News Update from Glasgow City Marketing Bureau

 

The reopening of The Old Fruitmarket and City Halls in January 2006 will represent a major milestone in the development of the Merchant City as a cultural quarter.  Collectively these venues will be responsible for delivering high quality music performance and education to the people of Glasgow and to visitors to the city.

 

Redevelopment work started in January 2004 at a total cost of £13 million and the project has carefully retained the unique features of both venues including the superb acoustics of The City Halls and the listed ironmongery and signage in The Old Fruitmarket.  The venues will be managed and operated by Glasgow Cultural Enterprises (operators of The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and Celtic Connections festival) on behalf of Glasgow City Council.  www.glasgowculturalenterprises.com

 

The refurbishment and redisplay of Scotland’s most popular free attraction is on course for completion by the summer of 2006.  The long-planned refurbishment - known as the Kelvingrove New Century Project - is funded by Glasgow City Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the European Regional Development Fund, Historic Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage. 

 

The philosophy behind the new-look Kelvingrove has shifted from the approach of its Victorian creators to a 21^st Century view that is object-based, visitor-centred, interdisciplinary and intent on telling a story.  The goal of the refurbishment is to create modern facilities, services and displays while ensuring the building itself can be seen to its best effect and enjoyed by all visitors.

 

5,000 pieces were on public display in Kelvingrove before its temporary closure and 8,000 will be on show after reopening.  The 21 refurbished galleries will have themes including: Scottish Art, Mackintosh and Glasgow Style and Glasgow and the World.  www.glasgowmuseums.com

 

The Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (SECC) has unveiled the final designs of its stunning £62 million purpose-built Arena, which is designed as Scotland’s National Arena.

 

Created by world-renowned architects Foster and Partners, who also designed the SECC’s iconic Clyde Auditorium, the 12,500-seat Arena will be the largest entertainments venue in Scotland and the only one of its scale in the UK built specifically for concerts and events.

 

The Arena is the first major development to be undertaken in the SECC’s QD2 master plan and it has the potential to inject £50 million per annum into the local economy and create 1,500 jobs.

 

The opening date for the Arena is projected to be 2009 and it will complement the existing buildings on the SECC site. The façade of the building stretches to a 40m-high front elevation, which slopes to a lower profile towards the rear.  The front of the building is clad in a translucent material that can be lit at night and carry projections of patterns or images to change its appearance to suit individual events.   www.QD2.co.uk

  

Completion in 2008 of a rail link between Glasgow International Airport and the city centre.