Major New Glasgow Arts Centre is Unique in UK

A major new centre for the arts and creativity will open in Glasgow on 12 September, heralding a new chapter in the city’s cultural development.

 

Funded by Glasgow City Council, The National Lottery through the Scottish Arts Council, Scottish Enterprise and The Merchant City Townscape Heritage Initiative, Trongate 103 will offer opportunities for visitors to participate in, view and buy a wide variety of art all under one roof.

 

The £8.5 million centre will be home to eight of Scotland’s most diverse and vibrant arts organisations comprising: Glasgow Print Studio, Transmission, Street Level Photoworks, Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre, the Russian Cultural Centre, Glasgow Centre for Media Access (GMAC), Glasgow Independent Studio and Project Room and Project Ability.

 

There is no other facility like this in the UK - and few others in the world - in terms of supporting such a broad range of practice.

 

The delivery of the Trongate 103 project saw the development of an existing six-floor Edwardian warehouse in Glasgow’s ‘Merchant City’ into a creative hub for the production and exhibition of contemporary visual art comprising galleries, workshops, artists’ studios and production spaces supporting the creation of art in a wide variety of media including printmaking, photography, digital media, film, video, kinetic sculpture, painting and ceramics.

 

A special feature is the Visiting Artist Space, hosting a rolling programme of local, national and international artist residencies. 

 

At the same time as supporting the careers of professional artists, the building also offers opportunities for members of the public to produce and learn about art, as well as view and buy it in public gallery spaces where there will be a year-round programme of exhibitions.

 

The launch weekend of 12/13 September will feature printing, self-portrait and Russian board painting workshops, short film screenings at GMAC, a Russian costume party, an opportunity to view the archives of Glasgow Print Studio, live music and taster performances from Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre.

 

While the weekend of 19/20 September will present the opportunity to take a tour of Trongate 103, enjoy a tea, blini and music special at Café Cossachok, and listen to talks from the project artist, Donald Urquhart, and Elder and Cannon, the local architecture practice involved in the refurbishment. 

 

Then for the weekend of 25 – 27 September, Trongate 103 will offer the opportunity to witness the Mechanical Orchestra commissioned in collaboration with Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre and listen to the Rostov Youth Jazz Band and a talk from legendary photographer John ‘Hoppy’ Hopkins - known for his work with beat poets, rock stars and figures such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King - at Street Level Photoworks. 

 

Councillor George Ryan, Executive Member for Business and the Economy at Glasgow City Council, said:

 

“The long-awaited opening of Trongate 103 will see a fantastic artistic facility being added to Glasgow’s long list of cultural centres, a feature of the city that increasingly attracts visitors.  This unique building will not only offer a huge range of opportunities to people interested in art – of every age and ability - it will also support our globally renowned contemporary artists and marks another stage in the regeneration of the historic Merchant City quarter.”

 

Malcolm Dickson, Chair of the Trongate 103 Tenants’ Forum and Director of Street Level Photoworks, added:

 

“Several of the tenants at Trongate 103 were operating in Glasgow before the city’s reign as European City of Culture and can remember the very early stages of artistic renaissance.  Today, almost 20 years later, Glasgow’s arts scene feels very much like it has come of age and we hope that Trongate 103 will be central to the next exciting chapter in the city’s cultural development.”           

      

For more information on Trongate 103 and full details of its opening events programme, visit www.trongate103.com.

 

For information on what to see and do in Glasgow, or to book accommodation in the city, visit

 

 

 

 -  Ends -                                                                                 11 September 2009

 

For further information, contact Nancy McLardie, Head of Public Relations, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau on +44 (0)141 566 0830 or email nancy.mclardie@seeglasgow.com      

 

Trongate 103 has been delivered through a partnership between Glasgow City Council, Culture and Sport Glasgow – who have led on the creation of a joint vision for the project and the supporting design, access and audience development plans that support this vision - and the eight constituent organisations as follows:

 

Glasgow Print Studio - founded in 1972, GPS provides open access printmaking opportunities for artists, nationally and internationally, offering world class facilities in their custom built printmakers workshop. GPS runs regular courses for the public in a range of printmaking techniques, along with an outreach education programme and in service courses for school teachers. GPS also houses a gallery and shop and is one of the largest UK based publishers of original prints.

 

Transmission Gallery - Transmission Gallery was set up in 1983 by graduates from Glasgow School of Art, providing a place for artists to meet, talk and exhibit. Managed by a rotating voluntary committee of up to six people, Transmission has evolved into a network of local, national and international artists exchanging ideas and constantly drawing in new participants.

 

Street Level Photoworks - Street Level supports new artistic practices in photography and media art by both emerging and established artists locally and internationally. Recognised for its integrated practice, the organisation has an engaged programme of outreach projects and education services for community groups and schools, open access facilities for artists and members, and training courses for the public.

 

Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre - Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre was founded in 1989 in St Petersburg and based in Glasgow since 1995. It combines movements of kinetic sculptures with soundscape, light and shadow play. Sharmanka runs education programmes to complement the kinetic theatre performances. The gallery and workshop in Glasgow provide a base for national and international touring and commissions.

 

Café Cossachok - The Russian Cultural Centre (home to Café Cossachok) was founded in February 1998. The aim of the organisation is to promote cultural diversity and positive relations between Scotland and Russia, whilst in Café Cossachok, the Russian Cultural Centre offers a venue in which to sample the best of Russian food and drink as well as live music and visual art in striking surroundings.

 

Project Ability - set up in 1984, Project Ability provides an innovative and highly regarded visual arts workshop and exhibition programme for children and adults with disabilities or mental health problems. Each week around 300 people in Glasgow and throughout Scotland take part in the programme. Project Ability has two galleries that show work by leading local, national and international disabled artists.

 

GMAC (Glasgow Media Access Centre) - for twenty-four years GMAC has supported and developed independent film makers and the community through access to low cost facilities, equipment and high quality training and production opportunities. GMAC is a significant partner in the development and nurturing of new film making talent from across Scotland. The organisation’s film making initiatives Cineworks, Digicult and Little Pictures regularly win awards and critical acclaim at festivals, locally, nationally and internationally.

 

Glasgow Independent Studio and Project Room - Established in 1995, Glasgow Independent Studio and Project Room is an artist-led studio organisation, providing studio space for a wide variiet of visual artists. A vital part of the organisation is Glasgow Project Room, a gallery space programming a dynamic range of exhibitions by local and national artists.