Working for the 5th year with our funders and partners at the Mayor of London's #SharedEndeavourFund, Arc is hugely proud to represent the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan with our award-winning Unlimited performance programme - using theatre to challenge hate and extremism in primary schools in northeast-London Boroughs…
More »
Female Genital Mutilation is the partial or total removal of female external genitalia for non-medical reasons. It’s also known as female circumcision, cutting or sunna. Religious, social or cultural reasons are sometimes given for FGM. However, FGM is child abuse. It’s a violation of human rights. It’s dangerous, and…
More »
This summer marks the delivery of four years of our Unlimited countering hate and extremism programme for children in London primary schools, generously funded by the Mayor of London's Shared Endeavour Grant! Created and facilitated by Arc's Education Director Natalie Smith, and featuring the Outsider play specially…
More »
An exciting opening has arisen offering a new opportunity for someone interested in guiding Arc through its latest stage of development! Do you have a passion for the arts? Do you have a connection to the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham? Or perhaps you are a member of the local community – a young person…
More »
In line with UK Government guidance, Arc has taken the difficult decision to cancel all contact-based and face-to-face activities from end of March until further notice.
More »
We are delighted to present Arc's latest female empowerment film devised and created by our Raised Voices group for the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham through MOPAC!
More »
This December we are delighted to be piloting DREading It - a brand new health and wellbeing performance for men and their families.
More »
This special event will celebrate the achievements of the 50 enthusiastic young female participants who have worked with us on the latest journey of the project, including producing and touring the latest Raised Voices film 'An Equal World' to their peers in schools across the Borough. Our latest film in the series…
More »
Arc's female empowerment group has had plenty to celebrate so far this spring, including a brilliant day spent with HRH Prince Harry at the launch of the new Barking & Dagenham Future Youth Zone!
More »
We are delighted to bring back the fantastic Oliver's Tales interactive storytelling and tale-making sessions for audiences in nursery, infant and junior schools!
More »
On 17 October, Beatrice Mushiya held a special event at Barking Town Hall in memory of her 17-year-old son Duran Kajiama, and all the young people who have lost their lives to knife crime.
More »
Filmed during May half-term, Voices for Votes is the work of young women aged 10+ from across Barking & Dagenham, including Arc's Raised Voices female empowerment group. We hope you will enjoy and share our film! Also ... exclusive behind-the-scenes filming from Barking & Dagenham Community TV! We were also delighted…
More »
Buying a £1 weekly ticket for the Barking & Dagenham Lottery in our name means that 50% of each sale will go directly towards helping us deliver work in the community!
More »
2017 has been a very busy year for us at Arc HQ! Here's a snapshot of some of the things we've been up to...
More »
Arc's Raised Voices drama-based female empowerment programme is open for new members from Thursday 9 November 2017 - join us to learn new skills, make new friends, and be part of a new film each year!
More »
This summer we are welcoming the return of our anti-gangs and youth violence/weapon crime play Boy X - reworked as Forum Theatre and special excerpts for schools and community events.
More »
Now booking for autumn 2017! Arc once again joins forces with West Midlands Police to help young people tackle inappropriate sexual behaviour on the transport system.
More »This month we are shouting out to our supporters for new connections to forward-thinking corporates who are looking to develop their Corporate Social Responsibility.
More »
This spring, we've been touring our interactive Stop & Think performance programme to schools in the London Boroughs of Havering and Barking & Dagenham.
More »
We have a sparkling range of programmes for this New Year - with old favourites and some brand new projects that we are very excited to bring to young people and communities in 2017!
More »
The youth group – run by Arc Theatre as a female leadership and peer mentoring project – left no topic untouched in their films as they explored everything from transgender experience to forced marriage and FGM. Every one of the 11 shorts was devised, created and performed by a total of 50 students from different…
More »
Now in its third year, funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and London Borough of Barking & Dagenham MOPAC, Arc's peer mentoring project took time out for some team-bonding this summer, with additional support from the Jack Petchey Foundation.
