SAU Statement on Trongate 103
SAU Statement on Trongate 103
Background on the Save Trongate 103 Campaign
Trongate 103: Centre for the Arts and Creativity was initially established as public cultural infrastructure, with the promise of affordable peppercorn rent, yet following its transfer into a commercial property model -into City Property’s portfolio- it was treated as a revenue-generating asset. A building established through public investment to support arts & culture has been used by the landlord in a way that threatens the very organisations it was designed to house. On February 27th 2026, the cultural tenants at Trongate 103 were faced with an unaffordable rent hike which put the 7 arts organisation tenants in jeopardy. Without some kind of intervention, the proposed 400% massive rent increase would have had a catastrophic impact on these arts organisations and the entire Trongate 103 project. What City Property was demanding was completely unreasonable. The seven arts charities were being asked to absorb total annual occupancy costs of approximately £700,000, made up of around £385,000 in service charges and around £315,000 in rent. That represents roughly £560,000 in additional annual income that the organisations would have to generate simply to remain in the building. From what we understand, in the proposed leases (that they were being asked to sign by the 27th of March), the non-profit cultural tenants were also to be financially responsible for all future repairs. It would not have been possible for these arts organisations to raise that kind of additional revenue. There are over 200 cultural workers and many more freelance artists and community members connected to the 7 arts organisations affected: Glasgow Print Studio, Street Level Photoworks, Project Ability, Glasgow Independent Studio, Transmission Gallery, Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre and GMAC Film. It was, and is, vital to stop the massive rent hike, stop the evictions, and to stabilise the future of these arts organsiations. Thanks to an extraordinary campaign of actions by the members of the Trongate 103 Tenants’ Forum, along with artists and community members, allies and supporters, there is now hope that this will happen.
SAU got involved in the campaigning and lobbying
SAU are appalled at the dreadful treatment of these arts organisations, and also the mindset of City Property treating vital public cultural infrastructure as a commercial asset for profit. We connected with some of the artists and organisations affected in order to figure out how we could be useful as a trade union in the campaign. When SAU got involved in the campaigning and lobbying, we took specific actions - We encouraged SAU members to sign the petition, and join the protests, and before the Glasgow City Council meeting on April 2nd, SAU President Tamara Rogovic sent emails to 40 of the Glasgow City Councillors requesting them to support Trongate 103 cultural tenants. In addition to this, you may be aware that SAU’s Vice President B.D. Owens spoke at the mic at the Save Trongate 103 protest on March 27th, and he also emailed Greens Councillor Bailie Christy Mearns to request details of her amended Motion from April 2nd (including timeline for delivery). Also, last week, SAU President Tamara Rogovic was a Delegate to STUC Congress 2026, and she Moved an Emergency Motion - Defend Public Cultural Infrastructure, Workers & Communities- this Motion was carried (passed). Please read more about SAU’s Emergency Motion here https://www.artistsunion.scot/news-blogs/stuc-congress-2026-news-sau-emergency-motion-cca-t103-carried
When we wrote to the Councillors, we urged Glasgow City Council: To reject any approach that normalises putting at risk 200 workers, and many more freelancers, in a sector that is already precarious and under-resourced; to pause any further enforcement of lease deadlines or eviction processes, so that decisions are not made under coercive conditions, and meaningful negotiation can take place; to require City Property to return to a position grounded in the independent economic assessment and in transparent, current costings, rather than a model that simply does not match the financial reality of the arts organisations involved; for the Council leadership to engage with the Scottish Government as soon as possible to explore what forms of support, intervention, or partnership may be possible (since the Scottish Government has been prepared to intervene in other sectors when strategic infrastructure was at risk. Cultural infrastructure deserves to be treated equally); and for the Council to convene, without delay, a formal meeting involving Council leadership, City Property, Tenants, Trade unions and Creative Scotland, with a clear aim of securing a sustainable long-term future for Trongate 103 as essential public cultural infrastructure.
The actions in SAU’s Emergency Motion to STUC Congress included: a demand for an immediate halt to all rent & service charge increases and evictions affecting Trongate 103 cultural tenants; to lobby the Scottish Government to intervene as an intermediary to assist in implementing fair peppercorn rents at Trongate 103 in line with the original promise to the cultural tenants; a demand that Glasgow City Council urgently review and reform its relationship with City Property regarding tenants that are non-profit organisations; and a demand for a Disability Impact Assessment of all decisions affecting Trongate 103, with immediate mitigation measures implemented.
This week there has been a significant breakthrough in the campaign!
This week there has been a significant breakthrough in the campaign! We understand from the Trongate 103 Tenants’ Forum, that following a meeting with Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Life, a proposal has been put forward outlining immediate financial support measures and a framework for continued dialogue.
This development represents a welcome interim solution to the immediate financial pressures facing arts organisations within Trongate 103. We are grateful to Bailie Christy Mearns for bringing forward the motion at the April 2nd Glasgow City Council meeting which helped to enable this progress. However, this is a temporary measure rather than a resolution of the issues - a multi-decade solution must be reached as soon as possible. We understand that the Council has established a working group to explore longer-term options. We believe that it is essential that tenants at Trongate 103 have an effective and meaningful voice within this process.
This significant outcome reflects the impact of sustained collective campaigning led by those involved with the arts organisations Trongate 103, and with allies across the sector. The arts organisation tenants, artists, *Culture Conditions, SCAN, trade unions and communities have been clear and consistent in demanding action on this and it is this collective pressure that has contributed to securing this outcome. However, we are concerned that this interim agreement offers only a short-term relief because of this reprieve, it does not address the underlying structural issues at stake.
Even with this reprieve, it’s important that this momentum is not lost and that we continue with collective pressure on Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government to make sure this process leads to a sustainable long-term outcome with a fair multi-decade agreement for the more stable future of Trongate 103.
Trongate 103 is a central to Glasgow’s cultural life, supporting artists, artists-led grassroots organisations and communities already working under significant pressure. Its future needs to be secured in a way that reflects its value.
This is a point where the strong leadership is essential. The decision and next steps taken will say a great deal about how Glasgow City Council understands its obligations to workers, to arts & culture, and to the communities that depend on both.
SAU will continue to stay in contact with the Trongate 103 Tenants’ Forum to see where we can continue to apply lobbying pressure.
The petition to save Trongate 103 from closure has gathered over 26,282 signatures.
If you haven’t already signed the petition to support Trongate 103, we still recommend that you do, the higher number of supporters the better https://www.change.org/p/save-trongate103-from-closure
Please see the Trongate 103 instagram page for more details and updates at this link
