Nicola Hawkins began her professional career as a stage director and choreographer when she moved to Boston, USA, from her native England and founded the Nicola Hawkins Dance Company (1993-2005). The award winning critically acclaimed company was known for its visually striking productions, drawing large audiences in Boston, New England and New York City. The Boston Herald noted: "There isn't anything that Nicola Hawkins does demurely...the work is the evidence of Hawkins' staggering ability to generate fresh and atypical dances...all of them accompanied by live musicians". The Boston Globe noted: "Over the years, she has amassed an impressive repertoire of works that are musically sophisticated and theatrically alluring."

In 2006, Nicola emigrated to rural Newfoundland, Canada, and immersed herself in her visual art practice. In 2011, she had a one woman show at the Provincial Gallery of Art and two others at the Provincial Craft Council Gallery. Most recently she returned to directing and choreographing for both stage and film. In 2021, with collaborators Duo Concertante, Nicola directed Duo Concertante's Solace: four videos exploring themes of reconciliation, peace, understanding, and communion through the music of Dawn Avery, Alice Ho, Jessie Montgomery and Cesar Franck. In 2022, she made Circle of Truth and Scored by Time, two narrative shorts without dialogue.