More »
Scamming awareness for community groups We're kicking off 2016 with a brand new tour of our community engagement piece School for Scammers for Havering Safer Neighbourhood Board! ‘Scamming’ is a confidence trick, swindle or other fraudulent scheme used to con innocent people, often for a quick profit. Scamming can be…
More »Summing up 2015! As we reach the end of another year at Arc, we would like to thank you - our clients, friends, participants and users - for your support in helping us to achieve so much over the last twelve months! Highlights of the year include: Tackling Female Genital Mutilation with survivor and lead campaigner…
More »
The release of Arc's World War One Centenary film Our Street: Patriotism and Violence - a First World War Centenary project in partnership with Eastside Community Heritage, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund In November 2013, Arc was awarded funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to create a two-year community…
More »
FREE FGM school staff training with Leyla Hussein With both primary and secondary school INSETs open to ALL school staff taking place in the London Boroughs of Barking & Dagenham and Havering, Leyla will be joining Arc’s Education Director Natalie Smith to raise awareness of the criminal practise estimated to already…
More »FGM school staff training with Leyla Hussein With four secondary school INSETS open to all school staff taking place in the London Boroughs of Barking & Dagenham and Havering this March, Leyla will be joining Arc’s Education Director Natalie Smith to raise awareness of the criminal practise estimated to already be…
More »Arc's FGM funding has been awarded by Rosa: the UK fund for women and girls, supported by Comic Relief, and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG)
More »
Touching Moments - Arc's new youth engagement programme funded by British Transport Police As part of BTP’s Project Guardian, Arc has devised a new schools programme using live theatre to raise awareness of sexual offences on the London public transport system. Recent statistics show that: One in 10 passengers have…
More »
Arc's young people in anti-social behaviour performances at Barking Station for National Express Foundation Following a week of intensive drama workshops with Arc at Kingsley Hall in Dagenham, a group of students aged 14+ from Eastbrook Comprehensive, Jo Richardson and other schools around the Borough performed their…
More »
Barking & Dagenham Mayor and FGM campaigner celebrate the powerful work of the Borough's young women with Arc On Thursday 10 July, Arc hosted a celebratory Film Launch and Presentation Evening – the first special event at its new base at Kingsley Hall in Parsloes Avenue, Dagenham. The event was a celebration of the…
More »
Raising Voices with Leyla Hussein We were delighted to welcome Leyla Hussein - anti-FGM campaigner and survivor, mother, psychotherapist and co-founder of Daughters of Eve , at our PHF funded 'Raised Voices' girls group recently, to help our young participants in their understanding of this horrific illegal practice…
More »
Promoting Road Safety in London Boroughs Arc was delighted to return for a fourth year this spring to Camden secondary schools with our road safety programme for Camden Environment and Transport Department. Crossing Over by Clifford Oliver was originally commissioned by Camden Public Safety Team and developed through…
More »
Raising Voices in Barking & Dagenham Would you, or someone you know, like to take part in an exciting new film and performance project in Barking & Dagenham? If you are female and in Year 7 or over at school, you could work with Arc's professional team of actors, filmmakers and facilitators on our latest multi-media…
More »New Year, new programmes! As well as continuing our specialised participative Forum theatre work in schools, colleges and organisations around the country, we are delighted to be introducing a range of new programmes for young people for 2014! Here's a peek at what's to come... Fiercebook Arc's new interactive…
More »
Arc keeps it local with Peter Pan and Wendy as Rooff invest in Barking & Dagenham performing arts! Arc is delighted to announce that Barking-based construction company Rooff is investing in our Christmas show Peter Pan and Wendy, which is touring the Borough's primary schools throughout December. Peter Pan and Wendy …
More »
