Mike Candler
"Mike is an experienced cultural planner and arts professional, presently Cultural Quarter Project Director for Leicester City Council. His previous post was Head of Arts, responsible for leading, and developing the City’s diverse and extensive arts service. During his 17 years with the City Council Mike has led and directed the development of Leicester’s Cultural Quarter (a £92M programme) and helped establish complex partner and stakeholder relationships e.g. Leicester Theatre Trust, Arts Council England, Leicester Arts Centre Limited, Leicestershire Economic Partnership. He has also delivered new flagship & state of the art ‘fit-for-purpose’ cultural facilities – Curve (inside out theatre), LCB Depot (creative industry studio / work spaces), Phoenix Square (Digital Media Centre / mixed use development) and public realm improvements within the St. George’s south area of the city centre." [1]
"Previously I was Cultural Quarter Project Director for Leicester City Council and in this role I took a ‘cultural led’ approach to the regeneration of St. George's South an area of Leicester's City Centre. In June 2004 I successfully delivered the first physical manifestation of the Cultural Quarter, the award winning and acclaimed, LCB Depot – a creative incubator and hub that provided much needed work space to nurture and grow the creative industries within the City.
"In Autumn 2008 I completed development of the City's new theatre and performing arts centre - Curve – a truly unique proposition, designed by internationally renowned Rafael Vinoly, for the presentation and production of ‘live work ‘ and theatre. In Autumn 2009 I successfully delivered my 3rd project in the Cultural Quarter, the Digital Media Centre, Phoenix Square – a powerhouse for the presentation and production of film and digital arts.
"Before taking up this post I was Head of Arts for Leicester City Council and in this role I was responsible for developing the strategy to establish the Cultural Quarter, alongside my responsibilities for leadership, direction, development and management of the City’s diverse and extensive range of arts services.
"Before I joined Leicester City Council in 1994 I was Director at Peterborough Arts Centre and prior to this I was General Manager at the Tom Allen Community Arts Centre in Newham East London. I am currently a Director and Trustee of OPUN (the Architecture Centre for the East Midlands) and for The Spark Children's Arts and Board Member/Director for the Centre for Indian Classical Dance. I am also a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts." [1]
Affiliations
- Director, Opun
- Former Cultural Quarter Project Director, Leicester City Council -October 2002 – February 2013 (10 years 5 months)|Leicester, United Kingdom
- Former Head of Arts & Culture, Leicester City Council - January 1997 – March 2002 (5 years 3 months)
