Advocates Rally to Stop Sale of Glasgow's Centre for Contemporary Arts
The now-defunct museum’s building and archives span over five decades of Scottish cultural and art history.
Advocates, politicians, and artists are rallying to prevent the sale of Glasgow's Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) building and its invaluable archives. The CCA, a cultural hub since 1974, recently closed due to financial difficulties, leaving the future of its renowned archives uncertain. The Sauchiehall Street location, which previously housed the Third Eye Centre, has been home to notable figures such as actor Whoopi Goldberg, poet Allen Ginsberg, and painter Steven Campbell.
The CCA archives, spanning 50 years of Scotland's cultural history, contain papers, films, photographs, and publications from both the CCA and the Third Eye Centre. These archives, recently listed for sale, are feared to be fragmented and removed from public access if the sale proceeds. Creative Scotland, the Scottish Government agency overseeing the CCA, announced plans to sell or lease the building last month.
Critics warn that the sale could harm the cultural landscape, with Glasgow Life and the Ballast Trust committed to retaining the archives in Glasgow. Despite Creative Scotland's stated intention to maintain the building as a cultural venue, activists demand that the public be consulted and that the building not be used for commercial purposes.
Artists and politicians alike have called for preserving the CCA's legacy, emphasizing the importance of preserving public spaces for artistic expression and cultural heritage.
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