It’s been more than a decade since Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre and Theatre opened its doors to the public and hosted some of the most entertaining and world famous acts.

After 13 years of providing a vibrant hub for arts and culture, Hyndburn Arts Ltd (the charity that has been managing the theatre) has been placed into liquidation.

The news which was announced last Thursday (July 13), has caused sadness across the community as many are worried about the future of the local arts scene.

Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre and Theatre located in Union Road opened on August 10, 2010 and the Arts Centre, which was downstairs, and the theatre upstairs were managed separately.

The initial concept of the Arts Centre was born out of a youth drama group that existed at the time.  The group had more than 50 members of different ages demonstrating the need for cultural activities for young people.

So creative director, Gayle Knight approached Hyndburn Borough Council and convinced the leadership to merge the management of the whole building in 2015, assuring it would be a positive development for the area.

Since then, the Civic proved themselves to be invaluable to Hyndburn. From reinstating and saving the bi-annual Oswaldtwistle Carnival in 2014, which had not been held in the town for 16 years, to providing a “safe and inclusive” space in the community.

The Civic also showcased exciting lineups with performances from musicians, comedians, dancers,  and TV personalities which left a lasting impact on both residents and visitors. 

Looking back at some of the biggest names to perform at Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre and Theatre

Some of the best among these acts were the beloved Bolton-born comedian Peter Kay who surprised the audience during a performance by his hero Chris Difford from the band Squeeze in 2015.

The Civic was the first venue to host Jason Manford’s comedy club – Manford’s Comedy Club, which the comedian said was his favourite venue and thanked Gayle Knight and the rest of the staff for setting it up in the community.

Set up in 2014, it was the town’s first ever comedy club and sparked a love for comedy within the community.

Other comedians to take the stage were Steve Royle, Simon Bligh, Vikki Stone and Brendan Riley.

Award-winning American comedian and writer Rich Hall also performed his Shot from Cannons show in November last year.

A major coup for the Civic was when 80s pop star Paul Young visited the theatre as part of his Behind The Lens tour this year.

Young shared anecdotes about his life and served up a handful of acoustic versions of songs along the way with his long-time guitarist and friend Jamie Moses.

Blackburn pop band from the 70s Shabby Tiger, and 60s English Merseybeat group The Searchers, also performed at the Civic as well as a host of tribute acts from Elvis to Tina Turner.

Comic book creator Tim Quinn, soap star actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, and former Tory MP Michael Portillo offered a different dimension of entertainment with insightful conversations with audiences.

Despite the incredible acts that graced its stage, the Civic Arts Centre and Theatre faced a multitude of challenges from rising fuel prices and a cost of living crisis strained the venue's finances, and acts began cancelling due to low ticket sales.

A statement from the Civic claims a loss of ‘some large contracts’ including £45,000 worth of events business from the Hyndburn Borough Council, further exacerbated the financial strain. However, the council rejected this claim.

Coupled with the imminent risk of larger repairs being needed, and a of a loss of ‘£45,000 worth of events business from the Hyndburn Borough Council’ (a claim which the council rejected), the Civic decided to close now while debts ‘are relatively low’.

People in Oswaldtwistle are currently attempting to save the town’s Civic Arts Centre and Theatre by launching a petition and fundraiser in hopes to save the future of the community’s arts industry.