Glasgow's Scottish Ballet opens

Scottish Ballet is one of the world’s most respected dance ensembles.

The new building provides the company with home at the Tramway, a well-respected contemporary arts venue in Glasgow’s inner city, while also providing a dance studio for the West of Scotland’s independent professional dance groups.

From Tramway the company will be able to fulfil its full potential as Scotland’s national dance company, with room to further develop its award-winning repertoire and groundbreaking education programme.

Since its inception in 1969, Scottish Ballet has produced work of an exceptionally high artistic standard. Nevertheless, the company’s previous dilapidated premises in Glasgow’s West End were hampering its development - dance spaces in what was a former Army drill hall were noisy, confined, and either sweltering in the summer or simply too cold in winter.

After considering over 180 sites throughout Scotland, it was decided that the Company would make its new home as part of the Tramway complex, redeveloping the derelict and unused areas into a state-of-the-art facility of a scale and nature unrivalled in the UK. Construction work on the new building, designed by award-winning Malcolm Fraser Architects, began in 2007.

The building is on three levels: a large workshop area on the ground floor has within it a double height section for maintenance, preparation and storage of sets and lighting equipment. Around this portion, at first floor level, wraps wardrobe and administration areas. Sitting above at second floor level are the three large rehearsal studios and health and fitness areas.

Natural light diffuses across the space from pyramid shaped skylights. All the studios benefit from high level fresh air ventilation, sprung floors, mirrors, and acoustic lining, creating working conditions that foster concentration and energy. 

The sustainable project has been delivered in partnership with Glasgow City Council, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, the Scottish Government and the Scottish Arts Council (National Lottery Fund).

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