About Us…

Who We Are

ARC HOUSE was founded by Charlene Carter-James and Martin Simms, two creative leaders with deep roots in advocacy, talent development, and sector change.

Charlene brings experience from Culture Central, championing equity and representation across the region’s arts and culture landscape. Martin works through Create Central, driving access, skills, and investment in the screen industries.

Together, they launched ARC HOUSE to connect the dots between culture, community, and career, centering Black creatives and the global majority across both sectors.

ARC House is guided by an Advisory Board of artists, producers, and industry leaders. This board brings lived experience, industry knowledge, and regional insight to ensure ARC HOUSE stays grounded, accountable, and ambitious in its goals.

ARC HOUSE Team

Martin Simms

Co-Founder

Charlene Carter-James

Co-Founder

Lateesha Johnson

Communications & Engagement

Our Vision

To develop a thriving creative and cultural sector where Black and global majority creatives in the West Midlands have the infrastructure, access, and influence to lead, sustain, and grow their careers, shaping an equitable, representative industry.

Our Mission

To centre and support the Black and global majority creative workforce through research, design labs, strategic partnerships, and advocacy. Developing infrastructure, growing networks, and creating tangible pathways between arts, culture and screen industries.

Design Labs: Building the Blueprint

Our series of design labs will bring together Black and global majority creatives from across the West Midlands to share experiences, priorities, and ideas. These insights will shape a strategic framework and organisational model designed to:

  • Drive policy change

  • Challenge funding disparities

  • Influence investment across the sector.

This work is about creating solutions led by those most impacted and turning lived experience into structural change.

Our Advisory Board