Performing arts union Equity has made a surprise announcement that could provide hope for Oldham Coliseum.
The Union is now calling on Oldham Council to use its Arts Council allocation to ‘save the 2023 panto’.
Following talks with the Arts Council in its Manchester office on March 9, union general secretary Paul Fleming had said that there was not much new to announce.
Update this afternoon: Oldham Coliseum has confirmed it will be shutting at the end of March.
In the press conference, the general secretary said there was a "real threat to the ability of this region to carry on producing theatre" with union councillor Victoria Brazier calling the situation for theatre ‘bleak’.
@theoldhamtimes Trade union Equity has called on Arts Council England to save jobs at Oldham Coliseum. The theatre is set to close at the end of March after the Arts Council refused its bid for funding. Read more on our website. #theatre #Oldham #saveoldhamcoliseum #OldhamColiseum #culture #ArtsCouncil ♬ original sound - The Oldham Times
More information can be found in our full coverage of the press conference.
However, in a bombshell announcement, it turns out the union knew more than it was letting on.
The union says the Arts Council told it at the meeting that the £1.85 million culture funding provided to Oldham Council could be used to fund the Coliseum.
The reason the union says it didn’t announce this at its March 9 press conference was so it could inform Oldham Council directly prior to briefing the press.
Now, the union has called on Oldham Council to act urgently given that Arts Council England will apparently consider a new funding bid for Oldham Coliseum.
An Arts Council spokesperson said: “The Arts Council has ringfenced £1.845 million for Oldham borough so that people can continue to enjoy arts and culture there.
“We are awaiting an application from Oldham Council for a programme of cultural activity over the next three years.
“We have not ruled in or out whether Oldham Coliseum Ltd could have a role in delivering this programme – that is something that would need to be discussed between Oldham Council and the board of Oldham Coliseum Ltd.
“However, if they do have a role we would, as guardians of public money, seek assurances that Oldham Coliseum Ltd's financial and governance challenges had been effectively addressed.”
Following this revelation, Equity called on Oldham Council to “urgently” submit a new bid to ACE to save the Coliseum, ahead of a full council meeting on Wednesday.
Equity’s North West regional official Paul Liversey said: “Oldham Council must act fast to submit a new bid that could save this producing theatre company and keep paid work for actors and creatives in Oldham, where it should be.
“The longer this takes, the less likely it is that Oldham audience goers will have any of the 2023 theatre season left.
“I am appealing to Cllr Amanda Chadderton to save the 2023 panto by putting in a new bid for the Coliseum urgently.”
Equity’s senior elected representative for the North West, Vicky Brazier, said: “Oldham Council have now got another chance to save this theatre company. It is so important that creative workers in the North West have an opportunity to work locally, earn locally, and spend their wage locally.
“Having Oldham Coliseum, a local producing house that employs people in the local community, allows us to do this.
“To lose the Coliseum would be so damaging to the North West’s creative economy.
“The people of Oldham, like the people of London and the people of Manchester, deserve a producing theatre on their doorstep and the community groups which work with the Coliseum deserve to be able to continue without a break.”
Council responds
Leader of Oldham Council, Cllr Amanda Chadderton, said: “The decision to close the doors of the Coliseum Theatre has been taken by the Coliseum's board.
“They are going through the difficult process of consulting those who are likely to be affected - including their staff.
“This is undoubtedly an emotional time for all involved and we’re sympathetic to what they are going through.
“Conversations about how Oldham’s arts organisations and the Council can access and use the ringfenced funding from the Arts Council are ongoing.
“We’ve recently held a joint meeting with the new Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Coliseum and ACE, and we’re ensuring they remain part of these conversations.”
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