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The Herald Scotland
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Arts centre apologises for handling of pro-Palestine protest
A statement released by the CCA expressed 'sincere regret' over the outcome of its decisions on the day, including the injuries suffered by a woman involved in the protest. Read more: The organisation has promised to recruit 'permanent leadership' for the CCA, which has been without a permanent director since the end of 2023, as well as new board members and a new chair, who will replace Jean Cameron when her term in the role ends in October. It has also pledged to roll out 'meaningful change' across all levels of the organisation. A sit-in protest was staged at the Centre for Contemporary Arts in Glasgow on June Scottish Government-funded venue, which has set out plans to reopen its doors to the public on August 25, has asked for 'support and patience' as it undertakes what it describes as a 'process of reflection and repair.' However the CCA, which secured £3.4m in funding for the next three years in January, has stopped short of supporting calls to support a full academic and cultural boycott of Israel, which has been demanded by pro-Palestine campaigners. The Art Workers for Palestine Group, which has been targeted a number of Scottish arts organisations in recent months, announced plans to "reclaim the CCA" for several days this week with a series of events in a "liberated zone" at the venue. The CCA said it had been forced to close to the public due to "safety and security concerns" over the "intended occupation" of its courtyard. The CCA also claimed it was forced to call in 'law enforcement' in response to a 'forced entry' of its building. However campaigners accused the CCA of "colluding" with the police and suggested there had been a 'violent crackdown' against the attempted sit-in. The group has since accused the CCA's management and senior staff of misrepresenting events at the protest and failing to apologise to protesters who were 'kettled, brutalised and oppressed.' The statement issued by the CCA said: 'CCA Glasgow acknowledges the disruption, confusion and harm experienced over recent weeks, particularly by our community, artists, staff, tenants and partners. 'We sincerely regret the outcome of our decisions on June 24 and that an individual was injured. We recognise that a lack of clarity on our choices had real human consequences, and for this we are deeply sorry. 'We apologise for the delay in external communications, as we focused first on internal dialogue so that we could provide clear and considered information when speaking publicly. 'We are listening and know that trust cannot be repaired with words alone, but through consistent, honest, and long-term work. 'The CCA is committed to lasting change, to listening more openly, making space for conversation, and taking shared responsibility. 'We are working to refresh our processes to ensure leadership reflects our principles, to amplify staff voices and to meet the changing needs of the CCA. 'Through this, we remain committed to meaningful engagement first within the organisation, and then with all those we work with and serve. This includes constructive dialogue with those who have raised concerns. 'Reopening will require a collective effort across our entire community. We now ask for your support and patience as we undertake this process of reflection and repair.' The CCA said it would be working with external partners, stakeholders and funders to ensure that board and management changes were 'transparent and inclusive.' Its statement added: 'We condemn the violence of the Israeli state, the ongoing occupation, genocide, and the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. 'We stand firmly against all forms of oppression and in support of the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people. We respect the calls for the CCA to endorse the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI). 'We are grateful to those who have challenged us and held us to account and have clearly and powerfully expressed the need for cultural institutions to take a stand. We recognise the urgency of the call to endorse PACBI. 'While the CCA will reopen without a formal endorsement, we are now working towards adopting an ethical fundraising and programming policy. 'We will revisit the decision on endorsement of PACBI when the new leadership is in place. 'In the last year we hosted 44 events in solidarity with Palestine and over 50 exhibitions on anti-colonialism, anti-racism, and resistance. 'We remain committed to work that reflects these values in practice. The CCA is now liaising with sector bodies and working to rebuild trust, re-engage with artists and communities, and continue dialogue. 'The CCA will engage in open and respectful discussions with those who have expressed concern about its future and purpose. 'We are committed to evolving our board and governance structures and processes to enable a legitimate and accountable review of this commitment in the future. 'This means holding space for meaningful internal discussion, ensuring our actions are supported by clear policies, and acknowledging the responsibility we have to implement this with care, integrity, and transparency. 'This will ensure that any commitment we make is both principled and practical. We ask now for time to complete this process with the depth it deserves.' The CCA was opened in 1992 at the home of the former Third Eye Centre, which was founded in 1974. Writers, artists and performers who have shown work or performed there include Allen Ginsberg, Whoopi Goldberg, John Byrne, Billy Connolly, Edwin Morgan, Kathy Acker, Damien Hirst, Sophie Calleite, Nathan Coley, Jacqueline Donachie, Louise Hopkins, Carol Rhodes, Richard Wright, David Shrigley and Ross Sinclair. The venue has had a number of difficulties over the last decade, including being forced to close for several months due to the impact of the 2018 Glasgow School of Art fire, a long-running dispute over the pay and conditions of workers at its cafe-bar, and financial problems, which forced the venue to close temporarily in December.
