The Glasgow University Guardian : November 19 2003

Save Tramway! : Martin Minton

Visual arts under threat as city council sacrifices its premier arts venue to become a giant storeroom

Glasgow’s most internationally acclaimed public exhibition space, Tramway, is under threat of takeover by Scottish Ballet. The Tramway - formerly the city’s tram depot, and latterly used as the museum of transport before its relocation to Kelvinhall in 1986 - is a multi purpose arts venue with a performing arts space, workshop areas, and is dominated by the vast gallery, Tramway 2, that attracts internationally acclaimed artists. The space, which is one of the largest of its kind in Europe, and thought to be one of the inspirations for Tate modern, has been cherry picked by Scottish Ballet to become storage and workshop area if their bid to the Arts Council Lottery fund is successful. A new purpose-built performance space would be constructed in the vacant plot to the rear of the building. This most public, and awe-inspiring of galleries will, in effect, become a private, and rather oversized storeroom, closed off to the public. It’s thought that the other areas within Tramway would retain their current use.
The takeover bid by Scottish Ballet has caused outrage and protest not just from the Scottish, but the international art world. The move will not endear Glasgow City Council to its artistic community; after waking up to it’s appallingly short-sighted visual arts policy of the early nineties - with previous Gallery of Modern Art head Julian Spalding denouncing upcoming artists such as Douglas Gordon and Christine Borland for more traditional, conservative work - the city council seemed to be starting to recognise the important role of the visual arts in Glasgow. In January 2001 a document by the city council even cited that Tramway would play a key role in a ‘citywide contemporary art strategy for emerging, mid-career and established artists’. The fact that the city council are entertaining the ideas proposed by Scottish Ballet seems at odds with this document, and seriously misguided.

Lucy Gibson, who set up the website www.sostramway.org.uk to bring the matter to international attention, has received letters of support from artists from all over the world.
‘When an art space captures not only the imagination but people's hearts then recognition must be granted to the enormous potential for the pursuance of creativity within that space,’ She comments. ‘It is just inconceivable that by next year Tramway 2 will be closed to the public and being used as a workshop. It will be a very sad day for the art world and I fear that the reverberations of such a short sighted decision will be felt, not just locally but nationally and internationally.’ The move could also seriously affect the Glasgow School of Art’s MFA department, who hold their annual degree show in Tramway 2. The show is a springboard for many emerging artists careers due to the venues international reputation.

Although it is felt that all artistic activity in the city should have equal status, pitting one against the other has been met with derision.

The decision ultimately rests with Glasgow City Council, who cased further outrage by ‘suspending’ Tramway’s respected arts officer Alexia Holt. No official reason was given, although it is rumoured that the action was taken after Holt became aware of the situation, and leaked it to the press last month, as well as a senior member of staff at the Glasgow School of Art, in order to spread word of the takeover and start a campaign. However, when the Guardian contacted the council, a defensive spokesperson refused to comment on the case, only confirming that an individual had been suspended ‘pending an investigation.’ They also made the remarkable comment that the situation with Tramway ‘has nothing to do with the city council’, despite being the owners of the property. They said they were ‘astonished’ and ‘bemused’ by the reaction of Glasgow’s artistic community to the proposed plans. They told the Guardian; ‘When anyone approaches us about one of our properties our response is, lets get the cash on the table and see what the proposals are.’ This could indicate that the council are keen to bring massive cash injection and improvement to the building. They stressed that no decisions had been made.

But many feel it is already a done deal. As Tramway is owned by the city council, its future is at their mercy. Scottish Ballet has been looking to move out of its outdated West Princes Street address for some time, and feels that Tramway fits the bill. The move can only go ahead pending the successful lottery bid for £8 million - their costing for relocation. It’s chief executive, Chris Barron, was said to be ‘shocked and surprised’ by the reaction of the visual arts community, and met with artists to try to reach compromise. He has said that some visual arts space may be able to be retained, but the budget for this would have to come from elsewhere.

For more information, visit www.sostramway.org.uk