Phoenix Blog

News, views and some articles from our friends - all about Phoenix and the film and art we're involved in

Kate Chadwick appointed new CEO of Phoenix

15 Mar 2024

Phoenix is delighted to announce the appointment of Kate Chadwick as CEO, assuming the role from John Rance who retires in April after over 13 years at the charity.

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Phoenix Chief Executive, John Rance, announces retirement

17 Nov 2023

Phoenix CEO John Rance has announced his plan to retire from his position in spring 2024, having joined the charity in 2010 following its relocation to Leicester's Cultural Quarter.

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Blog: Object Memory immersive exhibition

11 Feb 2023

Phoenix's digital art manager Irina Tsokova gives us an overview of our current exhibition, Object Memory.

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Phoenix 2020 extension now open

26 Jan 2023

Our new extension is now open, giving us two additional cinema screens, a larger and more prominent gallery, and a superb Café Bar.

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A picture of cinema seats

Changes to seating arrangements

26 Jan 2023

With flexible programming now operating across all four of our screens, we have returned to unallocated seating for our regular film screenings.

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Pre-Code Hollywood: Rules are Made to be Broken

23 Nov 2022

Film writers and critics Pamela Hutchinson and Christina Newland present some of Hollywood’s most risqué films (all new restorations care of Park Circus and Warner Bros) made before the 1930's Hays code was enforced.

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Phoenix awarded £246k NPO funding by Arts Council England

4 Nov 2022

Leicester’s Phoenix Cinema and Art Centre has been awarded £246k funding over the next 3 years by Arts Council England (ACE).

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Welcome Back: What to Expect in November

12 Oct 2022

Our Cinema Programme Manager Jake walks us through the highlights of our reopening programme in November.

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Art Podcast

10 Oct 2022

We're pleased to share our new digital arts podcast. In this first episode we discuss the the art programme at Phoenix, giving an overview of things we've done in the past and a preview of what to expect as we prepare to open our new gallery space.

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All Hail the New Auteurs: The Importance of Black Women’s Stories in Film

10 Oct 2022

Carol Leeming MBE delves into the importance of black women's stories in film, in specific relation to the release of dramedy Queen of Glory.

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Meet our new Digital Arts Manager

10 Oct 2022

We welcome Irina Tsokova to Phoenix as our new Digital Arts Manager. She’s joined our team in the exciting run up to the launch of our expanded venue and new art gallery in January 2023.

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A screenshot of an online quiz

Reflecting on The Idle Index

10 Sep 2020

Curator Anoushka Goodwin reflects on our online commissions exploring the theme of digital idleness: 'Downtime' by Sian Fan and 'Are / You / Actually' by Compiler

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Phoenix Meets Ben Wheatley

25 May 2020

Our New British Cinema season kicked off with a trio of films directed by Ben Wheatley. We caught up with Ben (via a video call, of course) to see how he’s coping with life in lockdown.

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Eric Fong - Thanatos

A perfume that smells of death

9 Jan 2020

A new art installation premieres at Phoenix from 10 Jan – 23 Feb, featuring Thanatos - a perfume that evokes the scent of a decomposing body discovered in a woodland.

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Amit Gupta filmmaker

Leicester-born filmmaker gets behind Phoenix 2020 cinema expansion

19 Sep 2019

Amit Gupta, BAFTA-nominated writer and director for film, theatre and television, becomes Phoenix's first honorary Patron. Photo credit: Mark Lord

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2020 be part of it logo

Phoenix to put customers’ names on expanded cinema

16 Jul 2019

Phoenix is encouraging its customers to put their names on its expanded cinema and art centre as part of a new charitable fundraising programme 2020 | BE PART OF IT.

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Phoenix 2020 artist impression

Phoenix confirms further £570,000 support for 2020 cinema expansion

26 Jun 2019

£250,000 has been pledged by The Garfield Weston Foundation and £100,000 from The Foyle Foundation.

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Phoenix logo

Phoenix seeks new chair and several trustees

9 Apr 2019

Phoenix is recruiting for a new chair and several trustees to join its board of 12 trustees.

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Phoenix 2020 artist impression

Phoenix awarded £4 million towards expansion plan by Arts Council England

3 Apr 2019

We're delighted to have received confirmation that Arts Council England will invest £4 million of National Lottery money towards Phoenix 2020.

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Phoenix 2020 south elevation

Planners give go ahead to Phoenix 2020 expansion

4 Mar 2019

Phoenix Leicester's plans to become a four screen independent cinema by 2020 have been granted planning permission by the local planning authority.

