That this arts resource is a labour of love in every sense of the phrase is something which resonates from its bright exterior on the Trongate.
There's an air of positivity about this place, from the chic and spacious modern interior to the warm and helpful welcome you receive from staff, and this no doubts stems from the contentment art enthusiasts feel towards the creation of a facility which is there to both inspire and encourage them.
Providing work spaces for organisations such as, among others, Glasgow Print Studio, Street Level Photoworks and Glasgow Independent Studio and Project Room, the resource also dedicates two floors to exhibitions and offers a range of creative workshops for people of varying ages and abilities.
My visit here coincided with the Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre, part of the organisation's role as a Russian Cultural Centre, which features a series of figurines built from scrap metal performing stories of the human spirit with the aid of meticulously thought-out music and lighting.
Like all the best art, it was the sort of show which left me wondering if the creator was a genius or simply someone who was taking the mickey. Either way, it was an absorbing way to spend 20 minutes and emphasised the role this place will have to play in creating the weird and the wonderful, thus reaffirming the Trongate's reputation as one of the most important creative areas of the city. read more