Where to show your film and creative work in Nottingham this autumn
Short film nights, open calls and creative showcases in Nottingham worth knowing about if you make films, photos or design.
Luke Gray · 2 min read
EP 002- Broadway's Short Stack is the go-to night for Midlands short films, with one more round due this year.
- Side Door Social is a low pressure way to show work in progress at The People's Hall.
- The Young Creative Awards open for 2027 entries on 17 November, and there's a fashion film category.
Making the thing is only half the job. The other half is getting it in front of people, ideally people in the same city who might hire you, collaborate with you or just tell you it was good.
Nottingham is genuinely good for this, but the opportunities are scattered across Instagram accounts and venue newsletters. LeftLion pulled together a really useful round-up last month, so here are the ones I'd pay attention to if you make film, video, photos or design.
01For filmmakers
Short Stack at Broadway
Broadway Cinema's Short Stack has been running since 2013 and it's a proper night out: documentaries, animation, music videos and shorts from across the Midlands, plus a room full of local filmmakers to talk to afterwards. According to LeftLion there's one more instalment this year, so keep an eye on @shortstackfest for dates.
Mansfield Town Film Festival
The Mansfield Town Film Festival champions filmmakers from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds, with a "local voices" award that's aimed at Nottinghamshire makers. This year's festival was due at the end of September, so it's worth bookmarking now for the next call for entries.
02For anyone with work in progress
Side Door Social
Every other month, on a Wednesday at The People's Hall on Heathcoat Street, Side Door Social lets creatives of any kind share what they're working on. They specifically like works in progress, which makes it a lot less scary than a festival submission. Find them on Instagram at @sidedoor.social.
The best feedback you'll ever get is from a room of people who make things too.
03For younger creatives
Young Creative Awards
The Young Creative Awards is a Nottingham charity that's been running since 2009. There are ten categories, including fashion film, across three age groups, with prizes like cash, showcases, mentoring and work placements. The 2027 awards open on 17 November. If you know a young filmmaker or photographer, send it their way.
04For photographers and artists
NAE Open
New Art Exchange in Hyson Green runs an annual open exhibition that takes photography, print, installation and more. The 2026 round has closed, but LeftLion reckons the 2027 deadline is likely to be in December, so now's the time to get a body of work together.
05My take
Pick one and actually go this year. I've had more work come from talking to people at local events than from any cold email I've ever sent. Nottingham's creative scene is small enough that showing your face a few times really does make a difference.
Know about something I've missed? Tell me and I'll add it to the next round-up.