Top Message
The Coliseum’s community work was in-depth and wide-reaching. It provided accessible ways for individuals and groups to get involved in watching and making theatre, whilst using creative practice as a tool for community development. We co-developed and delivered inspiring artistic collaborations that stretched the imaginations and skills of community groups in Oldham and across Greater Manchester.
We had a structured annual programme which groups could join free of charge and a co-created strand, that encouraged action research and new developmental projects, led by Oldham’s communities.
Coliseum Community: Partnership Scheme
Community groups took part in a specially tailored programme to create a piece of theatre; building confidence and creativity whilst amplifying untold stories from groups across Greater Manchester. The work was shared at an annual event at the theatre, promoting collaboration between groups of different ages and backgrounds.
Co-created research and development projects
Snap
Snap was a creative project inviting people from across the borough to share photos of Oldham; SNAP what makes Oldham special to you.
We collected photos of all areas of Oldham, from Shaw, Sholver and Saddleworth, to Coldhurst, Chadderton and Crompton. The collection was shared with Oldham's communities both online and at the Coliseum.
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Stamp
Postcards filled with pictures and poems of positivity. Postcards were sent to a friend or family member or returned to the Coliseum to share with Oldham’s communities.
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Stitch
A creative community project that asked people to make patches of positivity representing ‘togetherness’, in partnership with Women’s Chai Project, Housing 21, Jigsaw Homes and Pakistani Community Centre
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Qubool Hai (I do)
Presented by the Coliseum in partnership with Chai Women’s Project, this online exhibition explores marriage, family, relationships and learning to live together.
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Digital Communities: 'Space'
In Spring 2021 we invited four groups to work with four artists to create a creative piece in response to the following provocation:
What spaces have been important to you over the last year ... your home, a park bench, your garden? What spaces are you looking forward to visiting? How about your head space ... how have you felt?
Writer Cathy Crabb worked with the Coliseum's young people's group, Pathways, dancer Jade Williams worked with Lumenus performance group from Newbridge School, rapper and poet Antony Szmierek worked with Full Circle, the Coliseum's over 50's group, and visual artist Rose Sergent worked with Women's Chai Projects based at Hathershaw College.
The groups worked in parallel to explore the themes through a variety of creative mediums and each session was captured in a series of blog posts at coliseumdigitalcommunities, allowing groups to share their responses with one another throughout the process. Funded by the Granada Foundation, the project was developed in place of 'Coliseum Community', the theatre's Community Partnership Scheme where groups collaborate to create a piece of theatre for the Coliseum's Main Stage.
This zine was made by Hathershaw Women's Chai Project and Rose Sergent.
Keep an eye on the Digital Communities blog to see what the other groups have been up to.