Rachel Ashenden surveys the precarious state of Glasgow's visual arts scene in March 2026, following the liquidation and closure of the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) after years of mismanagement, a winter shutdown in 2024, and a protest by Arts Workers for Palestine Scotland that led to arrests. She visits artists and organizers across the city, including Rae-Yen Song's exhibition at Tramway, which evolved from a research show at the now-closed CCA, and speaks with Transmission co-founder Alastair Strachan about the city's artist-led legacy.
This matters because the CCA was a linchpin of Glasgow's internationally renowned art scene, which has produced multiple Turner Prize winners and nominees. The loss of experimental venues like the CCA threatens the city's ability to nurture emerging talent and sustain its reputation for groundbreaking contemporary art. The article highlights the tension between Glasgow's historic self-organized, transient art infrastructure and the current funding and tenancy crises that undermine its future.