Arches Theatre, Glasgow
This collection includes brochures, flyers, press cuttings, posters, general correspondence, photographs and marketing material, cd’s, dvd’s and video’s relating to The Arches, Glasgow.
The Arches was a bar, arts venue, theatre, live music venue and nightclub in Glasgow which first opened in 1991. In 2001 the building was given a major refurbishment, adding a café bar and restaurant on Argyle Street.
Situated in the City Centre under Glasgow Central station and the West Coast Main Line, in the brick arches of the viaduct that leads into the station. Entrances were on Midland Street, and, since 2001, underneath the Hielanman's Umbrella on Argyle Street. The Hielanman’s Umbrella is a famous landmark in the centre of Glasgow. It is the local Scots nickname for the glass walled railway bridge which carries the platforms of Glasgow Central station across Argyle Street.
The Arches is home to three original works by the famed street artist Banksy. The works were first painted in March 2002 during an exhibition hosted by The Arches when Banksy was a little-known artist. On a wall outside the club's rear entrance on Midland Street, a faded monkey holding a gun is still visible despite efforts to remove it with a pressure washer years ago. Two other one-off pieces lie on a partition wall within the venue; one of a tutu-wearing, gun-toting monkey and the other depicting Mona Lisa sitting behind a portrait frame, which form one complete work.
The Arches has supported brilliant artists such as the late Adrian Howells to reach their potential both as artists and mentors, and numerous young artists, many emerging from the Royal Scottish Conservatoire’s influential contemporary performance practice course. Many of those working in live art and performance across the UK got their earliest work seen via the National Review of Live Art, which made its home there for many years, or via the Behaviour or Arches Live programmes.
In June 2015, The Arches announced on their website that following the withdrawal of its late license, the company would go into administration and had no choice but to close down this much-loved Scottish venue. Joyce McMillan, the influential theatre critic of the Scotsman, has described the loss of the Arches as “cultural vandalism”.
How to find material relating to the Arches Theatre
- This material is in the process of being catalogued. Access is currently restricted and by appointment only. Enquiries should be made regarding availability of material in advance of any visit.
