Nick Barnes is co-artistic director of Blind Summit Theatre, which he founded in 1997 with Mark Down. Nick designs, makes puppets and performs for Blind Summit. He studied drama at Hull University and theatre design at the Slade School of Fine Art. He trained in puppetry with Philippe Genty at the International Institute of the Marionette. He has designed operas and musicals at home and abroad incorporating puppets into many of his designs.