Meet Stella Witcher | Curator & Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Stella Witcher and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stella, why did you pursue a creative career?
My journey toward a creative career began intuitively and evolved into a more strategic pursuit. Arts and creativity have always been central to my enjoyment of life. After university, I found myself gravitating toward artistic spaces in London—galleries, nightclubs, museums—and the people within them. I needed these environments to thrive like a fish needs water. I was captivated by individuals who saw the world differently and reshaped it through their creative vision, whatever the medium. To me, these are the people driving change in our world, connecting with the core of what it means to be human.

My work as a curator and producer of creative events, experiences, and exhibitions grew from a desire to immerse myself in these spaces and work with these trailblazing individuals to make their visions come to life. It felt essential—not just for me but for others from all walks of life—to have access to such expansive arts experiences.

Through a variety of roles over the years across nightlife, fashion, and film, I eventually realized that galleries and museums were where I wanted to focus and grow my career. These spaces felt like the perfect environment to channel my passion and long-term goals. That realization shaped the path to becoming the curator I am today.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My journey has been anything but linear—it’s been deeply organic and shaped by exploration. I studied English Literature at university, but when I graduated, I felt disillusioned with the conventional career paths in marketing and teaching that I’d been interning in. Around that time, I found myself immersed in London’s queer nightlife and techno scenes. I was captivated by the sheer creativity and artistry in this world—through the music, fashion, art installations, and the incredible act of world-building.

It wasn’t long before I started performing as a club kid and hosting club nights, taking on the persona of my mask-wearing alter ego, Stella Marbles. This led to producing my own club nights and cabaret events, and eventually to designing and creating my masks as part of a growing artistic practice. What started as a personal exploration turned into a four-year career in nightlife, producing events and collaborating with clubs, parties, and festivals across the UK, Europe, and the US.

One of the most remarkable aspects of nightlife is its magnetic pull for creatives from all disciplines. Through this community, I found myself collaborating with fashion designers, photographers, magazines, musicians, entrepreneurs, theatres. I began working with museums and galleries like Tate Britain and San Mei Gallery to produce immersive multidisciplinary arts events and I realized that this was a world that brought all of my passions together.

In nightlife, my focus had always been on uplifting marginalized voices—especially LGBTQ+ and trans communities—and showcasing multidisciplinary artists who were pushing the boundaries of creativity. I sought to create experiences that encouraged people to learn, to question, and to see the world differently. I came to see that arts spaces could be a powerful platform for this kind of work, and that my background in immersive live events could bring something fresh to traditional galleries and museums.

For two years, I straddled nightlife and art curation. Then, during the lockdown, when live events came to a standstill, I saw it as an opportunity to fully pivot. I pursued a master’s in art direction and design in London, and after completing my degree, began working full-time as an arts curator. I managed an art gallery in Montreal for two years before returning to Boulder, where I grew up, to take on my current role as curator at the Dairy Arts Center.

Looking back, my career path has been driven by two constants: curiosity and people. I’ve always been fascinated by talented individuals with unique ideas and inspired by the magic that happens when creative people collaborate. At the Dairy, my mission is to uplift diverse emerging artists and showcase multidisciplinary creativity that reflects real community stories and aspirations.

I’m passionate about programming that bridges unlikely worlds—pairing a florist with a priest, a chef with a physicist, a sculptor with a farmer. To me, art is everywhere, and creative thinking is the starting point for solving problems and fostering meaningful conversations.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d start by taking them to see the current exhibitions/films/plays at the Dairy Arts Center (I’m biased!)

Live music at Gold Hill on the weekends

Drive up to Nederland and explore the mountain towns, a good hike up Sanitas

Zoe Ma Ma for great taeaway, Moxie for croissants, Chalet for the best vintage!

Take them to the Grizzly Rose for some line-dancing, Red Rocks for the view and live music

Meow Wolf to step into the void

Denver Museum of Contemporary Art, Union Hall, Access Gallery, for some more amazing art!

and Petals & Pages Bookstore !

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people who deserve recognition! Impossible to capture but here are a few:

My parents and sister, for always inspiring, supporting, and encouraging me, even when the path was crazy.

My high school English teacher, Mrs. Aurnhammer, for pushing me to follow my singular vision and find my voice.

The LGBTQ+ nightlife community in London, for welcoming me home and being the place where I found myself as a person and an artist.

Patti Smith, Angela Davis, Marina Ambramovic, John Waters, David Lynch, for inspiring me endlessly and shaping my understanding of what it means to be an intentional artist and shaper of creative community

Melissa Fathman and the team at The Dairy Arts Center, for bringing me on as curator and giving me such an incredible opportunity as curator.

My people, from the beginning to the end, you know who you are!

Website: https://www.stellawitcher.com/

Instagram: @thestellawitcher

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-witcher/

Other: current exhibitions at the dairy: https://thedairy.org/current-exhibition/