About Us

Déda is a Centre for Dance, Movement and Creativity based in the heart of the cathedral quarter in Derby – connecting locally, nationally and internationally. Déda has 3 studios, a 124 seat theatre and produces Derby Festé - an annual international outdoor street arts festival. We are a band 2 Arts Council England National Portfolio organisation and a registered charity (1053633). We attract 54,000 visitors to our building each year.

Our mission is to deliver an exceptional programme of dance, contemporary circus and outdoor performance to as wide an audience as possible and be recognised for our outstanding contribution in the field of dance development and learning. Déda is proud not only of what we do, but of where we work and our role in raising the profile of Derby.

Déda was established in 1991 based at Derby Playhouse, in 1997 we moved to our current venue on Chapel Street and in 2008 changed our name to Déda. We have grown from being a small regional dance house to now being a nationally recognised Creative Centre with a BA(Hons) Dance Degree and an MA Dance and Choreography based in our building, making us a true reflection of where 'education meets the profession’.

Derby’s artistic and cultural offering is booming and Déda, a centre for dance and contemporary circus, plays a huge role in that success. Déda is making a real difference for Derby and the region with our extensive community development programme. Our community projects reach over 8,000 beneficiaries each year. Déda is working on projects across the city and the county aimed at improving peoples’ quality of life through dance and the arts. Our outreach work takes us to schools, healthcare settings and community groups in Derby and around Derbyshire. We are fast becoming a leader in our field, bringing a high-quality arts experience to more people, and putting Derby on the map as the go-to place for Dance, Movement and Creativity.

Déda is supported by the Arts Council England, and in 2018 we were lucky enough to be awarded National Portfolio funding for a further four years to continue to promote dance and the arts in Derby. We were also awarded additional funding this round to enable us to bring Derby Festé into our portfolio – Festé is a weekend annual outdoor arts festival that attracts over 30,000 people to the city. For more information click here.

We believe that the arts enhance people’s lives and that Déda has a responsibility to reach as wide an audience as possible through presenting, producing and creating excellent work. We are consistently striving to improve and adapt in order that we continue to be a leader within the dance and wider arts sectors.

We contribute to Art Council England goals:

Goal 1: Excellence is thriving and celebrated in the arts, museums and libraries

Goal 2: Everyone has the opportunity to experience and be inspired by the arts, museums and libraries

Goal 5: Every child and young person has the opportunity to experience the richness of the arts, museums and libraries

Déda strives to meet the Arts Council's Let's Create Strategy, and embed at our core the four Investment Principles: Ambition & Quality; Dynamism; Environmental Responsibility; and Inclusivity & Relevance