Alexia Holt, who is in charge of the visual art shows at the site, was suspended by Glasgow City Council, which runs the Tramway, on Tuesday.

Ms Holt, who has been widely praised for her work in recent years, despite working with budgets of less than £100,000, has been dropped from her post "pending an investigation" by her managers.

Her suspension was met with shock by more than 50 Glasgow-based artists, who last night held a demonstration at the venue. They were campaigning against plans to use lottery cash from the Scottish Arts Council to transform the large exhibition space, known as Tramway 2, into the new headquarters of Scottish Ballet.

One demonstrator among the writers, curators, and gallery-owners said: "It is outrageous and awful. The fact is, she was doing a fantastic job. She has brought to Tramway a programme that was internationally recognised as well as giving a leg up to local artists. She is an asset to Glasgow and is universally respected by the visual arts community."

Few could understand the council's reasons for Ms Holt's suspension. "We want answers to that question too," said one artist. "It does feel this has all been done behind closed doors in smoky rooms."

Sorcha Dallas, one of the organisers of the demonstration, added: "The suspension of Alexia seems to be a direct attack on the visual arts community.

"We are not attacking the ballet – we support all art forms – but why should it be at the expense of such an important arts space? To pit two communities against each other in the arts world seems ridiculous."
A spokesman for the council confirmed a member of staff at the Tramway has been suspended from work, but declined to comment further. Ms Holt also declined to comment. As an officer of the council, she has maintained a silence over the plans for the future of the Tramway.

The council, which owns the site, maintains that no deal has been agreed with Scottish Ballet. However, it has already told staff at the venue that it is likely, and the current visual art programme there would be "displaced".
This plan, which the council has yet to decide upon but is positive towards, would mean the closure of the Tramway 2 area of the building.

Last night's protest coincided with a sell-out Glasgow opening of Scottish Ballet's autumn season, which premiered in Edinburgh last week under the new direction of Ashley Page.
In leaflets distributed to the audience, the demonstrators said: "We believe the bid – if successful – will not only close a unique public exhibition and performance space, the largest of its kind in Europe, but will foment animosity and division amongst the broader arts community in the city."

A statement from Scottish Ballet said the organisation regretted the animosity felt by a number of artists in the community over the proposals.

Original article : http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/1886.html