Arts Derbyshire is supported by a team whose sole aim is to enrich the community through art and creativity. Although you may already have heard about and partaken in Arts Derbyshire projects, we would like to introduce you to the arts team behind Arts Derbyshire and learn about their work in their own words.
Nicola Middler is the Creative Director of Arts Derbyshire. She is a strategic arts leader, Creative Producer, and qualified teacher with nearly two decades of experience developing inclusive, partnership-led cultural programmes.
Her career spans senior leadership roles across festivals, galleries, public art, cultural venues and charities, including Derby QUAD, where she served as Education Curator and acted as their Designated Safeguarding Lead, and ArtReach, The Spark Arts for Children, The National Forest Company and The Affordable Art Fair (London, New York, Stockholm, Milan).
At Arts Derbyshire, Nicola leads partnership development between the health and creative sectors, driving innovative programmes, creative health strategy, and inclusive practice. Her work focuses on creating opportunities for artists and communities who face barriers to accessing creativity, while supporting the organisation’s long-term vision for a more connected and resilient cultural sector across Derbyshire.
She has extensive experience leading complex partnerships and delivering arts and cultural programmes across local, national, and international contexts. Her expertise includes strategic planning, public art commissioning, festivals, community development, and securing investment. She has a strong track record of delivering ambitious multi-partner projects on time and on budget.
Specialising in co-creation, education, and creative health, Nicola builds trusted cross-sector partnerships that connect arts, education, and health to create sustainable impact. A trained Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mental Health First Aider, and Arts Award Advisor, she combines strategic leadership with a collaborative, person-centred approach, championing access, equity, and long-term resilience across the cultural sector.
Stay tuned for the rest of our Introducing Our Team series to find out more about the team behind Arts Derbyshire and read about each individual’s relationship to the creative sector.
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