environment. One of the homeowners taking part reflected on the unique atmosphere created when artwork is displayed in a domestic setting. Rather than encountering art in a neutral gallery space, visitors can imagine how creative work might sit within their own homes and daily lives. Across all of the conversations, several common themes emerged. Artists spoke about experimentation, inspiration and process. Visitors were often interested not only in finished works but also in how ideas develop over time. Hosts described the pleasure of opening their homes and meeting new people, while returning visitors highlighted the sense of continuity and community that Open House has established over many years. Open House continues to demonstrate the important role that artists, volunteers, hosts and audiences play in sustaining cultural life. By bringing people together through creativity, conversation and curiosity, the event offers an accessible and welcoming way to engage with the visual arts. Source

What happens when the people who spend their lives caring for others are rarely asked about their own experiences? The latest edition of Spotlight on Care on Soar Sound sets out to answer that question by giving carers the opportunity to tell their stories in their own words. The programme was recorded to coincide with Leicester City Council’s Carers Conference on 10th June 2026, but its significance extends far beyond a single event. At its heart are a series of personal testimonies from people whose lives have been shaped by caring responsibilities, often over many years and sometimes over many decades. The conversations reveal experiences that are rarely discussed in public. Contributors speak about caring for parents, partners, children, relatives and friends through disability, dementia, mental ill health, autism, long-term illness and end-of-life care. Several describe providing care while managing disabilities and health conditions of their own. Others reflect on caring from a young age, balancing education, work and family responsibilities alongside the needs of those they support. One striking theme runs throughout the interviews. Many contributors did not initially think of themselves as carers. They simply saw themselves as doing what was expected of them as a husband, wife, daughter, son, granddaughter, parent or family member. For some, it took years before they discovered that support services even existed. The testimonies also challenge assumptions about who carers are. They are not only older people looking after ageing relatives. They include working-age adults, younger people, people with disabilities, people from different cultural backgrounds, and people supporting several family members at the same time. Their experiences reveal the complexity of unpaid caring and the responsibilities that often remain hidden from wider public view. Several contributors speak candidly about isolation. Caring can gradually reduce opportunities for employment, social activities, friendships and community participation. One interviewee describes losing their sense of identity through years of caring. Another reflects on the financial consequences of stepping back from paid employment. Others discuss the emotional burden of constantly navigating appointments, medication, transport, advocacy and bureaucracy while trying to maintain their own wellbeing. Alongside these challenges, the programme also highlights resilience, mutual support and the importance of community. Many contributors describe the relief of finally meeting other carers who understand their experiences. Support groups, peer networks and community organisations emerge not simply as providers of information, but as places where people feel recognised, listened to and valued. Perhaps the most important message from these conversations is that carers themselves need care, support and recognition. The people interviewed repeatedly return to the same conclusion: asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It is often the first step towards sustaining the caring relationships that families and communities depend upon. The podcast version includes the complete, unedited interviews, allowing listeners to hear the full depth and nuance of these experiences. While the broadcast edition has been edited for length, the extended recordings provide a valuable opportunity to hear directly from people whose voices are not often heard in discussions about health, social care and community support. For listeners affected by the issues raised in this programme, information about carers’ assessments is available from Leicester City Council. A carers’ assessment considers how caring responsibilities affect a person’s health, wellbeing, work, family life and ability to maintain relationships. Support is also available through the Leicester Carers Support Service, delivered by Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland. The service offers information, advice, support groups, wellbeing activities, training opportunities and one-to-one support for unpaid carers. Several contributors mention the Carers Passport, which helps carers gain recognition across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland and can support access to services and support, including within hospital settings. Further information can be found at: Leicester Carers Support Service: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/leics/our-services/leicester-carers-support-service-6ee29b94-528e-ec11-b820-0003ff4b0da1/ Leicester City Council Carers Information: https://www.leicester.gov.uk/adult-social-care/support-carers Carers Passport Information: https://www.supportforcarers.org/what-we-offer/carers-passport   Source