I would like to extend our thanks to everyone who joined us at the Leicester Community Media Networking event on Tuesday evening at LCB Depot. It was an energising gathering of people committed to developing local, place-based media that reflects the voices and experiences of Leicester’s many communities. I am especially grateful to the team at LCB Depot for providing a welcoming and accessible space that allowed these vital conversations to take place.
The event brought together people from independent news, community radio, arts organisations, public institutions, and civic networks, all exploring how we can work more effectively together. The atmosphere was open, thoughtful, and grounded in a shared sense of purpose: to strengthen civic media in Leicester through collaboration, creativity, and mutual support.
We had contributions from: Evington Echo, Radio UTSAV, Leicester Gazette, Documentary Media Centre, Soar Sound,
The group then explored several key discussion topics:
1. Leicester Leading and the Creative Industries Strategy
We considered how the creative industries framework emerging in Leicester could better recognise the role of grassroots media and storytelling. Participants noted the need for clearer pathways between community-based content producers and citywide cultural strategies. There was strong interest in ensuring that the voices of independent and community media are part of Leicester’s evolving cultural policy.
2. Leicester Libraries Consultation and the Potential for Media Hubs
Many attendees expressed support for reimagining libraries as community media access points—places where people can not only read and learn, but also record, produce, and share stories. We discussed the potential for libraries to host digital editing suites, podcast booths, and training sessions that bring media-making within reach of many more residents.
3. Expanding City Boundaries
There was a valuable conversation about how civic identity in Leicester can feel fragmented, and how community media might bridge across neighbourhoods, language groups, and generational divides. Participants reflected on how we might grow beyond the existing city boundaries—whether geographical, institutional, or cultural—to imagine a more open and interconnected civic media ecology.
The strongest consensus of the evening was the value of building an ongoing network—a forum for knowledge-sharing, joint advocacy, resource pooling, and mutual visibility. Suggestions included regular informal meetups, shared training or mentorship opportunities, co-produced events, and a common platform for publishing or distributing local content.
Next Steps
We will now gather and share a summary of the evening’s discussions, and follow up with a consultation document to shape the development of this emerging network. A shared mailing list will be established, and we’ll propose a date for a follow-up event later this summer. Several attendees also expressed interest in mapping the current ecosystem of independent and community media in Leicester, and we’ll look at ways to facilitate that collaboratively.
If you’d like to be involved in the next stage of this process—or if you couldn’t attend and want to be kept informed—please contact me robwatson@decentered.co.uk
Thank you again to everyone who made this event possible. This is just the beginning of a wider conversation about how we support civic expression in Leicester—and ensure that our local media landscape remains diverse, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of all who live here.
Thanks to Helen Pettman of Evington Echo for making and sharing notes.