Community Heritage Projects: Uncovering Sauchiehall Street

We are pleased to announce the 8 projects which have been awarded as part of our community grants programme. The scheme aims to engage community and heritage organisations, social businesses, and local groups in conversations about Sauchiehall Street’s vibrant past, culture and built environment. By exploring collective memories and discussing plans for future renewal, the initiative fosters community-led activities and discussions, as well as piloting ideas, that can contribute towards the 10-year framework for Sauchiehall Street’s regeneration as a Culture and Heritage District. 

Garnetbank Primary's project aims to work with it's young people to investigate the area’s historical roots as moorland. As part of their wider plans to transform the schools urban green spaces, their project includes sustainable planting and greening of the entrance of the school, and will engage the community in planting sessions. The school will collaborate with local green groups and history organizations to educate students about the area's heritage and future possibilities for sustainable urban renewal.

Garnetbank Primary School's website

Led by artist Sara Pinto, this project explores the iconic Charles Rennie Mackintosh chair through the lens of a Senior Art Class. The class, which has studied chairs as objects in various artistic mediums, will delve into Mackintosh’s chair designs, examining their history and cultural significance. The group will work with GSA Archives & Collections and Mackintosh at the Willow to undertake their research, creating artwork inspired by the chairs. The project will culminate in an exhibition, sparking conversations about Sauchiehall Street’s future.

Senior Art Group's website.

Drawing inspiration from the meaning of original Sauchiehall - "Willow Valley" - this project with young people and their families to think about what the street means to people today. Through willow lantern-making workshops led by artist Connie Woods Gundry, using willow as a symbolic material tied to the street's past local young people, will create lanterns that reflect personal stories and memories of the street. These workshops aim to foster conversations about Sauchiehall Street's past, present, and future, and culminate in a lantern procession, celebrating the community's collective vision for the area’s renewal.

Kid's Art Club's website.

FROGGS will document the unique contributions of the Garnethill community to the area's history, and highlight local efforts to address global challenges, ensuring these stories are preserved for future generations. Taking an intergenerational approach to oral storytelling, two young people will be engaged to collect oral histories, photographs, and artefacts, creating a digital archive and exploring opportunities for exhibitions across Garnethill. The project will focus on its resilience and the people who shaped its character,  gathering stories about critical interventions and work of local artists and activists. 

Friends of Garnethill Green Spaces' website.

A research project between new scot students and ESOL volunteers, the project will explore the histories of migrant communities who have settled in Glasgow's Garnethill district over the past century. The project will include research trips at the Mitchell Library and engagement with local archives and groups. The team will document migrant stories from countries including Ireland, Pakistan, Italy, and China, producing an exhibition of interviews, photos, and recordings with the support of Glasgow School of Art. The aim is to highlight the district’s rich migrant history, and it's influence on the Sauchiehall Street.

More about St Aloysius' ESOL group.

Wing Hong Centre will work with their community to uncover the rich influence of the Chinese community on Sauchiehall Street, focusing on cultural traditions, food, mapping, and greenspaces. A small events programme will focus on inclusive storytelling, and creative workshops including community meals, and mapping workshops. They will also lead environmental and planting workshops in Wing Hong's communal garden, called "Oasis on Sai Jai" (San Jai meaning "little hill" in Cantonese), reflecting the community’s resilience and dedication to creating spaces of belonging.

Wing Hong Chinese Elderly Centre's website.

The Renfield Centre will to explore the heritage of Sauchiehall Street and Bath Street, to highlight its historical, architectural, and cultural significance in the development of Glasgow's original "West End". By creating a self-guided audio walking tour, the project will bring together community voices and their memories of the area, with expert insights from historian Graeme Smith. The tour will be available online to engage both local people and tourists, providing a flexible, customizable exploration of the area. Through open community discussions and user feedback, the project will foster conversations on Sauchiehall Street’s future.

The Renfield Centre's website.