Opened in 1867 by a prominent group of Scottish Artists, (including the famous ‘Glasgow Boys’) the club is a gallery, a venue, restaurant and studio space used by established Scottish artists. It is situated in the heart of the city centre and has a bit of a cultural history, celebrating artists for 150 years. The building and decor is mainly original and consists of a large gallery space, smaller gallery spaces, a restaurant, libraries with beautiful volumes of art history & working studios.
It’s a beautiful building and oozes class and a sense of history as you prowl around viewing the wonderful works of art collected over the past century and a half. Some of the members over the years, as well as prominent artists, boast famous writers and celebrities such as Bram Stoker and Buffalo Bill.
It’s open to the public during the day and guided tours can be booked through www.eventbrite.co.uk (best to book in advance). I myself am an Artist Member and, with plenty of notice, may be available to give a more personal tour, (I also can get a tab behind the bar….dangerous!) There is a bar and rooms that can be booked out for private functions. The Main Gallery is a stunning space with stencilled decorations on the wall originally designed by Charles Rennie McKintosh. There are exhibitions for the members 4 times a year as well as regular exhibitions from invited local and international artists. The space is also used for weddings, music and occasional corporate events.
