A more strategic approach to transport, energy, trade and investment, and creating vibrant communities will enable the North to once again become a powerhouse and boost the UK’s economy while helping achieve net zero ambitions, Northern Mayors, Leaders, and businesses will say today.

Almost 1,000 leaders from across the North’s business, political and education institutions will meet today to thrash out a manifesto for the North, which will be presented to all political parties ahead of the upcoming General Election.

This could include proposals to fast-track bus franchising to make services quicker, cheaper and more reliable, creating a Northern energy strategy to harness the power of renewables that could heat and power the entire region, putting culture and the arts at the centre of placemaking so every community inspires and can thrive, and a strategic approach to funding railways including getting Northern Powerhouse Rail built in full once and for all.

The North of England’s leaders are committing to a deepening of collaboration on these shared priorities, as over 800 business, political and civic society leaders gather in Leeds for the annual Convention of the North. Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner will also address the Convention of the North tomorrow (1 March) and will face calls to back the manifesto in this pivotal General Election year.

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Due to incredible fan demand, renowned musician, actor, and entertainer Justin Timberlake announces a second performance in London on the long awaited European and UK leg of his momentous The Forget Tomorrow World Tour. Produced by Live Nation, stops include performances in Poland, Germany, Belgium, the UK, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and France. Full routing and ticketing details are below.

The multi-award-winning artist recently released his new track “Drown” via RCA Records – click HERE to listen. Timberlake will perform fan-favorite hits along with songs from his forthcoming new album Everything I Thought It Was such as “Selfish” and his latest single “Drown” out now. His sixth studio album Everything I Thought It Was is out March 15^th, pre-order HERE.

EUROPE TICKETS:  Tickets for both shows go on sale Friday, 1-March at 10am local time at justintimberlake.com. 

VIP:  The tour will also offer a variety of VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. Packages vary but include tickets in the exclusive VIP Stage Bar section with in-seat service throughout the night, specially designed VIP gift item, early entrance into the venue & more. For additional information, visit vipnation.eu.

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Aimed at young people between 14 and 18, the masterclass is being facilitated in conjunction with Calderdale College and Calderdale Music and takes place next month.

Erik is a multi-platinum selling, Grammy nominated, multi-instrumentalist, singer, producer and songwriter. He has worked with a variety of artists across different genres, from being bass and keys player for Aretha Franklin to collaborations with Eminem as part of Dr Dre’s Aftermath production team.

Two separate cohorts will attend his weeklong masterclasses which will be an insight into how the music industry works today, taking the groups through the process from creating a track to getting a mix ready to share with a record label or artist.

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Shortlisted from a total of 187 short films, Red, White and Blue has made its mark, making it as a finalist in the ‘Live Action Short Film’ category at this year’s Academy Awards, to take place on Sunday 10th March at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The film exploring Rachel’s story – a moving reality of a single parent in a precarious position forced to cross state lines in search of a necessary abortion. As we learn more about Rachel and the series of events that led to this journey, we learn a heartbreaking truth which means her life will never be the same again. Ahead of this year’s awards, Nazrin tells us more about exploring this sensitive subject further, working with fellow producer Sara McFarlane, cinematographer Adam Suschitzky and the cast consisting of Brittany Snow, Juliet Donenfeld, Redding Munsell, Jud Tylor, Ashley A. Williams, Sloan Muldown, Taryn Leggett, Neil Napier, Peter Breitmayer, Adam Lee and Mo Collins and what she’s learned from creating the film.

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Due to incredible fan demand, multi-platinum, 8-time GRAMMY award-winning global entertainment icon Usher, has extended the European dates for his massive tour USHER: Past Present Future.

Originally announcing 6 dates last week for London, Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin, 6 more were added as 170,000 fans grabbed tickets for 12 sold out shows… so far.

3 new shows will be on sale this week for Usher’s 2025 European trip – a seventh show in London, The O2 on 11 April, the second in Paris at the Accor Arena on 16 April and a fourth night at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome on 26 April.

The hottest shows of 2025 follow Usher’s powerhouse Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime performance, his incredibly successful two year, 100 sold out shows, My Way: The Las Vegas Residency run, and the now legendary 8 night residency at Paris’ La Seine Musicale.  Aside from that 2023 Paris run, these will be his first European shows since the 2015 ‘UR Tour’.

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“I want OffWestEnd to be not just a pat on the back but a hand to cling onto“

Incoming OffWestEnd director Denholm Spurr dedicates his tenure to transforming opportunities in the sector

OffWestEnd announced its successor at a glittering award ceremony at the Woolwich Works on Sunday 25 February.

Denholm Spurr has been involved with OffWestEnd and The Offies for 12 years, originally serving as an assessor in 2012, before going on to produce both live and cyber ceremonies for the brand.

He’ll be taking over from Geoffrey Brown who recently announced he’ll be stepping down as Director from July this year.

In a speech at the end of the ceremony, Spurr celebrated the outgoing director,’s “tremendous tenure” and named Brown as “a mentor, a friend, and a constant inspiration”.

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The Offies celebrate the best of independent, alternative and fringe theatre – across Greater London and at selected fringe festivals around the UK. Their 2023 ceremony, on the evening of Sunday, 25 February, at the Woolwich Works, gave out over 50 awards across an exciting range of categories and to a hugely diverse range of recipients. Over 850 people attended to participate in the second live Offies ceremony since March 2020.

This year, the winners from 2023 were invited to return to present the awards to this year’s winners, creating a sense of continuity and community.

Other presenters included Linda Marlowe, actor and OffWestEnd Patron, Paul Roseby OBE, Director, National Youth Theatre, Ronnie Le Drew, Puppeteer and President of the British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild, Wayne Harrison, freelance director, Duncan Lustig-Prean, Chair, Brighton Fringe, and senior staff from the Vault, Camden, Greater Manchester and Edinburgh fringe festivals.  The Woolwich Works was represented by their Director, Nick Williams, and representatives from the Southbank Centre and the Barbican also presented awards.  Sponsors of this year’s awards included Mischief Worldwide, White Light, Prodermis, Concord Theatricals and Tarento Productions.

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Eva Bindeman was awarded the prestigious title of Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2024 at The Y Theatre in Leicester on 24 February, as part of Leicester Comedy Festival. Hosted by past contestant, Sindhu Vee and featuring last year’s winner Daniel Petrie.

The competition saw eight of the best emerging comedy acts in the country battling it out for the crown after performing their best seven minutes in front of an esteemed comedy industry panel and a sold-out audience.  The other contestants this year were: Alasdair Wallace, Alex Bertulis-Fernandes, Blank Peng, Fiona Ridgewell, Henry Michael, Julia Stenton and Romina Puma.

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Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove MP, and Shadow Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner MP, will deliver keynote speeches at this year’s Convention of the North, it can be revealed.

The Convention, which will be held in Leeds across two days on 29 February and 1 March, is the North of England’s flagship annual gathering for business, political and civic society leaders. The conferences are spearheaded by Northern partnership network NP11, which brings together local government and private sector leaders.

The high-profile event will provide a platform for public and private sector voices to debate the challenges and opportunities facing the region, across a series of key areas including transport, energy, trade and investment, and health and culture.

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