Diversity, levelling up the north and redistributing funds away from London were leading factors behind Arts Council England's controversial funding decisions last week - but how did Oldham fare in the shift?

Arts Council England (ACE) funding is a core revenue stream for hundreds of arts and culture organisations across the country.

That's why its announcement on Friday of which charities would receive a slice of its 2023-26 National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) investment funds was anxiously anticipated.

This year, ACE decided to give even bigger investments in the north to 'level up' culture with 282 organisations safely secured for the next three years in the region.

In a controversial move, ACE also sought to create an even spread of investment by cutting back from London and even directing some 24 arts organisations to relocate out of the capital by October 2024.

A total of 990 NPO organisations will receive the funds, though some have not been so lucky and have had their NPO status stripped from them - including the Oldham Coliseum Theatre.

From at least 2015, the theatre has been in receipt of £604,067 every year until 2022.

It then received an additional £615,182 in 2022/23 as part of an extension that ACE designed to help organisations bounce back from Covid-19.

However, the theatre's bid for 2023-26 funds has been refused and will lose its NPO status in a move the theatre said was "very disappointing".

Oldham Coliseum Theatre said it recognised the pressures ACE faces in supporting organisations and providing equal access but added: "We were hopeful that - as Oldham is a 'levelling up' area for culture - the Coliseum would continue to receive support."

Cllr Elaine Taylor, Oldham Council's Cabinet member for culture and leisure, said the council would work with the coliseum to "try and secure its legacy".

Meanwhile, Oldham's Peshkar, which is an arts charity that targets hard-to-reach or socially disadvantaged young people, has received a boost.

Peshkar has been in receipt of £75,794 in NPO funding every year from 2015 to 2022, and also received an additional one-off extension fund of £77,189 for 2022/23.

Now, however, it will receive £107,189 a year throughout 2023-26.

Chair of Peshkar, Abdul Malik Ahad, said: "We are grateful to ACE for this acknowledgement, particularly in terms of the increase in funding of £30,000 per year to specifically enhance our work with young artists at the early stages of their career."

The charity said it saw the "worrying" impact lockdown had on young people in the arts sector but welcomed the uplift as it will "enable us to support more young artists in a meaningful way and to move them to the next phase of their careers."

Mr Ahad added: "Whilst this announcement remains a landmark in the 31-year evolution of Peshkar, it is worth remembering that many colleagues and organisations have not been successful.

"There will be many difficult decisions to be made for the sector in the weeks and months to come.

"Our thoughts are with them at this time."

The third and final beneficiary in Oldham is the visual arts charity, Portraits of Recovery, which works to support people and communities affected by substance abuse, addiction and recovery.

For the first time, the charity has been recognised as an ACE NPO and will receive £150,000 per annum between 2023-26.

The charity has also been approached for comment.