The 1885-built Oldham Coliseum is scheduled to close at the end of March after losing Arts Council England funding. Oldham Council has announced plans for a new theatre, slated to open in 2026, but campaigners say this is insufficient.
“Hands off Oldham!” This was the chant led by actress Maxine Peake at a public assembly to save the historic Oldham Coliseum in Greater Manchester.
As she spoke at the event, the celebrity, known for her roles in the television series Dinnerladies, Shameless, and Anne, praised local theatres as the “lifeblood” of communities.
Following the announcement that funding will be cut, she was one of several well-known figures among an estimated 400 individuals who supported the campaign.
The 1885-built Oldham Coliseum is scheduled to close at the end of March. According to Arts Council England, the venue has been facing “financial and governance challenges” for some time, and the building, which is owned by Oldham Council, is “approaching its natural end.”
The organization supports Oldham Council’s plans for a new theatre in the city, but after current funding for the Coliseum expires, it has agreed to contribute an additional £360,000 “to assist with future decisions.”
Peake, a native of Bolton in Greater Manchester, told the meeting attendants on Tuesday. “It’s all about community and what this theatre means to Oldham. When I was a juvenile actor, Oldham actors inspired me; it made me believe “you can do it.”
“If you can’t see it, you can’t be it.”
“There was incredible talent centered around this theatre, and there’s a saying: ‘If you can’t see it, you can’t be it.’ It’s about what these locations give to the audiences who visit.”
She continued, “As our government is increasingly dividing communities, theatres have become community centers.
Even if I hadn’t been an actor, it would have inspired me to be braver in life. And watching theatre pushes me to be braver.
Oldham Council revealed plans for a £24 million theatre in the town that will open in 2026.
“They need to gather themselves together, this is unacceptable – a three-year wait? No way,” Peake said. “Art should be accessible to everyone, not just the privileged.”
Following her speech, Peake led a refrain of “hands off Oldham.”
Playwright Ian Kershaw, Tony Award-nominated actor Paul Hilton, and Ackley Bridge actress Zoe Iqbal were among the other speakers at the event, which was organized by the performing arts union Equity.
Equity’s northwest regional director Paul Liversey called the theater’s closure “a vacuum of arts access.”
“While Oldham Council’s commitment to constructing a new theatre is good news. It does not resolve the immediate issues associated with the Coliseum’s closure,” he said.
There will be no theatre in the borough until the new site opens in 2026. Which is at least three years away.
The structure has reached its natural conclusion.
A spokesperson for Arts Council England acknowledged in a statement that Oldham Coliseum is a “well-loved fixture” in the town and that “understandably many people have strong emotions” about its future.
The statement continued, “Oldham Coliseum Ltd has been experiencing financial and governance issues for some time. And as stewards of public funds, we could not invest in an organization we deemed to be so high risk.
“Their funding will continue until March, after which we’ve agreed to provide an extra $360,000 to help them make decisions”.
Arts Council England is completely committed to supporting arts and culture for the people of Oldham. We stand by our commitment to investing £1.85 million in performing arts in the town. And our overall investment in the arts in Oldham will be greater than ever before.
Oldham Council owns the Oldham Coliseum building, which is nearing its natural end.
The organization says it is “fully behind” the council’s plans for a new performing space “that will be informed by the legacy of the Oldham Coliseum and which will ensure there will be excellent theatre in Oldham for people to enjoy for years to come.”
