Glasgow's Art Scene Faces Existential Crisis After CCA Closure and Rent Hikes
The art community in Glasgow is under significant pressure following the liquidation of the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) in March 2026, a result of financial mismanagement. This situation worsened after a protest by Arts Workers for Palestine Scotland in June 2025, which left activist Lindsey Murray injured. The 'Save Trongate 103' campaign emerged in response to City Property's decision to increase rents fourfold at Trongate 103, where Transmission gallery has resided since 2009. A protest occurred on 27 March, accompanied by a petition that garnered 22,000 signatures. In February, Riah Naief from Listen Gallery was ordered to leave within 20 days, while the 16 Collective had just a week. Nevertheless, the 16 Collective is gearing up for Glasgow International in June 2026. GoMA will feature 'Still Glasgow' until 13 June 2027.
Key facts
- CCA liquidated and closed in March 2026 after mismanagement and financial precarity.
- A winter shutdown in 2024 and a June 2025 protest by Arts Workers for Palestine Scotland preceded closure.
- Activist Lindsey Murray was injured by police during the protest.
- City Property terminated Trongate 103 tenancies, demanding four times the current rent.
- 'Save Trongate 103' campaign held a protest on 27 March and gathered 22,000 petition signatures.
- Listen Gallery founder Riah Naief received 20 days to vacate York Street premises.
- 16 Collective had seven days to vacate Outer Spaces venue in February, two days into an exhibition.
- 16 Collective will present 'River is/as' at Glasgow International in June 2026, funded by Creative Scotland.
- Rae-Yen Song's Tramway exhibition '•~TUA~• 大眼 •~MAK~•' developed from a 2024 CCA research show.
- GoMA's 'Still Glasgow' runs until 13 June 2027, featuring Joan Eardley and Matthew Arthur Williams.
- Transmission gallery founded in 1983; Alastair Strachan credited Thatcher's dole for enabling the scene.
- Sarah Lowndes's 2014 essay and 2010 book documented Glasgow's ephemeral, self-organised arts infrastructure.
Entities
Artists
- Rae-Yen Song
- Lindsey Murray
- Sarah Lowndes
- Douglas Gordon
- Carol Rhodes
- Martin Boyce
- Alastair Strachan
- Riah Naief
- Nell Cardozo
- Kelly Rappleye
- Joan Eardley
- Matthew Arthur Williams
- Charlie Prodger
Institutions
- Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA)
- Arts Workers for Palestine Scotland
- City Property
- Trongate 103
- Transmission
- Listen Gallery
- Outer Spaces
- 16 Collective
- Creative Scotland
- Glasgow International
- Tramway
- Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA)
- Glasgow Life
Locations
- Glasgow
- Scotland
- King Street
- York Street
- East End
- 5 Florence Street
- River Clyde
- Venice