Oldham Coliseum Theatre

Name

Oldham Coliseum Theatre

Legal name

Oldham Coliseum Theatre Ltd

Website

https://coliseum.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1885

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theatre & Performing Arts

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB)

Keywords

• Live theatre productions
• Community arts programmes
• Artist development schemes
• Youth theatre education
• Cultural festival events

Headquarters

HQ city

Oldham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales for theatre productions and performances across various venues in Oldham. Standard tickets £15, concessions £12, under 16s £8. No booking fees charged.
2. Donations: Charitable donations from supporters to sustain theatre operations and artistic programming. The theatre is a registered charity (No. 508829).
3. Corporate Sponsorship: Support from local businesses including Wates, JD Williams, Jigsaw, Backstage, and others interested in promoting arts and supporting Oldham regeneration.
4. Public Funding: Core funding from Arts Council England, Oldham Council, and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). The theatre receives capital support for building refurbishment (£10 million from Oldham Council, £6.1m from Towns Fund).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Oldham Coliseum Theatre is a producing theatre and registered charity (No. 508829) that creates and presents live theatre productions, community-led cultural festivals (notably the Khushi Festival celebrating South Asian culture), youth theatre events (OPAC Youth Theatre Festival), and artist development programmes (Bloom, Crafted, Mash Up, Culture & Chips). It sells tickets to general audiences, delivers participatory arts education in partnership with Oldham schools, and during refurbishment of its Fairbottom Street home (planned reopening 2026) operates across multiple partner venues including a 167-seat pop-up theatre, Coliseum at the Roundabout.

Product overview

Oldham Coliseum Theatre is a producing theatre and charity (registered number 508829) that has served Oldham since 1885. While its Fairbottom Street home undergoes refurbishment, the organisation operates across multiple venues in Oldham, presenting professional productions, community events, and artist development programmes. The core offerings include theatre productions (such as CENSUS, Smoke & Mirrors, KHOOGHI, and ÌLỌ́YÁ), annual festivals (Khushi Festival celebrating South Asian culture, OPAC Youth Theatre Festival), and artist development programmes (Bloom, Crafted, Culture & Chips, Mash Up). The organisation also runs Coliseum at the Roundabout pop-up theatre venue and produces the Coli Cast podcast. Programming focuses on northern and working-class voices, South Asian communities, emerging artists, and young people.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Khushi Festival Annual festival of happiness celebrating South Asian culture, offering comedy, music, theatre, dance, art exhibitions, kite workshops, family activities, and Whirling Dervish experiences across Oldham's Cultural Quarter, aimed at the local South Asian community and general audiences.
• OPAC Youth Theatre Festival Annual youth theatre festival run in partnership with Oldham Theatre Workshop, bringing together over 100 young people from primary, secondary and SEND schools across Oldham to perform original commissioned works and develop theatre skills.
• Bloom Artist Development Programme Annual artist development programme supporting artists living or working in Oldham to develop and showcase new work, offering mentorship, rehearsal space, bursaries and creative production support.
• Culture & Chips Monthly relaxed meetup for local creatives to discuss art and culture in Oldham, featuring guest speakers from theatre and the wider arts sector.
• Mash Up Annual creative programme bringing together young people aged 18-25 to collaborate, learn and create bold work across dance, music, drama, film and digital arts, delivered with partner MAHDLO and Northern Roots.
• Crafted Artist Development Scheme Artist development scheme providing funding, mentorship and resources for early-career theatre artists in Oldham, including bursaries, studio space and performance opportunities.
• Coliseum at the Roundabout 167-seat pop-up theatre launched in April 2024 opposite Queen Elizabeth Hall, hosting an artistic programme of work made in Oldham, community group performances and creative activities during the permanent building's refurbishment.
• Coli Cast Podcast Podcast produced by the Friends of Oldham Coliseum featuring updates on the theatre's refurbishment, interviews with key players and behind-the-scenes content during the closure period.
• CENSUS (theatre production) Award-winning theatre production by Malandra Jacks celebrating working-class communities through projection, real voices and storytelling; won Best Performance at Manchester Culture Awards 2024.
• Smoke & Mirrors (theatre production) Theatre production by Dare to Know Theatre exploring the myths and pressures of the art world, featured in I Love Manchester's Top Best Theatre Shows in Manchester 2025.
• KHOOGHI (theatre production) Family puppetry show combining theatre, live music and Punjabi folk storytelling focused on cultural heritage and the figure of Alam Lohar.
• ÌLỌ́YÁ – Let the Journey Begin (theatre production) One-man show by Oluwasegun Lafup Ogundipe exploring migration, identity and belonging through West African storytelling with live drumming and interactive audience engagement.
• Craft Brew (showcase event) Creative sharing session showcasing developing works by local Oldham artists, with audience feedback opportunities tied to the theatre's artist development work.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150,000+ individuals engaged annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oldham CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore public sector partner providing core funding and capital investment. Committed £10 million plus Towns Fund contribution for theatre refurbishment. Supports cultural programmes and festival funding.
• Women's CHAI ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term community partner for Khushi Festival celebrating South Asian culture. Collaborates on co-creation of performances with community groups including West Oldham CHAI, Freehold CHAI Project.
• Oldham Theatre WorkshopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary operational partner for OPAC (Oldham Performing Arts Collective), Mash Up programme, and venue provision (JR Clynes Building). Co-develops youth theatre and artist development.
• Manchester Jazz FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for jazz programming including Satnam Galsian commission and venue hosting at George Street Chapel.
• The Old Courts WiganminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-commissioner with Oldham Coliseum and Manchester Jazz Festival for Satnam Galsian's Love or Sacrifice.
• Tilbury DouglascoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHeritage contractor appointed by Oldham Council for theatre building refurbishment. Brings experience from transforming the historic Old Library in Oldham.
• Contact TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported Census production as original commissioner along with hÅb and Manchester City Council.
• Shakespeare North PlayhouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPD collaboration delivering professional development for Oldham teachers on teaching Shakespeare.
• Yuvanis FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner contributing to Khushi Festival through kite workshops and cultural programming.
• The Indian Association - Saheli GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization contributing to Khushi Festival cultural celebrations and kite exhibition.
• Friends of Oldham ColiseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive community group that fought to save the theatre and continues to support through Coli Cast podcast, community engagement, and advocacy.
• MAHDLOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth venue partner for Mash Up creative programme bringing together young people aged 18-25.
• Northern RootsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for Mash Up youth creative programme.
• Julie HesmondhalghcoreOthersAward-winning actor and writer joining as Guest Curator to help shape reopening programme. Key figure in Save Oldham Coliseum campaign.
• Nick BagnallcoreOthersNew Creative Director appointed with 30+ years theatre experience including Associate Artist at Shakespeare's Globe and Shakespeare North Playhouse.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• HOME Manchester: Manchester's major contemporary arts centre combining theatre, cinema, and gallery. Operates in the same Greater Manchester market for live performance audiences with broader programming scope.
• The Lowry Salford: Larger multi-venue arts centre in Salford, Greater Manchester. Operates theatre and gallery spaces as a broader cultural venue, with overlapping audiences but significantly larger scale and broader programme.

