Tramway (arts centre)

Tramway is a contemporary visual and performing arts venue located in the Scottish city of Glasgow. Based in a former tram depot in the Pollokshields area of the South Side, it consists of two performance spaces and two galleries, as well as offering facilities for community and artistic projects. The Hidden Gardens is situated behind Tramway.^[1] The new extension to Tramway is the home of the Scottish Ballet, and is claimed to be one of the leading venues of its type in Europe.^[2]

History

The Tramway occupies the former Coplawhill Glasgow Corporation Tramways depot. The original horse tram depot was constructed in 1894, and further workshops were added between 1899 and 1912. It was converted for use as the Glasgow Museum of Transport in 1964, until the museum relocated to Kelvin Hall in 1987. It was first used as a performance venue in 1988, with Peter Brook's The Mahabharata.^[3] In 1990, it was a prominent venue as part of the European City of Culture celebrations. It has been protected as a category B listed building since 1990.^[4]

It has hosted many leading international and Scottish performers and artists, including Robert Lepage, Douglas Gordon and Les Ballets C de la B. As well as having close links to Glasgow School of Art and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Exhibitions have included the seminal new works by Christine Borland and Douglas Gordon. Tramway also has a very successful company for young people called Junction 25, run by Tashi Gore and Jess Thorpe of Glas(s) Performance, who have endured international success as well as having a biannual Edinburgh Festival Fringe run. The group celebrated their tenth anniversary in March 2015. Tramway was also the base for Glas(s) Performance's 2013 project, Albert Drive.

In 2003, plans to close the arts centre and convert the building to rehearsal and ancillary space for Scottish Ballet resulted in massive opposition from the arts community and the wider public.^[5] Eventually it was decided to house the Ballet facilities in formerly derelict space to the rear of the building, retaining the arts centre in the existing structure. Scottish Ballet has moved into its new home in 2009. Sarah Munro was appointed the first General Manager of Tramway in 2008 and remains in her capacity as part of her role as Director of Glasgow Life.

In January 2013, it was announced by Tate that Tramway would host the 2015 Turner Prize.

References

↑
↑ Glasgow Museums website
↑ Contemporary British Theatre, ed. Theordore Shank
↑ "Tramway: Listed Building Report". Historic Scotland. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
↑ The List: Losing Their Tramway

External links

Tramway - official site

Museums and Art Galleries of Scotland

National Museums of Scotland	National Museum of Scotland National Museum of Costume National Museum of Flight National Museum of Rural Life National Museums Collection Centre National War Museum

Other museums	Aberdeen Maritime Museum Alloa Tower Biggar Museum Trust British Golf Museum David Livingstone Centre Dick Institute Discovery Point Dumfries Museum Dundee Museum of Transport Fife Folk Museum Glasgow Museum of Transport Gordon Highlanders Museum Grampian Transport Museum Highland Folk Museum Highland Museum of Childhood Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery Inveraray Jail Inverness Museum and Art Gallery John Knox House Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum King's Museum Kirkcaldy Museum and Art Gallery Marischal Museum McManus Galleries Mills Observatory Museum of Ayrshire Country Life and Costume Museum of Childhood Museum of Edinburgh Museum of Scottish Lighthouses New Lanark Newhaven Heritage Museum North Lanarkshire Heritage Centre People's Palace People's Story Museum Perth Museum and Art Gallery Provand's Lordship Provost Skene's House Scotland Street School Museum Scotland’s Jute Museum @ Verdant Works Scottish Fisheries Museum Scottish Football Museum Scottish Maritime Museum Scottish Railway Museum Signal Tower Museum St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art Stewartry Museum Stirling Smith Museum and Art Gallery Summerlee, Museum of Scottish Industrial Life Surgeons' Hall The Tolbooth St Andrews Museum

National Galleries of Scotland	Dean Gallery Duff House Paxton House Royal Scottish Academy Building Scottish National Gallery Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Scottish National Portrait Gallery

Other galleries	Aberdeen Art Gallery Burrell Collection Dundee Contemporary Arts Fruitmarket Gallery Gallery of Modern Art McLellan Galleries Pier Arts Centre Queen's Gallery Talbot Rice Gallery Tramway

Coordinates: 55°50′27″N 4°16′02″W / 55.84075°N 4.26721°W / 55.84075; -4.26721

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