Local people will come together for an evening of food, film and conversation on Thursday 4th December
Nottingham residents will enjoy an evening of flavour, culture and shared experience as New Art Exchange (NAE) in Hyson Green presents its latest Community Kitchen: The Creole Kitchen, followed by a screening of the new, critically acclaimed film Sinners.
The Community Kitchen series is one of NAE's most well-loved cultural programmes, offering pay-what-you-can, plant-based meals inspired by a different global cuisine each time. Previously known as the Community Café, eight of the newly-named Community Kitchens and cinema screenings have been delivered, each designed to provide inclusive hospitality, cross-cultural connection and a regular, welcoming space for local people to gather.
The upcoming Creole edition, being held on Thursday, 4th December 2025, has already sold out its 60 tickets. The menu has been developed through conversations with community members, drawing on the rich fusion of African, Indigenous, Caribbean and European influences that define Creole cuisine. Prepared by the Corner Café team, the dishes reflect both global heritage and the local community's stories of movement, identity and belonging.
"Creole food carries so many stories of movement, resilience and cultural blending," says Café Manager Craig Mawer. "It's a cuisine rooted in community, and it feels fitting to share it in a space where people come together to eat, talk and connect."
Adam Roe, Executive Director of NAE, says the project's flexible donation model remains a cornerstone of its mission: "Our Community Kitchen operates on a donation-based system that supports us to offer free meals to those who can't afford to eat out. Many attendees choose to donate, whether that's £1, £10 or more, and we're truly grateful for every contribution. Others aren't able to donate at all, and that is completely fine. What matters is that everyone has a seat at the table. No one is ever turned away."
Local resident Winnie is a regular attendee of the Community Kitchen. She says the value runs deeper than the food: "It's about the atmosphere and the connection. It gives me a reason to come out of the house, and I always leave feeling more connected and uplifted."
NAE collaborates with cultural communities when developing menus. Looking ahead to January 2026, the next event will celebrate South Korean cuisine, curated by Corner Café team member WooSun, who hopes to bring back her family's kimchi recipe from an upcoming trip home. The menu will reflect the flavours and culinary traditions she grew up with, offering another opportunity for the community to experience and learn from global food cultures.
Following the meal, guests are invited to the sold-out screening of Sinners, with around 75% of attendees joining for dinner beforehand.
The film - bold, contemporary and sharply relevant - reflects themes deeply embedded in NAE's programme.
"Sinners interrogates colonialism, resistance and the ongoing impact of capitalism, particularly on communities who continue to experience the legacies of colonialism and racialised inequality," says Adam. "It speaks directly to the issues our audiences care about. And by screening a film that might otherwise be financially inaccessible for many, we're opening the door to a wider conversation."
The Community Cinema is funded by Film Hub North, supported by National Lottery funding.
Alongside the screening, NAE will host a panel talk, giving audiences an opportunity to engage with the film's themes, share perspectives and learn together in an open, community-centred environment.
To find out more about upcoming events at NAE, visit:Â https://nae.org.uk/whats-on/