Glasgow Culture

In recent years, Glasgow's rediscovered exuberance has been expressed by a new wave of Scottish writers, an energetic live music scene and the flourishing of contemporary art and design.

Tickets to cultural events are available from the venues or from Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.co.uk). The main guide to cultural events is The List (www.list.co.uk).

Music: Glasgow has a healthy, popular and independent music scene (see Nightlife). High culture is also well represented, from September to April, by two symphony orchestras and Scotland's national opera company. Scottish Opera (tel: (0141) 248 4567; www.scottishopera.org.uk) is the largest performing arts organisation in Scotland, performing at the Theatre Royal, 282 Hope Street (tel: (0141) 332 3321; www.theatreroyalglasgow.com). The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (tel: (0141) 226 3868; www.rsno.org.uk) is Scotland's leading symphony orchestra. Its popular Proms concerts take place in June, at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street (tel: (0141) 353 8000; www.grch.com). You can see the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (tel: (0141) 338 2606; www.bbc.co.uk/bbcsso) live at various venues and the refurbished City Halls, Candleriggs (tel: (0141) 353 8000), which include The Old Fruitmarket, a beautiful Victorian building hosting classical concerts as well as jazz, folk and occasional pop acts. This is also the Glasgow home of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (www.sco.org.uk). The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD), 100 Renfrew Street (tel: (0141) 332 4101; www.rsamd.ac.uk), puts on a wide range of performing arts productions.

Theatre: Glasgow has over a dozen theatres and performance venues showcasing local pieces and a variety of contemporary works as well as old favourites and touring productions. The 600-seat Citizen's Theatre, 119 Gorbals Street (tel: (0141) 429 0022; www.citz.co.uk), is one of the best places for theatregoers to witness groundbreaking contemporary drama and re-workings of foreign and historical pieces. The Tramway, 25 Albert Drive (tel: 0845 330 3501; www.tramway.org), is also known for challenging and thought-provoking work. The late-19th-century facade of the King's Theatre, 297 Bath Street (tel: 0870 060 6648; www.theambassadors.com/kings), belies the lively musicals that are performed inside.

Dance: The Scottish Ballet (tel: (0141) 331 2931; www.scottishballet.co.uk) performs at the Theatre Royal, 282 Hope Street (tel: (0141) 332 3321; www.theatreroyalglasgow.com), and is Scotland's national dance company.

Film: The Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT), 12 Rose Street (tel: (0141) 332 6535; www.gft.org.uk), is a wonderful cinema with a varied programme of foreign, independent, arthouse, classic and popular films. Around the corner the CCA (Centre for Contemporary Arts), 350 Sauchiehall Street (tel: (0141) 352 4900; www.cca-glasgow.com), shows a variety of shorts and art films. Mainstream cinemas in the city include the Cineworld Renfrew Street, 7 Renfrew Street (tel: 0871 200 2000; www.cineworld.co.uk), near the main shopping precinct. In the West End, The Grosvenor, Ashton Lane (tel: 0845 166 6002; www.grosvenorcinema.co.uk), is a small cinema with comfy leather seats and a bar. 

An increasing number of films are shot and produced in Glasgow each year. Large parts of the hit films Shallow Grave (1994) and Trainspotting (1996) were filmed here, as was Small Faces (1996), which captures the gang violence on a Glasgow housing estate in 1968. Carla's Song (1996), My Name is Joe (1998), and Ae Fond Kiss (2004) all directed by Ken Loach, were also filmed and set in Glasgow. Released in 1999, Ratcatcher is an atmospheric portrayal of the city's poorer side, seen through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy in the 1970s. Three 2005 releases were shot in the city: On a Clear Day, directed by Gaby Dellal, is about the Govan shipyards; Unleashed, starring Morgan Freeman and Jet Li, an action film; and the psychological thriller The Jacket starring Keira Knightley.