Carole Pluckrose leaves Arc and launches Jasmine Street! This month we bid a fond farewell to Arc's co-founder, who leaves the Company after almost thirty years as Artistic Director and CEO. Having co-founded Arc with Clifford Oliver in 1984, Carole has now launched her brand new venture 'Jasmine Street Creative Lab'…
More »
A Tale of Two Arcs: 'The Ball at Stephen Hawking's' by Teatr ARKA Thursday 15 to Saturday 17 August 2013 at 7:30pm Barking & Dagenham launches major new international theatre project! Ahead of the Wroclaw 2016 European Capital of Culture, Arc is proud to announce an exciting new creative collaboration between Barking…
More »New for autumn and winter... Peter Pan and Wendy Arc's new musical based on J.M. Barrie's original story by Clifford Oliver with original music score by Phil Gostelow Arc is creating something very exciting for primary schools this autumn and winter ... here are all the details, including how to take up our exclusive…
More »
Do you know the facts surrounding 'Sexting'? Arc presents Broadcast - using Forum Theatre to explore sexting and cyberbullying for Years 7 to 9 - n ow available FREE to schools from 10 to 28 June, funded by Barking & Dagenham Serious Youth Violence Partnership. sexting. The ‘exchange of sexual messages or images’…
More »
Free secondary school performances, Commendation Event and Arc's new Patron! February brings a wealth of exciting news from Arc HQ! FREE Müllered performance programmes for secondary schools, 4 March to 8 May! Müllered is Arc's new theatre piece commissioned by British Transport Police, examining the causes, deeds and…
More »Happy New Year to all our friends, colleagues and visitors old and new! Now that the final curtain has drawn on Cinderella - our Panto for The Broadway Barking, 2013 promises a sparkling new calendar of events!
More »
Cinderella - The Broadway Panto 2012 We are very excited to be producing our very first Pantomime for The Broadway Barking! Directed by Carole Pluckrose and written by Clifford Oliver with an original script and score, this year's magically-musical production of Cinderella promises to be a breathtaking, colourful and…
More »
Summer's Sorted with Arc at The Malthouse! As part of this, Arc is delighted to be offering an exiting FREE five-day film and theatre course for 12 to 17-year-olds - and here's how to join us on Going for Gold ! Going for Gold A five-day film and theatre project led by Arc where participants will learn skills in…
More »
TRUCE! Tableaux - young people from Barking & Dagenham feature on the Olympic Big Screens this summer! "During the Olympic and Paralympic Games, competing countries sign up to a 'Truce'. This can mean many things - shaking hands, putting down arms - pausing and reflecting on what is really important. Here artists and…
More »
Girls Have Their Say Project - from vulnerable young women to strong young leaders One of Arc's three exciting new projects helping young women raise awareness and speak out about gang involvement, domestic violence and weapon crime... The first stage of Arc's new Home Office CAGGK funded film project - a creative…
More »
Girls and Gangs: from vulnerable young women to strong young leaders Arc is currently working on three fantastic new projects helping young women raise awareness and speak out about gang involvement, domestic violence and weapon crime... Girl E Young Leaders: Girls Have Their Say Project Arc's new Home Office funded…
More »
Directed and producted by Arc, Presence is a selection of seasonal ghostly stories presented by the Barking & Dagenham Players to offer some traditional Christmas chills this winter! Running from Thursday 9 to Sunday 12 December, tickets are free of charge, but donations are invited in support of two local good causes…
More »
Boy X at The Broadway Barking for London Week of Peace Written by Clifford Oliver and directed by Carole Pluckrose, Boy X performed on 23 September at The Broadway Barking to a packed house for London Week of Peace. Hosted by Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Matt Bell, Arc's highly-acclaimed anti-weapon play…
More »
Arc's secondary school programmes from September 2010 Boy X by Clifford Oliver, directed by Carole Pluckrose Boy X anti-weapon crime performance and workshop programmes for London Week of Peace in September 2010. Barking & Dagenham Secondary Schools are eligible for an exclusive 50% discount on a one-day programme…
More »
