In a state replete with arts leaders and supporters, Nicki Clarke stands out, not only for this year but for the fourteen years she led Capitol Center for the Arts (CCA) and advocated for the state’s arts community. When Nicki assumed leadership of the CCA, the organization was a significant participant in the life of the region; however, it was struggling to regain the energy lost following the death of its founding Executive Director. Nicki worked with the staff and Board to set a new course that would lead the CCA into a dynamic and sustainable future. Through a recession, battles over casino legislation, challenges to engage unrepresented members of the community, the need to meet changing audience attendance patterns, and finally the COVID-19 pandemic, Nicki led with creative, brave, and practical energy.
With Nicki’s leadership on the creative economy, CCA and other arts organizations have been able to document that not only are they community centers of inspiration, joy, and education, but also significant economic drivers. She also led the arts community’s work with the Granite State Coalition Against Expanded Gambling, presenting the case for performance venues in legislative testimony over the past ten years. Additionally, in her role as a Board member and later Chair of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce, she worked tirelessly to ensure that arts and culture had a seat at the table along with the other businesses represented by the Chamber. This work earned her tremendous respect in the business community.
Most recently, Nicki led CCA’s effort to diversify programming and meet the needs of a broader, younger part of the community by the creation of the Bank of New Hampshire Stage, a state-of-the-art small venue in a rehabilitated building on Concord’s Main Street. Nicki’s leadership engaged the participation and financial backing of hundreds of businesses and individuals, and once opened, the benefits of this new venue were apparent.
During the past eighteen months of turmoil for arts organizations, Nicki and her staff explored every way possible to advocate for CCA and the arts community, to obtain federal and state funds, maintain community support, and continue to meet the CCA’s mission, including offering outdoor performances, live streaming, and recorded performances. Nicki's leadership was critical in coalition building that allowed the arts community to speak and advocate with one voice and resulted in significant state support for the sector during a very challenging time.
With Nicki’s leadership on the creative economy, CCA and other arts organizations have been able to document that not only are they community centers of inspiration, joy, and education, but also significant economic drivers. She also led the arts community’s work with the Granite State Coalition Against Expanded Gambling, presenting the case for performance venues in legislative testimony over the past ten years. Additionally, in her role as a Board member and later Chair of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce, she worked tirelessly to ensure that arts and culture had a seat at the table along with the other businesses represented by the Chamber. This work earned her tremendous respect in the business community.