Northern Roots aims to inspire a bold, surprising and high-quality arts offer, that animates the 160-acre site and brings local communities and visitors together.
Over the last three years Northern Roots has collaborated with local, regional and international artists and partners, commissioning new work for outdoor arts events and welcoming over 5000 visitors to the Northern Roots site.
We are proud to have worked with Oldham Theatre Workshop, Manchester Histories Festival, Walk the Plank, Khushi Festival, Paper Trail Collective, Oldham Coliseum, Lingua Franca World Community CIC, Gallery Oldham and a diverse range of brilliant artist practitioners, to offer events, workshops and activities.
This year, thanks to generous funding from Arts Council England, we’ve been able to work on a new strategy for arts and culture at Northern Roots. This strategy is the foundation for the work we will enable, host, produce, partner on and commission as Northern Roots continues to evolve and grow.
Central to the vision for arts and culture at Northern Roots is that the 160-acre site should act as venue, inspiration, canvas and source of materials for arts and culture programming. Our ambition is to grow a collaborative cultural offer that is rooted in Oldham’s unique heritage, diverse communities and creative sector, and focuses on:
- Providing a platform, inspiration and source of commissions for local, regional and emerging talent across a range of disciplines.
- Harnessing arts, heritage, sport and culture to involve local communities in the co-production of the wider Northern Roots offer.
- Curating an ambitious, high quality offer, that brings new art forms and practitioners to local audiences.
- Using arts and culture to connect a wider range of people with the natural environment, increase awareness of environmental issues and inspire actionIn 2026 Northern Roots will open a new Visitor Centre. There will be spaces within the building that can be used for cultural programming, a small natural amphitheatre adjacent to the building, and additional events spaces and possibilities across the wider 160-acre site.
Northern Roots has secured planning permission for a swimming pond, Bike Hub and trails facility, a Long House performance space, and a Learning and Creativity Centre inspired by treehouses. In the coming years, funding permitting, these facilities will come online, and four existing football pitches will be given a much-needed refurbishment.
From comedy nights, dawn chorus walks and artist residencies, to Urban Farm feasts, Festivals of Football, and DJ residencies, Northern Roots is interested in a wide variety of ideas around culture, events, sport and heritage. Get in touch via info@northern-roots.uk to start a conversation.