The street art district will act as a link between three riverside communities in Glasgow.
Wandering through Glasgow you cannot avoid the pops of colour in the form of the city’s numerous murals, and the good news is these works of art are going to expand even further across the city. SWG3, a multi-disciplinary arts venue and events company in Glasgow has announced that Yorkhill in the West End is set to become Scotland’s first-ever dedicated ‘Street Art District’.
The events space down at the riverside has been awarded over £500,000 to develop Yorkhill into an area dedicated solely to street and graffiti art forms. This funding will go towards creating a hub for artists of all levels, ages and backgrounds and forms part of broader plans to transform the areas surrounding SWG3 and the Clydeside.
With the £500,000 grant awarded by the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund, and an additional grant of £40,000 from the William Grant Foundation, the development of this ‘Street Art District’ will also act as a link between the riverside communities of Partick, Yorkhill and Govan. Once complete, the district will see gable ends illuminated with new, large-scale murals, creating an open-air gallery trail and attracting visitors to the area.
At the centre of the ‘Street Art District’ will be the Yard Works Studio, the UK’s first purpose-built home for street arts, which will provide space for hundreds of artists to create work. Built on-site in SWG3’s Yard, the new studio will feature a heated workshop, a 12m high wall for the creation of large-scale artworks, specialist equipment and working space for artists, youth and community organisations. Plus, there will also be a glazed wall at the front of the studio to allow passers-by on Eastvale Place to catch a glimpse of the exciting work being created within the hub.
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Gaz Mac, SWG3 Studio Director and co-founder of Yardworks, said: “We’re extremely grateful for this funding, which is a vital step towards increasing recognition for all street-based art forms across Scotland. We’re thrilled to be able to provide a platform where artists can not only share their experiences and produce amazing works, but grow their employment prospects in the creative industry, develop their skills, and gain confidence, which is especially important amongst those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
“It will also have a real impact within the local community, allowing us to continue our work with young people facing economic disadvantage, as well as working towards SWG3’s wider plans for regenerating the area.”
[Featured Image: SWG3]