Arches Theatre

Address: 253 Argyle Street, Glasgow
Tel: 0870 240 7528
URL: http://www.thearches.co.uk

Inaugurated in 1991 by its current Artistic Director, Andy Arnold, The Arches was initially a theatre venue but today, it serves its purpose as a multi-functional venue beneath the railway arches of Glasgow Central Station. Dramatic Arts and theatre remain at the core of The Arches which is home to its resident production company, The Arches Theatre Company. This remarkable venue is also a leading production house of contemporary visual art and plays host to late clubs nights featuring top DJs, live concert events and a host of performances from Celtic Connections and other leading Glasgow Festivals

The venue is also home to a wide range of temporary exhibition spaces on the main floor and offers a state-of-the-art sound recording studio and rehearsal spaces for musicians and bands on the performance floor. This section also houses performance spaces, a workshop where emerging and existing talent showcase their repertoires of live music to a Glasgow audience. The Arches is also one of Glasgow’s leading nightclub venues with its main entrance on Midland Street. The Club has played host to some of UK’s foremost DJs including Fat Boy Slim, Judge Jules, Carl Cox and Trevor Nelson amongst others.

The Arches is proud to run a series of its own festival-style events throughout the year, whereby exhibitions and performances are held in the building simultaneously. Such festivals include The Arches Theatre Festival, Arches Live and Inspiration. Some of Glasgow’s leading festival events are also staged here the National Review of Live Art as part of the annual New Territories Festival, Celtic Fusion Music as part of Celtic Connections and a host of others including Instal and Inspiration. The Arches’ festival of experimental music has been somewhat successful in its five year history, attracting performers and audiences from all over the world to Glasgow.

The principle aims and objectives of the Arches are to maintain its position as a centre of ‘artistic excellence and innovation’. The organisation aims produce and showcase high profile portfolio of visual art that is unique, evocative, challenging and off the wall. Each of the events that are staged at the Arches involve various media across the whole artistic spectrum, taking advantage of the existing and prolific resources of Scottish-based artists and performers.

In addition, The Arches explores different means of attracting new audiences to its plethora of events and is endeavouring to make art more favourable and accessible to people who do not normally view art. Clubbers are introduced to a more innovative and eclectic experience at late night events such as The Funk Room and Death Disco. This cutting edge centre of artistic excellence constantly develops in order to respond to the evolving cultural interests of young people in Glasgow and other parts of Scotland.


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