Arts and culture news

Oldham's cultural diary is filling up fast. Gallery Oldham has just opened. Women Portraits: Trades & Professions, a show that puts the borough's working women centre stage.

The gallery itself is getting a facelift. Council chiefs have landed £564,375 to modernise the building it shares with the library, so the upgrades should be finished before the next big shows roll in. Meanwhile, the old Coliseum Theatre on Fairbottom Street will stay dark until 2026, giving planners more time to decide how the much-loved venue will finally reopen.

Out in the pubs, Chris Riley of the award-winning Fox and Pine has been telling the Oldham Cast podcast how an 'unexpected' pie recipe keeps regulars loyal. He says he dreamed of pulling pints long before he took over the place, and the recipe is one reason the pub keeps picking up local awards.

Summer will bring noise and colour back to the town centre. Festival Oldham and the Summer Music Festival are locked in for a Saturday in July, promising extra stages and longer sets after last year's success. With the Coliseum still closed, the outdoor stages will be the biggest live draw the borough has.