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Who we are
Originally founded in 1984, Arc has built a strong core Management and Associate team bringing together an exceptional range of creative skills, educational experience and business and social expertise. The Company is governed by an equally diverse and committed Board of Management.
We also benefit from a first-class pool of highly-skilled, trained actors, storytellers, facilitators, workshop leaders, production managers and designers who are individually hand-picked to suit each programme or bespoke project.
Clifford Oliver (Olly)
Artistic Director / Resident Writer
Clifford is a writer, director, workshop leader and facilitator with over thirty years' experience of working with young people and adults in education, the community, business and the public sector.
Clifford has written in excess of forty plays, some of which are published and all of which have been performed. He is best known for his work on issues around social and criminal justice and equality, specifically for young people. His work has been nominated for a 'Raspberry Ripple' award for positive portrayal of disability, and a 'Race in the Media' award.
In 1984, along with Carole Pluckrose he co-founded Arc Theatre. Prior to this, with Actorshop at the Theatre Royal Stratford East, he was part of the team that developed the style of Forum Theatre that has now become the industry standard in the UK.
At Arc, Clifford worked as a storyteller and actor before becoming resident writer, creative director and lead facilitator. He has trained many of Arc’s workshop leaders and developed the style and format with which Arc has worked very successfully with young people and in the community.
In 2013, Clifford was appointed Artistic Director of the Company, working closely with its leadership team and non-executive Board to ensure its continued success.
Nita Bocking
General Manager and Company Secretary
Nita worked in domestic banking for a decade before joining Arc in 1991. As General Manager, Nita plays a vital role in the Company's Management Team and deals with all financial, contractual, personnel and business issues. Nita is responsible for the overall fine-tuning of the organisation and oversees the smooth running of Arc's administration and project co-ordination.
Natalie Smith
Education Director
Natalie joined Arc in 1992. She has performed in over 30 of the Company's productions, having played everything from a tooth fairy to a police officer! Most recently Natalie has devised, developed and facilitated Arc’s Broadcast programme, raising awareness about 'sexting' and cyberbullying.
Natalie both performs in, and facilitates Forum Theatre and training workshops for both adults and young people, and has spent much of the last four years leading Arc's groundbreaking new multi-media projects for girls at risk - Girls Have Their Say (funded by the Home Office CAGGK), Finding the Words and Raised Voices (both funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation).
Theresa Snooks
Communications Manager
With daughters attending Arc's Drama Holiday Workshops since their launch in 1993, Theresa became a Company member in 1995, having previously worked in independent radio and international film production. Theresa has booked and coordinated many of Arc's local and national tours over the years, and also looks after the Company's branding, design, print, press, educational materials, reports, evaluations and events. Theresa's design work includes producing much of the Company's in-house creative resources including photography, costumes, set, publicity and resource materials. She also manages Arc's website - so if you find any problems, please contact her!
Michael Ainsworth - Independent Criminal Justice Consultant
Chair of Arc's Board, Mike is the Director of London Services for Stop Hate UK, with specific responsibility for the 'No Hate Speech' movement - training volunteers to challenge and report online hate speech.
Mike is currently Chair of the UK Government’s Independent Advisory Group on Hate Crime - a group made up of victims, activists, lawyers and academics, whose role it is to advise Government, Police and other offices of the Criminal Justice System on strategies to eradicate hate crime and the harm it causes to individuals and society. Mike is also is a member of the Executive Board of the UK Council for Internet Safety.
After a varied career in the Prison Service from Officer in HMP Lincoln to Governor in HMP Holloway, Mike worked in a variety of voluntary sector organisations, including Director of Offender Programmes at The Prince's Trust. Recently, Mike spent a number of years working with local and national Criminal Justice organisations looking to eradicate the underlying causes of race disproportionality.
Graham Simmons
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Graham is a Governor at Hockerill Anglo-European College in Bishop's Stortford. For many years he has also acted as Director of a business management consultancy working with both the public and private sectors. This follows a successful career in Local Government at senior level, initially in the technical and surveying field before moving into social housing. Graham then set up and developed an 'Arms Length Housing Management Company' in the capacity of Interim Chief Executive.
Graham brings to the Board considerable experience in governance, committee arrangements, partnerships, project management, and offers a pragmatic approach to strategic planning and financial management.
Colleen Amos - CEO, The Amos Bursary
Colleen is a communications specialist who has worked in the media, food, insurance, education and charity sectors. She is currently CEO of The Amos Bursary - a charity she set up in 2008, which helps academically able British young men of African and Caribbean heritage, from London's inner city schools, to access professional careers. The Bursary prepares students for top universities, the world of work, and to become future leaders.
Her previous roles include Head of Communication and Marketing for The Learning Trust, the UK's first private, not-for-profit company set up in 2002 to run education services for the London Borough of Hackney, Head of Internal Communications for AXA Insurance and Corporate Communications Manager for the UK's largest dairy company, Dairy Crest. For over nine years, Colleen worked in Zimbabwe as a TV presenter and Head of PR and Advertising for Dairibord.
A qualified teacher, Colleen is an accredited executive coach and mentor and Facet 5 personality model user. She is also a Trustee for the Campaign for Learning.
Dolores Altaras - Altaras Architecture / The Flavasum Trust
Trustee of the Flavasum Trust, Dolores was born in Romania in 1954. She emigrated to Israel in 1972, where she completed her studies in architecture. She arrived in the UK in 1978 and joined a large commercial architectural practice, where she took part in important design competitions, such as the redevelopment of Covent Garden, Westminster pier, and The National Gallery Extension. In 1983 she joined a multi-ethnic team of professionals employed by Haringey Council to regenerate the Broadwater Farm Estate after the 1985 riots. In 1988 she became a single mother and continued to work and bring up her son. With the encouragement of Peter, her new partner, she formed her own practice in 1995. Her main architectural interests now lie in environmental design and eco-friendly homes.
In 2006, her only son Tom was killed in an unprovoked knife attack, and following his death, she, her partner and Tom's friends formed The Flavasum Trust, which aims to raise awareness of the consequences of knife and gun crime by using creative means to engage disaffected young prople.
Phillippa Banister - Founder Director, Street Space
Phillippa is the Founding Director of Barking & Dagenham-based social enterprise Street Space - working with people to reimagine their streets and spaces. Passionate about the power of theatre and streets to build community, support people to disagree well and build a better, collaborative future for all, Phillippa is keen to support Arc as part of the Board. With over 10 years' experience in community building, creative engagement and collaborative street design, Phillippa has worked across government, private and third sector organisations on dynamic and innovative projects, creating conditions for communities to thrive and flourish.
A social entrepreneur, Phillippa is also a Fellow at the Royal Society of Arts, member of the Placemaking Leadership Council, and is passionate about the impact of community-led action in the face of larger scale, top-down regeneration.
Shamus Kenny - Head of Secretariat, Transport for London
Shamus is the Head of Secretariat at Transport for London. He was previously Board Secretary for the Office of Rail Regulation and Senior Secretariat Office for the Disability Rights Commission. He has also worked for the London Boroughs of Redbridge and Islington and the London North East Community Foundation in committee secretary roles. Shamus has serviced Arc Board meetings as Minutes Secretary since 1989. He provides advice and supports the effective operation of the Board.