Others

• Oldham Council (Cultural Services): Local authority providing core funding and capital investment (£10M+) for the Coliseum. Critical funding partner and strategic stakeholder rather than a competitor, but central to the Coliseum's operating model.

Direct peers

• Liverpool Everyman Theatre: Regional producing theatre in Liverpool with strong community focus and northern identity. Nick Bagnall was formerly Artistic Associate Director there, indicating direct operational and creative alignment.
• Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester: Major producing theatre in Manchester with similar community engagement and producing-theatre model. Both operate as producing theatres with strong local identity, though Royal Exchange is significantly larger in capacity and audience scale.
• Shakespeare North Playhouse: New-build regional theatre in Prescot, Merseyside with producing theatre model and strong education focus. Direct partner with Oldham Coliseum on teacher CPD; comparable scale and mission.
• Bolton Octagon Theatre: Regional producing theatre in Greater Manchester area. Comparable as a regional producing theatre with strong community programming, artist development, and educational outreach targeting local audiences.
• Contact Theatre Manchester: Manchester-based theatre focused on young people's programming and underrepresented voices. Co-commissioner with Oldham Coliseum on Census production; similar focus on youth theatre and community engagement.

Regional players

• Leeds Playhouse: Major producing theatre in Leeds with similar community engagement and northern identity. Comparable producing theatre model though operating in a different Yorkshire-based geographic market.

Emerging players

• Oldham Theatre Workshop: Oldham-based participatory theatre organisation and direct operational partner for OPAC and Mash Up programmes. Smaller in scale than the Coliseum, focused specifically on youth and participatory theatre work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@OldhamColiseum1885
• Facebookfacebook.com/oldhamcoliseumtheatre
• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/oldham-coliseum-theatre
• Instagraminstagram.com/oldhamcoliseum
• TikToktiktok.com/@oldhamcoliseum
• Xx.com/OldhamColiseum

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oldham Coliseum Theatre