FORGING THE FUTURE
Forging the Future is Wigan Borough’s three-year Place Partnership Programme, led by Wigan Council and delivered with cultural. Education and creative-sector partners across the borough. It runs from April 2025 to March 2028 and focuses on themes within Wigan’s Cultural Strategy: The Fire Within the Forge. Its activity brings together local cultural organisations, artist, schools, colleges, young people, communities and regional and national partners to strengthen Wigan’s performing arts and creative production ecosystem.
The programme is taking place across the borough with activity centred on testing and activating underused creative spaces, supporting organisations to grow, developing skills and career pathways, commissioning new work and strengthening collaboration. It was created in response to a shortage of suitable production spaces, a comparatively small creative workforce and a need for stronger links between buildings, organisations, artists and education. Its long-term ambition is for Wigan to become a regionally rooted and nationally recognised production hub for performing artists, attracting talent investment and new creative opportunities while building a more connected and sustainable local cultural sector.
Some of the spaces we have already re-activated include:
The Engine Room at Trencherfield Mill where we have staged theatre and dance performances
Wigan Pier where the Snug ran their Early Doors Club, with gigs from dozens of local bands in the autumn of 2025.
From September 2026 we are animating the former Thornton’s shop in Makinson’s Arcade. Called Room for Dreaming, the space will become a hive of creative activity!
In 2027, Wigan Pier 2 will become the permanent home of Curious Minds and the capital works at Royal Court Theatre in Wigan Town Centre will pave the way for live performances.