History

Tramway is Scotland’s most internationally acclaimed venue for contemporary visual and performing art. This reputation is founded upon our commitment to the presentation of the most innovative work by Scottish and international artists. The very distinctive architecture, character and history of the venue itself have ensured that Tramway is a unique place to produce and experience the best in contemporary art.

The building began life in 1893 as the Coplawhill tram shed and, in the early years of the twentieth century, it served as the city’s main tram terminus, depot and factory. Following the demise of the trams in Glasgow in the early 1960s, the building was transformed into the Museum of Transport. In 1986, the Museum of Transport was relocated from Albert Drive in the south side of the city to Kelvinhall in Glasgow’s west end. Consequently, the vacant building faced demolition until ambitious plans were developed during the late 1980s in preparation for Glasgow’s year as City of Culture 1990.

Tramway was launched as a direct result of the search for a venue that had the capacity to house what would be, in 1988, the only UK performances of Peter Brook’s Mahabharata. The unrivalled scale of the former tram depot, and the flexibility offered by its industrial architecture, meant that the building was uniquely placed to house such a momentous production. In 1989, the acclaimed British sculptor Andy Goldsworthy staged his now internationally renowned project Snowballs in Summer in what would become Tramway’s principal gallery space.

This early programme was consolidated during 1990 with the return of Peter Brook, the first visit to Glasgow of the Canadian Director Robert Lepage and the development of a major exhibitions programme including a solo show by the British artist David Mach and a group show of work by Italian artists: Temperamenti. Tramway’s full potential as a major international venue was realised during 1990 and, in 1991 The Independent noted that ‘The brightest legacy of Glasgow’s year as City of Culture is surely the survival of Tramway’.

From 1990, Tramway has given equal focus to work by international as well as Scottish based artists. Both the performing and visual arts programmes have commissioned new work and created opportunities for local artists to present their work within an international context. As a result, Tramway plays a central role in the support, development and promotion of work by Scottish based artists, each commission an investment in Scotland’s creative community – pushing the boundaries of innovation and experimentation, and challenging and redefining performance and visual art for the new century.

Many artists have gone on to international acclaim after a Tramway commission. Douglas Gordon went on to win the Turner Prize (the UK’s most prestigious art prize) in 1996 after showing 24 Hour Psycho, commissioned by Tramway in 1993; Christine Borland’s exhibition From Life was shown in 1994, and in 2006, Henry Coombes was selected to represent Scotland at the 2007 Venice Biennale after his exhibition Laddy and the Lady at Tramway in July 2006. Now well-established theatre/performance companies such as Suspect Culture, Theatre Cryptic, Theatre Babel and Boilerhouse have all benefited from support through Tramway’s Dark Light Commissions programme during the 1990s, followed by a new and even younger generation of companies and individuals such as Vanishing Point, 12 Stars, Pauline Goldsmith, Pamela Carter, Colette Sadler and Anna Krzystek.

In 1998 Tramway was awarded Scottish Arts Council National Lottery funding to help redevelop the vast building. The venue re-opened in June 2000 with improved and better–equipped theatre and exhibition spaces and – in the newly opened ‘stable’ spaces on the first floor (harking back to their original use as stables for the horses who pulled Glasgow’s trams) – a café bar and residency, rehearsal and workshop spaces.

Tramway’s artistic programme since June 2000 has aimed to maintain and build upon its already enviable reputation. Its policy of risk-taking and innovation coupled with an ethos of bringing the very best international work to Scotland and the UK for the first time, has led to many outstanding experiences for our audience.

Its performance programme has boasted return visits by Robert LePage, The Wooster Group, and Les Ballets C. de la B and has been augmented by exciting new international work from Zero Visibility, Victoria Theater, Akram Khan, TG Stan, Needcompany and Wayn Traub. Similarly, Pipilotti Rist, Thomas Hirschhorn, Pierre Huyghe, Philippe Parreno, Raymond Pettibon, João Penalva, Salla Tykka, Martin Boyce, Matthew Barney, Cindy Sherman, Barbara Kruger, Graham Fagen and Rosemary Trockel are only a few of the internationally known artists to show in Tramway’s galleries over the last six years, Tramway commissions for Scottish based artists include Henry VIII’s Wives, Graham Fagen, Martin Boyce, Beagles and Ramsay, Maurice Doherty, Janice McNab, Carol Rhodes, David Sherry and Tatham and O’Sullivan.

In 2003 the local environmental arts company nva opened the award-winning Hidden Gardens on land just behind Tramway. The Hidden Gardens is a sanctuary garden that celebrates the diversity of nature and humanity. It incorporates original artworks and hosts events and workshops – appropriately on the site of the 19th century Coplawhill Nursery.

Tramway continues to forge new creative partnerships. 2006 saw the first fruits of a burgeoning relationship with the National Theatre of Scotland, producing their first major work for the stage and continuing in 2007 with their first international collaboration with Victoria, Belgium. Tramway is also one of the key venues for Glasgow International Festival of Contemporary Art (www.glasgowinternational.org), which began in 2005.

Looking to the future, in 2009, Tramway’s architectural ‘footprint’ will include new headquarters for Scottish Ballet, in a development of the remaining derelict parts of the building, creating both a physical and artistic partnership.

Tramway has a range of ongoing residents in the building including its own youth group, Junction 25, a creative outlet for teenagers aged 13-17, driven totally by the young people themselves; and Time for Art, a practical art workshop for women over 55.

A full exhibition chronology is available on this site under EXHIBITIONS, and if you require any further information on any aspect of Tramway’s programme please contact the venue directly.