Theatre mogul’s grant sets stage for project

Oldham Coliseum

OLDHAM Coliseum has been given a huge cash curtain call after impressing an organisation run by world renowned theatre mogul Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation this week announced it was handing over £17,128 to the coliseum to fund workshops, master-classes and performances for students from 12 schools across Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside. It’s the second time the organisation has awarded cash to the coliseum.

The theatre’s Education Partnership Scheme will spend the grant over three years on cultivating young people’s access to theatre and promoting positive inter-cultural relations by engaging students from diverse backgrounds to take part in school performances. Students will also get a chance to perform on the coliseum stage.

Vibrant

The theatre mogul’s foundation funded a coliseum project back in 2013, supporting them to engage 450 16- to 18-year-olds from local schools and colleges in all aspects of technical theatre, acting, directing, set design and musical theatre.

Sarah Miller, charity executive at the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, said: “The accessibility of high quality performance and training opportunities for young people is key to a vibrant creative industry.

“The foundation has been impressed by strong leadership at Oldham Coliseum Theatre which strives to encourage and nurture life skills through theatre for the young participants of this professional community project.”

Carly Henderson, head of learning and engagement at Oldham Coliseum said: “We are grateful for the ongoing investment we have received from Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation.

“It allows us to continue to develop long-term relationships with teachers and students from diverse backgrounds, supporting drama as a classroom subject whilst fostering links to Oldham Coliseum Theatre as a place for everyone.

“Our aim is to spark in young people an interest in theatre as audience members and theatre makers. This investment has enabled us to develop a sustainable and concrete model for partnership work with schools, in an area that’s been through challenging times; recognising the importance of developing skills and creativity in young people’.

The coliseum is among an illustrious list when it comes to recipients of the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation grants giving programme which supports projects improving skills, access and diversity across the arts, heritage and culture sector.

The mogul’s foundation has backed projects throughout Greater Manchester including at The Lowry, Royal Exchange and Manchester and Hallé Concerts Society.