A report investigating how the theatre company behind Oldham Coliseum came to collapse suggests poor governance contributed to its downfall - and reveals leaders knew its fate for a decade and failed to act.
After the Fairbottom Sreet theatre was snubbed by the Arts Council for further funding in November last year, it was forced to close its doors for good in April.
The Arts Council cited a litany of reasons why it deemed the Coliseum's application a "high risk" investment of public funds - from the state of the building to its financial viability and its tumultuous governance and leadership.
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Now, the new board of the Coliseum company, led by chairman Duncan Craig OBE, have commissioned two separate independent reports to look into what went wrong.
While specialist theatre consultants, Plann, revealed the Coliseum building was "not beyond repair" and could be used again with the right investment, a second investigation by Action Together in June this year looked at how the organisation plummeted to the "point of collapse".
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The governance report, led by Action Together's chief executive, Liz Windsor-Welsh, examined prior reports and conducted interviews with stakeholders and staff to advise the new board on the mistakes made.
While the report points out the Coliseum was, and is, governed as a charity by volunteers, it also revealed the "planned closure" of the theatre was "known for over 10 years" and advice to get its house in order went largely ignored.
Addressing the issues of the board, the report found there was "insufficient accountability" and alluded to its "culture and practices" that led to a lack of adequate information to help managers run the Coliseum while the board failed to find fresh memberships or provide training to plug skills and experience gaps.
The report added Coliseum bosses were "reluctant" to engage "wholeheartedly" in the vision shared with partners, including in its business and transition to a new theatre, which ultimately lost the confidence of stakeholders and funders.
Among its seven recommendations to the Coliseum's new board of trustees include recruiting a "diverse board" while also giving "serious consideration" to all new members, staff and volunteers to mitigate any conflicts of interest.
The report advised recruiting people who have experience in theatre management and finance that "reflect" Oldham's communities.
In addition, Action Together said the new board must commit to working collaboratively with partners to develop the wider vision and business of the new theatre space and come to a "memorandum of understanding" with Oldham Council.
Beyond Action Together's instructions, the group also advises the new board to take on another set of 28 recommendations from a February 2022 thiNKnow governance report which had commented on the then board's "inability" to ensure the company was achieving its charitable purpose.
It was in this report that conflicts with stakeholders' visions, resource plans, recruitment and risk assessments were made clear.
In one example, a new executive team had been hired despite the fact it was the first time some individuals received such a role and many had limited experience.
Stakeholders also observed a "reluctance" from the company to help oversee the transition to the new theatre as far back as 2021.
Action Together said that this "led to an increasing sense that Oldham Coliseum Theatre were not fully committed to the project".
Separate feedback from the Arts Council in 2023 revealed the Coliseum was rejected for funds due to "major risks" with the governance and financial viability of the organisation, and Action Together found the company had been on the Arts Council's "risk register" for some time "due to its fragile financial and operating model".
One interviewee said: "So many people tried to give advice to the Coliseum, but that didn't lead to change."
The thiNKnow report gave 28 recommendations for the company, with a deadline of March 2023, but Action Together noted a lack of urgent action from the board to address them.
Now, the new board has been instructed to also take on these 28 recommendations.
Action Together commented that there has been a "sea change" in the board as it noted leaders are working closely with stakeholders, have an "open relationship" with Oldham Council regarding the new theatre, and appear transparent through efforts such as the chairman's blog.
However, the report added: "There is clearly still an uncertain future for Oldham Coliseum Theatre, and the financial position is a challenging one."
Funders must be assured that their investment is being well spent and collectively managed, it adds, and Action Together points to a "significant amount" resting on the Coliseum and Council's partnership.
Mr Craig said he was "grateful" for the report and commented on the "clear indication of many of the factors that led to the organisation being at immediate risk of insolvency".
He added: "Whilst this report is looking at the period before we joined the Coliseum, it makes several recommendations that we, as the new board, will now adopt.
"I can say with absolute certainty and 100 per cent commitment that we will carry out all the actions in the recommendations and I will report back on our progress.
"Being a trustee is a privilege and an honour, but it is also a role to be taken seriously and worked hard at.
"Yes, of course, a trustee is a volunteer who gives their time for free and often alongside their ‘day job’, but that has never meant that I don’t take my legal responsibilities of trusteeship seriously.
"As a life-long theatregoer, being the chair of Oldham Coliseum Theatre is a true honour and, along with my fellow trustees, we will always ensure that we and the organisation complies with the Charity Governance Code, a tool endorsed by the Charity Commission, and carry out all our legal and moral obligations to act in the best interests of the charity, manage the charity’s resources responsibly, and action with reasonable care and skill – three key legal duties of any Trustee."
He then announced three new trustees had been recruited to the board.
Martina Murphy, deputy chair, started her journey into the arts at Oldham Music Centre before heading off to Oldham Theatre Workshop and studying performing arts at Oldham College.
Ms Murphy has led arts and creative organisations, was part of the 2017 Hull City of Culture Team, LEAP Dance Festival and was Arts Programme Director for the British Council.
Kyle Wilcock, who is a well-known face to the Coliseum audience as the front-of-house manager will be taking on his first-ever trusteeship.
Mr Craig said: "We are so happy to be able to begin a journey to 'grow our own'."
Finally, Jo Moss, who has a long-standing relationship with the Coliseum having joined on a YTS scheme in the late 1980s until leaving the theatre in 2007 for a casting career.
Since then, Ms Moss has worked with Coronation Street and Emmerdale and will continue to do so alongside her trustee duties at the Coliseum.
Mr Craig added: "Building a board is hard and so I cannot stress how brilliant it is that we have been able to attract such skilled, experienced, and knowledgeable individuals that want to play a part in rebuilding the organisation."
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