Oldham MP’s Jim McMahon MP, Debbie Abrahams MP and Cllr Amanda Chadderton have issued a joint statement following the announcement that Oldham Coliseum cancels future shows after losing funding
“The Coliseum has been the jewel in the crown of Oldham’s cultural offer since 1885, the outpouring of support from the people of Oldham and the countless celebrities whose careers were born at the theatre are testament to that.”
Earlier this week the theatre whose History dates back to 1885 announced that it would be shutting its doors at the end of March after losing its Art’s Council funding
“This is more than a fight for one town, or one theatre, towns like ours depend on cultural organisations like the Coliseum. We will fight unreservedly for a thriving, innovative Coliseum theatre production company which is the beating heart of Oldham’s cultural offer. We will be demanding that the government, Arts Council England and others work with us to secure a sustainable future for this, now and for generations to come.”
A statement from the Coliseum said that the board of trustees and the senior leadership team “have been working hard to find a solution” to the removal of its ACE funding. Tickets for the pantomime went on sale in November and further productions for 2023 were announced the following month “with the best possible intentions”, the statement continued.
“However, the current financial situation is not sustainable for the season as planned. We are working with ACE and Oldham council to honour agreements with artists and producing partners.”
Support for the theatre has been enormous since the news was unveiled earlier in the week.Stars such as Maxine Peake and Christopher Biggins who had trod the boards there and well as Coronation Street stars have pledged support
Lisa Nandy, the Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, said theatres such as Oldham Coliseum are “part of our civic inheritance” and that “this one in particular means so much to me and my family.”
