Scotland's most eminent writers, poets, musicians and artists gather in memory of the poet Gail Wylie to help raise funds for the new Leukaemia Research Centre to be based in Glasgow

Liz Lochead, John Byrne, Alistair Gray, James Kelman, Franz Ferdinand and Belle & Sebastian are just some of the well known artistic talents who are to come together during a unique event in memory of the late Gail Wylie, a graduate of the University of Glasgow and keen Scottish poet and art lover who died of leukaemia at the end of last year.

The event entitled 'The Space You're Not In' is to be held on Saturday 14 May at Glasgow's latest and popular art venue, Oran Mor on Byres Road, and will help contribute funds towards the building of the new Leukaemia Research Centre at Gartnavel Hospital. The new building is a joint venture between the University of Glasgow and the Leukaemia Research Fund and should help bolster research into this topical area of health.

Professor of Cancer Science at the University of Glasgow, Tessa Holyoake, will become the director of the new Leukaemia Research Centre. She comments on the new centre:

'The need for the Centre cannot be underestimated. World-class research is currently being undertaken by talented researchers at several sites around the city - this new Centre will help bring them together on one site where they can benefit from increases in collaboration. This is great news, not just for the researchers, but for our patients who will be the ultimate beneficiaries of the research that will be done.'

Gail Wylie was a Glasgow poet and actress who was passionate about the arts. Gail died of Leukaemia at the age of 32 in September 2004, 5 months after her diagnosis. All artists have given their time for free, pledging to turn the event into one of the most magical evenings of theatre, poetry and music ever to take place in Glasgow.

During the evening event at Oran Mor the venue will be transformed into a vintage style jazz lounge. The night will begin with a champagne reception followed by theatre, poetry, an auction and finally musical performances.

As part of the live auction, original works of art inspired by some of Gail's poetry are being produced by John Byrne, Alasdair Gray, Jim Lambie and contemporary artists from: scotlandart.com. These will be put up for auction on the evening, alongside items from Timorous Beasties, Dr John and photographers David Bailey and Brian Sweeney, as well as musical instruments signed by Billy Connolly, Willie Nelson, Shane McGowan and Franz Ferdinand. John Byrne, who Gail based her University dissertation on, was greatly saddened by her death and remembers her fondly:

'As you know she was vivid and so alive. I would be honoured to be included in the forthcoming event in her honour. She was so full of life...unforgettable..literally. Anything I can do would be a privilege. Gail was an inspiration and the work is so much the poorer without that wonderful light of hers.'

Professor Douglas Gifford of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow, and personal tutor to Gail comments:

'Gail was the liveliest and most irrepressible student I've taught in almost forty years. She was into everything - art, poetry, music - and as a practitioner as well as receiver. She charmed everyone, fellow students, staff, the world at large, she met them all with the same candid approach - as with John Byrne, who was so taken with her enthusiasm that he agreed to her plan to do his biography!'

'I'm not surprised that Glasgow's arts community in turning out in style for her- it's richly deserved, and so appropriately for a cause that she herself suffered for and would have been the first to encourage.'

Other contributions to the evening include: Janice Galloway, Tom Leonard, Aidan Moffat (Arab Strap), Eugene Kelly, Bluebird Theatre Group, Eddi Reader.

Tickets cost £30. To make a booking call the 24-hour hotline on 08700 600 100 or purchase on-line at: The Space You're Not In.

The evening kicks off at 7pm with a champagne reception, and the full programme commences at 7.30pm sharp.

Media Relations Office (media@gla.ac.uk)

For more details contact Mike Findlay, the University of Glasgow Press Officer on 0141 330-3535 or Lorna Burt, Burt Greener Communications on 0141 248 6007 or 07803 085 917.

Approximately 21,500 people are diagnosed with leukaemia or one of the related cancers of the blood in the UK every year. (Leukaemia Research Fund)

The University of Glasgow is working with Leukaemia Research Fund to provide a major new translational research centre in the heart of Glasgow's medical community.

The new Leukaemia Research Fund Centre will be based at Glasgow's Gartnavel Hospital, occupying the entire third floor of a purpose-built laboratory building. This will mean that much of Glasgow's ongoing leukaemia research expertise, currently spread across various locations in the city, will now be undertaken on a single site.

For fuller details see: Alumni Relations website.

First published: 25 April 2005