Why don't you come on over

Reporter: Dan Clay
Date published: 23 March 2010


Forget the woods; if it's a big surprise you're after head down to the Gallery in the Cultural Quarter today instead.

With an hour or so to kill while waiting for an MOT, the main surprise I noticed upon entering the second-floor exhibition space was that I was practically the only person there.

This quietly intriguing collection should feature on any art lover's itinerary, and while I can't claim to be that it was hard not to be impressed with what I found.

Probably the most interesting exhibition lies in the Community Gallery, where over 1,000 video cassettes have been saved from landfill and used by the Emmaus Art Group to form an impressive 3D display lining the walls.

Wandering leisurely through the light and spacious gallery strip other collections also intrigue.

Whether it's the Fantastic Mr Ferranti featuring notebooks and artefacts from the local inventor or Panoramica's strange landscapes made by Gayle Chong Kwan from food among other materials, there's plenty to enjoy here.

For a sense of local flavour it's worth discovering the Oldham Treasures exhibition which contains items assembled over a 125 year period from local enthusiasts, even featuring works from Lowry and Millais.

With more time I'd have enjoyed the new cafe and taken in a nice latte, something Stuart Maconie, the Radio DJ and popular writer enjoyed on his visit here.

He was probably more than happy to have another cup, especially considering entrance to the Gallery is free.

What a great way to spend an hour then; latte or no latte. The Gallery is open seven days a week from 10am to 5pm (4pm on Sundays).