Our people

The Creative Quarter draws on the expertise of a small but efficient team, who work together to support creative and digital businesses in Nottingham through leadership, advocacy and development.

To contact a member of the Creative Quarter team, start by emailing admin@creativequarter.com, or calling the office on 0115 710 0107.

If you have a press release or news story to share regarding your creative or digital business, please email hello@creativequarter.com

Tamily Cookson - Interim CEO

Tamily is the interim CEO for the Creative Quarter, having previously been our Programme and Event Manager. She has been organising events and managing projects since she graduated from the University of Gloucestershire in 1999. The majority of her work has been in the not-for-profit, education sector; Primary Language shows to Alumni Relations Institutes. Tamily has also had loads of experience working in the hospitality and tourism sectors over the years, organising & producing events across most of the UK as well as being lucky enough to travel all over the world for work including Australia, Malaysia, France, Italy & Germany. As a single mum to one, Tamily has planted her feet firmly back in Nottingham for the last eight years working for Nottingham Contemporary as well as starting up her own freelance events company.

Hannah Newton - Finance, Performance and Office Manager

Hannah graduated in Fine Art from Norwich University of the Arts in 2016 , where she managed community art projects and produced her own artwork for exhibitions. She then moved back to Nottingham where she was an Event Coordinator at Surface Gallery, alongside working at See Tickets. In 2017, she joined DHP Family as an Administrative Assistant for alt. tickets, managing customers, setting up shows and working on-site at festivals and events.

Hannah is responsible for managing the finance and performance of The Big House Programme and the Creative Quarter, as well as managing the office based in Sneinton Market.

Sinéad Bevan - Marketing Manager

Sinéad joined The Creative Quarter in December 2019, having spent the last five years working in cultural and charity marketing roles in Nottingham. She's responsible for overseeing all marketing and communications activities including website, email, print, press and social media for the Creative Quarter and The Big House project.

Originally from Northamptonshire, she studied English at Trinity College Dublin, and lived in Ireland for seven years before returning to the UK, where her first "proper job" was at Warwick Arts Centre in Coventry. She moved to Nottingham in 2015 to take up a role at Nottingham Playhouse, and now considers the city her home. She's an arts and culture obsessive, with a particular love for theatre, cinema and a good book.

Nathan Payne - Business Engagement Manager

Nathan graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2013 with a degree in Real Estate Management and has worked in the industry since, becoming self-employed in 2017. He has worked on projects ranging from large-scale placemaking developments such as Battersea Power Station in London, to grant-funded social enterprise ventures like The Observer Building in Hastings. Nathan’s previous roles have always included engagement and support for local entrepreneurs and small businesses and he has recently returned to Nottingham to join the Creative Quarter team as Business Engagement Manager, where he is responsible for delivering both The Big House and Community Renewal Fund business support programmes.

Alex Milne - Creative Industries Project Assistant

Alex graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2014 with a degree in Decorative Arts. After travelling and working at festivals, she enrolled on NTU’s Headstart course for her own jewellery business, and became an Alumni fellow. Alex continued working as a jewellery designer/maker for a few years whilst doing part time admin for tourism and heritage projects. She has also worked for several small creative businesses in Nottingham and was the office and operations manager for Studio Chocolate before joining the Creative Quarter in September 2021.

Alex is the executive assistant to the CEO, and provides administrative support for all departments of the CQ, including The Big House business support programme. She's obsessed with cooking, plays in a band, still makes jewellery, is a travel enthusiast, dabbles in poetry, reads and writes constantly - a self-confessed jack of all trades.