Artists see light at end of the Tramway : PHIL MILLER, Arts Correspondent
A CONCERTED campaign by visual artists, curators and art academics appeared to be on the verge of paying off last night in the battle over the future of the Tramway venue in Glasgow.
Plans for a move by Scottish Ballet, currently lodged in a dilapidated tenement complex in the city's west end, to the venue provoked uproar when The Herald revealed them two weeks ago.
The move would have meant the end of the Tramway 2 space, in the city's southside, as an internationally recognised arts space.
Douglas Gordon, the Turner Prize winning artist, called the plans "damnable" while others said it amounted to "cultural vandalism".
Curators throughout the country, from Dundee and Edinburgh, expressed dismay and an acclaimed young artist, Lucy Skaer, even decided not to sell a work of art to Glasgow in protest.
However, it now appears Scottish Ballet has indicated to artists that it is prepared to alter its controversial plans for moving its headquarters into the Tramway. A total "U-turn" on the plans is unlikely.
Scottish Ballet favoured the site over 200 others, and appeared to have made a gentleman's agreement over the site with its owner, Glasgow City Council, although both sides insist it is not "a done deal". The move still depends on a national lottery funding hand-out from the Scottish Arts Council.
The council's suspension of Alexia Holt, the respected visual arts officer for the Tramway, only managed to inflame the situation. However, a predicament where one art form was pitted against another may now have a chance of being averted.
The apparent change of stance by the ballet company was expressed at a meeting yesterday, in which it was apparently clear that the company was not prepared for the furore created by their proposed move from their current base in the west end of Glasgow.
Christopher Barron, the chief executive of Scottish Ballet, is also said to have revealed that the current ballet plan is to use the Tramway 2 area – currently used as an internationally acclaimed gallery space – as a workshop, for constructing sets for touring performances, not as a rehearsal space, as previously announced.
At the meeting, the view was expressed by both sides that the visual arts community – which has been outraged by the potential loss of the Tramway as a visual arts venue – and the ballet could "work together" on finding a solution.
Crucially, the ballet company also said its bid for National Lottery funding, required for the ballet's move to the former industrial site, "may be modified in the course of the assessment process and the SAC will be notified by Scottish Ballet that the plans for Tramway 2 need to be redressed".
Also, Scottish Ballet is believed to have conceded that it would be willing to consider alternative workshop space if the funding was available to do so.
This may be possible as there are other large areas of the Tramway site that could possibly be developed if the funding was in place.
A possible change in the company's stance would be welcomed by both sides in the furore and also by Glasgow City Council, which has been severely criticised in the row by well-known visual artists such as Christine Borland and Gordon.
It is also understood that Glasgow City Council has provisionally agreed to have a meeting with the visual arts community before the end of the month and Mr Barron has agreed to attend.
Yesterday, before the meeting, a Scottish Ballet statement maintained that plans for the move from its West Princes Street home were "bold".
The statement, written jointly by the company's marketing team and Mr Barron said: "There are many issues attached to Scottish Ballet being based at Tramway, but most are hugely positive.
"At the present time, any proposal is subject to a successful lottery bid, but we anticipate the proposal will fulfil an important part of the Scottish Arts Council dance strategy."
A CONCERTED campaign by visual artists, curators and art academics appeared to be on the verge of paying off last night in the battle over the future of the Tramway venue in Glasgow.
Plans for a move by Scottish Ballet, currently lodged in a dilapidated tenement complex in the city's west end, to the venue provoked uproar when The Herald revealed them two weeks ago.
The move would have meant the end of the Tramway 2 space, in the city's southside, as an internationally recognised arts space.
Douglas Gordon, the Turner Prize winning artist, called the plans "damnable" while others said it amounted to "cultural vandalism".
Curators throughout the country, from Dundee and Edinburgh, expressed dismay and an acclaimed young artist, Lucy Skaer, even decided not to sell a work of art to Glasgow in protest.
However, it now appears Scottish Ballet has indicated to artists that it is prepared to alter its controversial plans for moving its headquarters into the Tramway. A total "U-turn" on the plans is unlikely.
Scottish Ballet favoured the site over 200 others, and appeared to have made a gentleman's agreement over the site with its owner, Glasgow City Council, although both sides insist it is not "a done deal". The move still depends on a national lottery funding hand-out from the Scottish Arts Council.
The council's suspension of Alexia Holt, the respected visual arts officer for the Tramway, only managed to inflame the situation. However, a predicament where one art form was pitted against another may now have a chance of being averted.
The apparent change of stance by the ballet company was expressed at a meeting yesterday, in which it was apparently clear that the company was not prepared for the furore created by their proposed move from their current base in the west end of Glasgow.
Christopher Barron, the chief executive of Scottish Ballet, is also said to have revealed that the current ballet plan is to use the Tramway 2 area – currently used as an internationally acclaimed gallery space – as a workshop, for constructing sets for touring performances, not as a rehearsal space, as previously announced.
At the meeting, the view was expressed by both sides that the visual arts community – which has been outraged by the potential loss of the Tramway as a visual arts venue – and the ballet could "work together" on finding a solution.
Crucially, the ballet company also said its bid for National Lottery funding, required for the ballet's move to the former industrial site, "may be modified in the course of the assessment process and the SAC will be notified by Scottish Ballet that the plans for Tramway 2 need to be redressed".
Also, Scottish Ballet is believed to have conceded that it would be willing to consider alternative workshop space if the funding was available to do so.
This may be possible as there are other large areas of the Tramway site that could possibly be developed if the funding was in place.
A possible change in the company's stance would be welcomed by both sides in the furore and also by Glasgow City Council, which has been severely criticised in the row by well-known visual artists such as Christine Borland and Gordon.
It is also understood that Glasgow City Council has provisionally agreed to have a meeting with the visual arts community before the end of the month and Mr Barron has agreed to attend.
Yesterday, before the meeting, a Scottish Ballet statement maintained that plans for the move from its West Princes Street home were "bold".
The statement, written jointly by the company's marketing team and Mr Barron said: "There are many issues attached to Scottish Ballet being based at Tramway, but most are hugely positive.
"At the present time, any proposal is subject to a successful lottery bid, but we anticipate the proposal will fulfil an important part of the Scottish Arts Council dance strategy."
original article : http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/2603.html