Helen Nicholson is professor of theatre and performance at Royal Holloway, University of London where she specializes in applied and participatory theatre. She has worked in a wide range of contexts and settings, including care homes for people living with dementias. Her current research on theatre in community settings is designed to re-imagine relationships of care and reciprocity between artists, participants, and their local environments. Helen has published widely in the field, and has a long-standing interest in researching theatre-making and creative practices in places that are often overlooked or stigmatised. She is currently leading research on the National Theatre’s community programme, Public Acts.