Work on Rochdale's Touchtones museum will start in spring

Work on the landmark redevelopment of Rochdale’s major arts and heritage venue is due to commence this spring.

Now plans have been approved by the council, Touchstones will be transformed into a creative and cultural hub with new flexible performance and production spaces for artists, improved areas for training, live events and exhibitions. The project is funded by the Cultural Development Fund and rochdale-council>Rochdale Council as part of an £8.5 million investment into arts and culture.

The work will also include a new dining space combining the theme of food with the borough’s collections, co-created alongside Rochdale’s diverse communities.

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Thanks to an additional grant of just under £250,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund ‘The Dining Room’ will see three artists commissioned to work with 20 community curators to produce a new museum space alongside several other projects in time for when it re-opens in 2025. This will include collaborations with Tate and the National Gallery and a reimagining of Harry Meadley’s 2022 exhibition Free-For-All.

There will also be vital works to improve the building’s accessibility and sustainability. The project has been developed in partnership between Rochdale Borough Council, YourTrust who operate Touchstones as the council’s culture and leisure partner and Rochdale Development Agency (RDA) who lead on regeneration, including culture and placemaking on behalf of the council.

A main contractor is due to be appointed in the coming months and North-west based Hive Projects are leading on the project management, with architects Architectural Emporium, heritage architect BB Heritage