PLANS for a £24million theatre, set to be home for Oldham Coliseum at the heart of the town’s new cultural quarter, have been submitted.
The proposals are for a modern and accessible theatre, suitable for modern audiences while in keeping with Oldham’s history.
The theatre is set to be created in the historic Friends Meeting House and former Post Office, close to Gallery Oldham, the Old Library, the new home for Oldham Theatre Workshop and the site soon set to be Oldham’s new outdoor arts and performance space.
Plans include a main auditorium seating more than 300 people, a 120-seat studio theatre, an education suite, and all-day café bar areas, which can also be used as additional performance spaces.
Open from morning into the evening, the new theatre won’t just be a place for performances and theatre, but a place where people can meet up and socialise.
The plans have been shaped so far by Oldham Coliseum Theatre Ltd, theatre and arts experts, a range of partner organisations, local schoolchildren and members of the public.
Cllr Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council, said: “This is such an exciting next step for Oldham Coliseum, theatregoers in Oldham and beyond, and everyone involved who has helped bring this new theatre to life.
“As council leader, I’ve made it one of my top priorities to push plans for our new theatre forward as I know how important it is to the people who live here and visit the town.
“Oldham has such a fantastic heritage of theatre and production spanning back decades, so it’s important we continue this for future generations.
“It’s also important to remember this new space won’t just be a theatre; it will be a place that encourages people to come together with friends and family to get creative, socialise with one another and celebrate the arts.
“I personally can’t wait to see our new theatre throw open its doors.”
The design has been influenced by the surrounding historical buildings, and materials have been carefully selected to complement the architecture and make sure it all works as one.
A decision will be made on the application in November 2023.
Duncan Craig OBE, Chair of Trustees, Oldham Coliseum Theatre said: “This is yet another exciting step forward in a journey I feel now we’re all making together – that’s the council, the Coliseum and both Oldhamers and Greater Manchester theatre-goers.
“Our organisation’s commitment to producing and programming theatre is as alive as ever and the fact that we’re at the stage of submitting the plans for our new home really helps us begin to imagine the opening nights of future performances.
“Of course, there is still a journey ahead of us and the success of the theatre will only happen if we work together and show just exactly what a mighty Coliseum can be.”
This announcement follows the news that Oldham Council was successful in its proposal to Arts Council England to secure funding to deliver a cultural programme of events over the next three years.
Oldham Coliseum Theatre will receive £450,000 from this funding to specifically produce, commission, create, deliver, and develop a new business model.
Oldham Council also recently announced plans for a new public space in Oldham’s Cultural Quarter, meaning a new open area for arts and events is now set to be developed.
These plans are of Oldham’s much wider regeneration programme, creating a thriving, greener and more sustainable town centre for the future.
Developments include restoring the Old Library, a new market, new shops and leisure opportunities, a new town centre park and around 2,000 new homes – building a great place for businesses to thrive and a town centre where more people want to live, work and visit.
To find out more about the work taking place, visit: www.oldham.gov.uk/regen
It’s absolutely disgusting that OMBC are still intending to spend to spend £26 million on building yet another theater in Oldham and even worse for a theater group that has had it’s ACE funding withdrawn after being deemed, “High risk,” because of their perfectly reasonable and fully justified concerns about The Coliseum’s, ” financial mismanagement, leadership and governance.”
The town already has at least 6 other theater/performance spaces and many other’s with in easy reach of Oldham all of them more more relevant, better supported and more cost effective to operate than The Coliseum and far more appropriate to size and kind of audiences the attract.
These are:
The Lyceum
The Millgate Arts Center
The Grange Arts Center, (currently closed due to structural issues.)
The Queen Elizabeth
The New Library/Lifelong Learning Center
The Playhouse 2
(An additional performance space has also been proposed for the refurbished Old Library building.)
Why OMBC are still throwing money at an artistic and commercial dinosaur like The Coliseum defies all common sense and begs the question, why can’t they get funding for the things he town actually needs and that the people who live, (other than a tiny over-vocal minority,) actually want ?.