Trongate 103

Trongate 103 is an interesting space to visit as it has changing public art works to view, as well as other spaces which are occasionally open.
It is home to many spaces, some of which have their own Unilocal pages (liek the Russian café and Glasgow Print Studio) and others like GMAC run creative activities.
The foyer is home to a huge collection of ‘what’s on’ Glasgow leaflets, so once you have admired the art they are worth a look too.

That this arts resource is a labour of love in every sense of the phrase is something which resonates from its bright exterior on the Trongate.
There’s an air of positivity about this place, from the chic and spacious modern interior to the warm and helpful welcome you receive from staff, and this no doubts stems from the contentment art enthusiasts feel towards the creation of a facility which is there to both inspire and encourage them.
Providing work spaces for organisations such as, among others, Glasgow Print Studio, Street Level Photoworks and Glasgow Independent Studio and Project Room, the resource also dedicates two floors to exhibitions and offers a range of creative workshops for people of varying ages and abilities.
My visit here coincided with the Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre, part of the organisation’s role as a Russian Cultural Centre, which features a series of figurines built from scrap metal performing stories of the human spirit with the aid of meticulously thought-​out music and lighting.
Like all the best art, it was the sort of show which left me wondering if the creator was a genius or simply someone who was taking the mickey. Either way, it was an absorbing way to spend 20 minutes and emphasised the role this place will have to play in creating the weird and the wonderful, thus reaffirming the Trongate’s reputation as one of the most important creative areas of the city.

Trongate 103 is a new centre for arts and creativity at the Merchant City end of Argyle Street. It is a white and airy space that hosts year round gallery exhibits as well as performances and educational activities such as photography and animation. It is also home to several Glasgow based creative organisations including Glasgow Independent Studio and Project Room, Street Level Photoworks and Transmission Gallery.
I visited Trongate 103 last week to attend the Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre performance which cost a very reasonably £4. My boyfriend and I popped into the adjoining Café Cossachok, a Russian restaurant, for a tea while we waited. I found the staff at both Cossachok and Trongate 103 to be particularly friendly and helpful. I would recommend the centre to anyone who wishes to support local artists.

Opened in the past month, Trongate 103 is a new arts centle in a less-​than-​arty part of the city.
There a 6 floors in the building, most of it given over to gallery space. Lessons and studios are available to the public, anyone wanting to improve their artistic skills in almost any area.
I didn’t have enough time to see everything when I visited as I wasn’t expecting it to be so big. I would say that you would need to leave at least an hour. This is a good way to kill some time but it remains to be seen how successful it will be.