'Scotland’s coolest arts venue' (Sunday Herald, September 2005)

In 1991 Andy Arnold realised the potential of the cavernous space underneath Glasgow’s Central Station and received the keys to the space from British Rail. Since that time the Arches has become one of Europe's leading cultural venues - in 2005, over 200,000 people came through our doors for a variety of events. The multiple possibilities of the space mean that it plays host to some of Britain’s hippest club nights, live music and comedy events, exciting new theatre and visual art exhibitions. People often drop in for lunch or a drink in the café bar and end up staying for the rest of the evening – catching a band or a piece of experimental theatre, taking in some art or meeting up with friends before getting on to the dance floor.

The Arches is unique amongst both Scotland’s bars and clubs and the country’s arts venues because of the unique way its programme is funded. The Arches is a not-for-profit organisation: its clubbing, bar, café, live music and corporate hospitality revenue is reinvested in its arts programme (constituting 88 per cent of its funding) - allowing it to carry on producing intelligent, ground-breaking productions and offering emergent artists a supportive platform for risk-taking. It seeks to make the arts accessible to new, younger audiences, but never dumbs down to patronise them.

The Arches sets out to respond to changing cultural interests, particularly amongst young people in Glasgow and throughout Scotland. The Arches is perfectly suited to explore this type of work because it houses such a diverse range of cultural activity, continuing to break down entrenched notions of what an arts venue should be, and making use of the cross-fertilisation between clubbing culture and visual art, live music and theatre audiences, while its café bar thrives as Central Glasgow’s top cultural hub, meeting place and hang-out.

The Arches began life as a theatre venue, and theatre is still at the core of the organisation; the venue has its own in-house production company, The Arches Theatre Company, which tours internationally and is funded by the Scottish Arts Council.

The Arches also runs two annual festivals of new work each year: The Arches Theatre Festival in April features plays by the two winners of The Arches Award for Stage Directors run in conjunction with National Theatre of Scotland, Tron Theatre and Traverse Theatre, which offers commissions to the most exceptional young directors and playwrights working in Scotland. And each September The Arches LIVE! offers a supportive environment allowing young companies a platform for creative experimentation and risk-taking. Nurturing emergent talent is at the core of The Arches' philosophy, and it has recently developed a programme of Scratch Nights inspired by London’s BAC, which will further encourage artistic collaborations and generate new work.

The Arches also maintains an extensive programme of visiting theatre. Recent visitors have included companies as diverse as Derevo, Highway Diner, Forced Entertainment and Fabrik Potsdam, as well as young New York company The TEAM.

The Arches is also a leading producer of live music. Its live music programme takes in the very best of world, folk and jazz, as well as rock, rap and indie. Instal, its annual festival of experimental music, was established in 2001 and now attracts audiences and performers from all over the world. The Arches has also played host to Roots Manuva, Corrine Bailey Rae, Braund Reynolds, Scottish indie-folk band Aberfeldy, Imogen Heap, Martin Luther and Breakestra.

Utilising the most advanced lighting rigs in the UK with video screens linked to main dance areas and relayed to other parts of the building, The Arches is also at the forefront of the UK clubbing scene and renowned worldwide. 2004-5 was its busiest year ever, with well over 100,000 clubbers coming through its doors. Every club night is different throughout the month: it offers house, electronica, trance, funk, gay nights and techno, ensuring something is available for everyone. Three of the UK’s biggest club nights – Inside Out, Colours and Pressure – are held here.

The Arches' foyer exhibition space functions as an extension of its aim to nurture and support emergent talent in Scotland - the visual art programme changes monthly and always offers an upcoming artist (or artist's collective) a very visible, free platform for exhibition.

Following an award from the Scottish Arts Council Partners Project, The Arches has established an artist in residency programme. In 2005 the position was awarded to Al Seed, whose project will span a two-year period on a part-time basis commencing in July 2005.

The building houses a variety of flexible performance spaces and temporary exhibition spaces on the main or performance level floor of the building as well as workshop, sound recording studio and rehearsal spaces on the lower or production level floor. This lower floor also contains dressing rooms technical and equipment stores, design and production offices, wardrobe and props rooms. The venue maintains its old entrance on Midland Street for late night club events and larger live music events.