Leicester's Socialist Choir — Est. 1995
Songs of protest, solidarity, and celebration — sung on the streets of Leicester and beyond.
"Singing songs of protest, struggle, and worldwide celebration since 1995."
Red Leicester is Leicester's socialist choir — a community of voices united by music and shared values. We busk monthly in the city centre, perform at rallies and festivals, and raise funds for causes close to our hearts: from local foodbanks and homelessness charities to international solidarity. No auditions. No experience needed. Everyone welcome.
News & Events
May 2025
Red Leicester was joined by Sheffield, Tadhamon, and Nottingham Choirs at Leicester's oldest theatre — the Y-Theatre — for cake, busking, and a standing-ovation finale of The Internationale. A Palestinian listener in Leicester called her family in East Jerusalem so they could hear the songs being sung in solidarity on the streets.
£1,000 raised for three charitiesNovember 2025
Ten members led by Musical Director Jane Bursnall took to the streets to raise funds for One Roof, Leicester's homelessness charity.
£91 raisedSeptember 2025
The choir performed at Leicester's first Common Folk Festival, singing We Were Seeds, Song of Peace, We Shall Be Known, Harbour, and The Internationale alongside local poet Kevin Brown.
June 2025
16 members joined 50 other choirs at the Street Choirs Festival in Bradford, performing Lives in the Balance and We Were Seeds — songs pertinent, as the choir noted, to the current climate of warmongering and the spread of fascism.
July 2025
Ten members busked on Silver Street in the city centre, raising funds for the Alice Hawkins Food Bank.
£120+ raised"Frank loved singing and was very aware of the power of song to bring people together and to communicate important messages."
Remembering Frank Friedmann, choir member →Get involved
Come and sing
No auditions, no experience needed — just a love of song and a commitment to social justice. We rehearse weekly in Leicester. Get in touch to find out when and where we meet.
See us perform
We busk monthly in the city centre and perform at rallies, festivals, picket lines, and community events throughout the year. All are welcome to come and listen — or sing along.
Support our causes
We raise funds for local and international causes each month through busking. Past beneficiaries include Medical Aid for Palestinians, One Roof Leicester, and the Alice Hawkins Food Bank.
Connect with us
Red Leicester is a proud member of the Campaign Choirs Network. We work alongside choirs across the UK who share our values of solidarity, protest, and celebration through song.