Glasgow's unmissable art galleries

Back in 1990, Glasgow was named European City of Culture, partly in recognition of its stunning arts scene and today it is still renowned as one of the world's best cities when it comes to art – so it's no surprise that hosts a fantastic selection of galleries.

More recently, Glasgow has been home to no less than six Turner Prize winners, and the city's School of Art is a renowned breeding ground for some of the best artists in the world.

As Amy Riddell, spokesperson for the Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, explains: "Just over 20 years after the prestigious accolade catapulted it into the cultural limelight, Glasgow’s current vibrant arts scene demonstrates that the city’s creativity is a continuum."

The conclusion here is that if you're heading to a hostel in Glasgow for a holiday and want to check out a gallery or seven, you've come to the right place. So, where should you go? Let us paint you a picture.

Centre for Contemporary Arts

The Centre for Contemporary Arts does exactly what it says on the tin – it is home to a number of cultural and artistic organisations who all run their own events at various times.

Founded 20 years ago, the CCA is unique in that it gives diverse artists and organisations the space to explore new directions, describing itself as "a melting pot for artists to explore new ideas and move beyond the traditional boundaries of their discipline".

Throughout the year, the CCA curates six large-scale exhibitions and brings some of Scotland's and the world's finest contemporary artists to Sauchiehall Street.

Free Entry (some events ticketed). 350 Sauchiehall Street, G2 3JD. 0141 352 4900. Mon - Sat 10am to Midnight, closed Sun.

Gallery of Modern Art

The Gallery of Modern Art (or GoMA as it is often called) is the most popular art gallery in all of Scotland if judged by visitor numbers alone.

Housed in an 18th-century neoclassical building in the heart of Glasgow, it has had various uses during its life but since 1996 it has been home to the gallery as well as the city's library.

GoMA houses various temporary exhibitions so is always worth a visit as new things appear all the time and it also hosts monthly workshops for adults and weekly drop-in sessions for children every Saturday.

One of the current highlights is the Tales of the City exhibiton, which runs until October 28th 2012. Featuring work from various artists, it collects together pieces that explore the urban environment through art.

Free Entry. Royal Exchange Square, G1 3AH. 0141 287 3050. Mon - Wed and Sat 10am to 5pm, Thu 10am to 8pm, Fri and Sun 11am to 5pm.

Glasgow School of Art

Founded in 1845, the Glasgow School of Art is now recognised as one of the world's leading art institutions, so unsurprisingly it has a rather good gallery.

With innovative exhibitions curated throughout the year there is always something worth investigating, whether it is the work of the school's talented students or world-leading designers and architects.

The School of Art has been in its current building since 1885. Conceived by the famous designer, artist and architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the buildings can be admired on tours that are available seven days a week and can be booked in advance.

Free Entry, tours cost £3.50. 167 Renfrew Street, G3 6RQ. 0141 353 4500. Mon - Fri 10.30am to 4.30pm, Sat 10am to 2pm, closed Sun.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

With a staggering 8,000 objects on display, it's fair to say that there is a lot to take in at Kelvingrove.

Comprising 22 separate, individually[-]themed galleries, the collections on display at Kelvingrove are wide ranging and cover everything from natural history to war and art of all kinds.

The centre is home to the RBS Exhibition Gallery, which hosts a constantly-changing programme of exhibitions, while the gallery's permanent collections are exceptional and feature some truly world-class pieces.

"Several works in the collection are undisputed masterpieces painted by some of the great names of Italian Renaissance and Baroque painting – Signorelli, Bellini, Titian, Domenichino, Rosa [and] Guardiand," explains Ms Riddell.

Free Entry. Argyle Street, G3 8AG. 0141 276 9599. Mon - Thu and Sat 10am to 5pm, Fri and Sun 11am to 6pm.
 
Tramway

With a focus on contemporary and perfoming arts, Tramway has a huge reputation for presenting pioneering work from both Scottish and international artists.

The director Peter Brook once described it as "an industrial cathedral that connects art with humanity", and to a large extent the gallery lives by this ethos.

Situated in a 19th-century tram shed, the unique industrial architecture and character of Tramway complements the art it houses perfectly. It has played host to some spectacular artists and exceptional performances since it came to life in the late 80s, so check out its website to see what's on when you're staying in a Glasgow hostel.

Free Entry. 25 Albert Drive, G41 2PE. 0845 330 3501. Tue - Sat 9:30am to 8pm, Sun 12pm to 6pm, closed Mon.

Transmission Gallery

Set up almost 30 years ago by graduates of Glasgow School of Art, Transmission Gallery is a space and gallery designed to give up-and-coming artists a place to exhibit their work.

As a result, it has some of the most challenging and innovative exhibitions around and is well worth a visit.

Run by volunteers and funded through donations and charitable sponsorship, the gallery is the perfect place to go if you want to get back to the roots of Glasgow's art world.

Free Entry. 28 King Street, G1 5QP. 0141 552 7141. Opening times vary, visit website for details.
 
Trongate 103

Occupying a former Edwardian warehouse in the centre of Glasgow, Trongate 103 is home to various arts organisations and creative projects spread over its six large floors.

There is so much going on it is difficult to know where to start, but inhabitants include the Glasgow Print Studio, Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre and Glasgow Project Room.

Having recently been redeveloped, Trongate 103 is also home to Transmission Gallery, though they have separate entrances around the corner from one another.

All kinds of exhibitions, performances, workshops and screenings take place and it also has Scotland's only genuine Russian restaurant – Cafe Cossachok.

Free Entry. Trongate 103, G1 5HD. 0141 276 8380. Tue - Sat 10am to 5pm, Sun 12pm to 5pm, close Mon.

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