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Child on VR Playground swing

Phoenix gives families a thrilling VR ride – on a swing…

22 Jan 2019

Over half term, Phoenix is giving families the chance to put on virtual reality headsets, jump on a playground swing, and be transported into a thrilling virtual adventure.

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Action homeless charity screening at Phoenix

Phoenix exchanges cinema tickets for donations to help the homeless at Christmas

27 Nov 2018

We're giving away tickets to a charity screening of It’s a Wonderful Life on Fri 7th Dec in return for donations to Action Homeless’ Winter Appeal.

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A boy playing football in The Journey

Phoenix brings Virtual Reality movies to the masses

16 Nov 2018

Phoenix is to become one of the first UK cinemas to screen Virtual Reality (VR) films as part of it regular cinema programme.

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Phoenix 2020 design

Phoenix 2020 designs revealed

29 Oct 2018

We reveal the architectural plans for our two storey 1,200 square metre extension - with green roof terrace + room for 2 new cinemas, an art gallery and more!

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Phoenix 2020 artists impression

Phoenix expansion boosted by £1 million support from Leicester City Council

24 Oct 2018

Phoenix delighted to receive news Leicester city council has committed £1 million towards Phoenix 2020 expansion project.

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Beth Kettel filming dancers

Artist interview – Beth Kettel

19 Oct 2018

We talked to artist Beth Kettel whose experimental music video ‘A Bang, A Bomb, A Lie And A Band That Stands for Something Else' premieres at Phoenix.

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Knighthood for Phoenix chair in 2018 New Year Honours

1 Jan 2018

Phoenix is delighted to congratulate its chairman Alan Tuckett who has been recognised with a Knighthood in the New Year Honours for his services to developing lifelong adult learning.

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A picture of access cinema headphones

Phoenix Access Cinema Appeal

22 Dec 2017

Help us raise the £2,000 we need to buy 26 new amplified headsets – to help more people with sight and hearing loss enjoy films at Phoenix.

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Phoenix 2020 artists impression

£7 million expansion plans for Leicester’s Phoenix cinema

20 Dec 2017

Phoenix has announced ambitious plans to expand its current venue and become a four screen independent cinema by the year 2020.

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Figures float on Lotus Leaves in a forrest. Ritual

Moritz Cheung on Ritual

28 Nov 2017

Videoclub curator Moritz Cheung writes about how he chose the works in Ritual - a programme of artists' film and video from South East Asia showing at Phoenix in December

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Frightarama 2017 logo and image

Frightarama, the all-night horror marathon, returns to Phoenix

5 Oct 2017

Will you make it through the night? ‘Frightarama‘ returns to Phoenix with a night of bloodcurdling horror.

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Child in Phoenix digital art workshop

Phoenix awarded £320,000 Arts Council funding

27 Jun 2017

Phoenix has been awarded £321,856 funding over four years from Arts Council, maintaining its position as one of their National Portfolio Organisations.

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Danni Spooner FAG video image of three dancers

Playback artist interview – Danni Spooner

26 Jun 2017

We talk to Leicester artist Danni Spooner whose work appears in our exhibition Playback - a nationally-touring exhibition showcasing award-winning short films from across the country.

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A picture of access cinema headphones

Carers’ Rights Day

21 Nov 2016

Friday 25 November is national Carers' Rights Day - here's some details on what the Phoenix Access Cinema programme has to offer.

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Outside

Artists bring fresh ideas to filmmaking

23 Aug 2016

'Outside', screening on Thu 25 Aug as part of The Short Cinema, is one example of how the boundaries between filmmakers and artists are being blurred.

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Outside

‘Outside’ Artists’ Film Screening Previewed

18 Aug 2016

Artist Anoushka Goodwin previews our upcoming artists' film screening 'Outside', showing on Thu 25 Aug, 7pm, as part of The Short Cinema

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Interview with Artist Luci Eldridge

17 May 2016

We spoke to artist Luci Eldridge about her practice and research trip to NASA which forms the basis of her joint exhibition at Phoenix from 10 June - 31 July.

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Canary songs by Teresa Dillon at Phoenix

Artist Q&A – Teresa Dillon, Canary Songs

20 Apr 2016

A Q&A with Teresa Dillon, artist behind Canary Songs in which a choir recreates the sounds of a WW1 munitions factory in the Phoenix cinema

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Interview with artist Kenny Wong

5 Feb 2016

Phoenix’s latest exhibition ‘The Canvas of Resonance’ by artist Kenny Wong Chi-Chuen, is a cinematic sound and visual installation that draws its influences from the Foley artists of the live radio age.

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