B Safe B Cool Interactive Transport Transition Workshops for Year 6 Touring Essex Schools from 17 May to 22 July 2010 Commissioned by Essex County Council Passenger Transport Co-ordination Centre Following demand for travel awareness training, Essex County Council's Student Behaviour and Safeguarding Team has…
More »
Margaret Hodge MP with Mark Bradbury, LTGDC Deputy Director of Development and Chairman Bob Lane Inspirational women at The Malthouse Studios! In two separate VIP visits, Arc was delighted to welcome Margaret Hodge MP and Helen Bamber OBE to its home in Abbey Road, Barking. On Wednesday 18 March, local MP and Culture…
More »
Introducing The Russells Lead the Way by Clifford Oliver - an interactive new play for Housing Association Resident Involvement events around the country As part of our commitment to assisting Housing Associations with their Community Cohesion programme, Arc's latest sit-com style Forum theatre programme has been…
More »
Arc's summer summary This month Arc Theatre has presented a record number of exciting and diverse projects in and around its home in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham From construction site safety for young people, to developing resident-led self-regulation for Housing Associations, here's some of the work we…
More »
Presenting Stephen K Patterson's Guide to a Perfect Life written by Clifford Oliver, directed by Andy Rogers Arc is delighted to announce its new anti-social behaviour programme for secondary schools commissioned by Havering Community Safety Partnership. Touring seventeen London Borough of Havering secondary schools…
More »
Citizenship events Arc was delighted to perform at a special event at the Department for Communities and Local Government on 29 November. With a keynote speech from the Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and a high-profile panel debate, Arc performed 'Meet the Russells' - a…
More »
This story with clips of 'Stereo' in schools was filmed as part of a community item for broadcast on BBC London News in December 2007. The full feature can be watched online at: BBC London News: London's teenage murders Tom's Legacy Kurt Barling - BBC News Special Correspondent reports for BBC London on Arc's Stereo…
More »
Arc announces glowing Investors in People re-accreditation! Having just completed the re-accreditation of our Investors in People status, we are delighted to announce excellent feedback! Here’s what Investor in People Assessor, Julia Houghton, had to say about us: “ Arc Theatre is one of the most fabulous…
More »
Last chance to book GCSE Drama INSET Facilitated by Joss Bennathan and held at Stratford Circus, London E15, the next course takes place on 11 June. Places are filling up fast and there are very limited free places available for Newham teachers (one per school). Move over leaflet for full course details. Download…
More »Arc in residence at the Tricycle Theatre Presenting a new opportunity to see Arc's powerful educational play Stereo , written by Clifford Oliver and directed by Carole Pluckrose, and interactive storytelling with The Boy Who Couldn't Dream , written by Andy Rogers and performed by Andy along with Dani Bradstreet, here…
More »
Barking & Dagenham Youth Theatre receives Jack Petchey Award and announces new spring show! Our Youth Theatre members received a great boost to the New Year with news of special funding from the Jack Petchey Foundation*. A prestigious Silver Achievement Award 'recognising effort, endeavour and achievement in a…
More »
Stereo by Clifford Oliver - performance and workshop programme for Key Stage 4 Citizenship now booking for autumn 2006 Originally commissioned by the Avon & Somerset Criminal Justice Board to explore the journey of a 16 year-old boy through the Criminal Justice System, Arc's Stereo programme was first produced for…
More »
Welcome to Arc's new website To mark the start of summer we've launched a fresh new look for our website. Now with video samples of our work, a new monthly newsletter, recruitment facility and improved, user-friendly navigation, we hope you find everything you need to know quickly and easily. Please use our contact…
More »
'Such confidence and skill...' Editor of The Post newspaper, Barry Kirk reviews a performance of Barking & Dagenham Youth Theatre's production of Seven at the Broadway Theatre... Seven deadly sins of youth The seven sins is an interesting title for any playwright to get his pen round, and even more so when created…
More »