Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre and Theatre

Significance

Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre and Theatre is a building that has been at the heart of its community for over 150 years. 

It comprises an original Victorian two-storey administrative block, situated on Union Street, that was expanded in 1890 to provide a new public hall with ballroom at first floor level. The extended building, which became known as the Town Hall, is believed to have been designed by the town surveyor, Robert Naisbitt Hunter and built to celebrate the Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. 

The building has had many community uses during its lifetime, including as a mixed ballroom, hall and theatre space, the town fire station, a recruiting station for the First World War, the headquarters of the town council, and as additional class facilities for a local school. 

In 2010 the building was refurbished and reopened as an arts centre and studio space on the ground floor with a c.450 seat theatre on the upper level. Charitable organisation, Hyndburn Arts Limited took over the running of the arts centre and studio, with the theatre initially under separate management. The theatre was brought under the charity’s operation in 2015. 

Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre and Theatre closed in 2023, but the theatre remains a much loved and cherished part of the town. 

The loss of the theatre means there is no public theatre in the area.  

Why is this theatre at risk?

The theatre was added to the Theatres at Risk Register in 2025. 

The theatre closed suddenly in July 2023 after Hyndburn Arts Limited, the charity that had managed the theatre for 13 years, went into liquidation. The charity was officially dissolved in September of that year and the theatre handed back to Hyndburn Council.  

A series of initial health and safety and conditions surveys on the theatre, undertaken in February 2024, showed that the theatre requires significant investment to carry out necessary repair and upgrade works, including new lighting and heating throughout.  

The council is supportive of reopening the theatre which it recognises as an important local asset at the heart of its community. Theatres Trust has been helping it progress this through early-stage advice and more tailored support from our Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities programme. While great progress has been made the theatre currently remains closed. 

Theatre potential

Prior to its closure, Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre and Theatre was a much-loved and valued community facility. 

A working theatre plays an important role for its local community, both in terms of creating identity and as an economic driver. Hyndburn is the 16th most deprived local authority in the country (UK’s Indices of Multiple Deprivation table) and in the lowest 20% for arts engagement (Arts Council England figures). The loss of this significant cultural facility poses a risk of having further negative impact on the area.  

There has been passionate local support to see the theatre reopened. The council has also expressed its desire to see the venue reopening its doors for arts and cultural events. 

A council survey undertaken shortly after the theatre’s closure indicated that over 97% of respondents wanted to see the arts centre continue in performance / theatre use. The survey also indicated a desire to see the theatre’s use expanded to support local clubs / groups and holding workshops and exhibitions.  

The council has reported that it has been contacted by several businesses and organisations expressing an interest in operating the theatre and continues to urge anyone interested in operating it to get in touch.  

Current situation

In January 2024, Hyndburn Council committed, unanimously, to reopening Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre and Theatre. However, the cost of the work to repair, upgrade and reopen the theatre is expected to be significant therefore the immediate focus has been on making the theatre safe. 

A grant from our Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities programme enabled Hyndburn Council to commission a thorough structural assessment of the theatre’s roof timbers to identify any weaknesses, damage, or areas requiring urgent repair. A contractor was appointed early in 2026, with works starting recently, which are expected to take five months to complete.  

In total, Hyndburn Borough Council has allocated £617k to bring the venue back into use; £370k of this is specifically for roof repairs with these works due to complete by the early 2027. 

In addition to the roofing works the council is also undertaking a full internal survey and will be allocating funding to carrying out internal improvements. Once complete, this will allow the ground floor areas of the building to be reopened to the community. Works to refurbish and reopen the theatre space will follow.  

We will continue to support the council to see this fulfilled.