STV News
26-06-2025
- Politics
- STV News
CCA closes amid planned takeover by pro-Palestinian activists
The Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) in Glasgow has temporarily closed in response to protests planned by pro-Palestine activists. The board announced on Wednesday that it had made the decision to keep the building on Sauchiehall Street closed for the rest of the week. It comes after Art Workers for Palestine Scotland shared plans to occupy the public courtyard as part of a week-long programme of action. The campaign group said it would stage an events programme in the 'liberated zone', including workshops, screenings and discussions that centre Palestinian liberation and 'interrogate the complicity of Scottish cultural institutions in the ongoing genocide in Gaza'. The action was announced in response to the CCA's Board's refusal to endorse the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI). STV News Art Workers for Palestine Scotland action at CCA The PACBI advocates for a boycott of Israeli academic and cultural institutions. Activists began their takeover on Tuesday, resulting in police being called and a 63-year-old woman being arrested. The CCA Board said the decision had been taken to close the building temporarily to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of staff and partners and 'create space for reflection'. A statement issued on social media said: 'In light of recent events and ongoing conversations involving the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA), we've made the decision to keep the building closed to the public for the remainder of this week. 'This is not a decision we take lightly, but we recognise the need to pause. The temporary closure will allow us to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of our staff and partners, and to create space for reflection. 'We understand the strength of feeling being expressed by our community, and we remain committed to engaging with this moment thoughtfully. 'We will be sharing further updates in the coming days.' In response, AW4P accused the CCA of choosing 'complicity' and called for the resignations of board member Roddy Hunter and chair of the board Jean Cameron. 'GSA Pal Soc are disgusted by the actions of the CCA and its board that took place yesterday, during a public programme of events centered around resistance, learning and artistic solidarity organised by Art Workers for Palestine', the group said in a statement. 'CCA used internal security, then called police who violently escalated the situation and brutally arrested a member of the public. It is completely shameful and abhorrent to enact fascist state violence against members of their local community who refuse to stay silent in the face of genocide.' STV News Art Workers for Palestine Scotland action at CCA A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'Around 12.55pm on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, we received a report of a disturbance involving a large group on Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. 'Officers attended and engaged with those present. The group later dispersed. 'A 63-year-old woman has been arrested and charged in connection, and is expected to appear at court at a later date.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Herald Scotland
26-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Arts centre to close temporarily after pro-Palestine protest
The Arts Workers For Palestine Scotland campaign had announced plans to "reclaim the CCA" for several days this week with a series of events in a "liberated zone" at the venue. Read more: The CCA, which has been targeted over a refusal to support a boycott of Israeli academic and cultural institutions, said it had been forced to close to the public due to "safety and security concerns" over the "intended occupation" of its courtyard. The CC added that the police had been called in to respond to a "forced entry" at the venue, which showcases a number of different art forms. However campaigners have accused the CCA of "colluding" with the police, and have demanded the resigning of its chair, Jean Cameron, and board member, Roddy Hunter. The Centre for Contemporary Arts has been running since 1992. A statement from the campaign group, which has suggested there was a "violent crackdown" against its protest plans, added: "We will not back down. We will reclaim our centre." The group had claimed that the CCA had refused to let run events in a "liberated zone" and had urged supporters to "mobilise" to enter the building and "reclaim" its courtyard space. A spokesperson for the CCA said: "In light of recent events and ongoing conversations involving the CCA, we've made the decision to keep the building closed to the public for the rest of this week. "This is not a decision we take lightly, but we recognise the need to pause. The temporary closure will allow us to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of our staff and partners, and to create space for reflection. "We understand the strength of feeling being expressed by our community and we remain committed to engaging with this moment thoughtfully. "We will be sharing updates in the coming days. Thank you for your support and your patience." The CCA had earlier said that it wanted to acknowledge the activists who had gathered to "express their views" at the venue. It added: "We recognise the conviction, deep emotion, urgency and purpose behind their presence. "We also understand the significance of this moment. "This has been particularly challenging for our staff." Earlier this month the CCA said that its board had been "unable to reach a consensus" over whether to endorse the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel. At the time, the centre said it would be instigating a "transparent, values-based consultation with our staff and the broader CCA community to address the substantive issues." The CCA was opened in 1992 at the home of the former Third Eye Centre, which was founded in 1974. Writers, artists and performers who have shown work or performed there include Allen Ginsberg, Whoopi Goldberg, John Byrne, Billy Connolly, Edwin Morgan, Kathy Acker, Damien Hirst, Sophie Calleite, Nathan Coley, Jacqueline Donachie, Louise Hopkins, Carol Rhodes, Richard Wright, David Shrigley and Ross Sinclair. The venue has had a number of difficulties over the last decade, including being forced to close for several months due to the impact of the 2018 Glasgow School of Art fire, a long-running dispute over the pay and conditions of workers at its cafe-bar, and financial problems, which forced the venue to close temporarily in December. The venue finally reopened in April after securing a new £3.4 million Scottish Government funding deal for the next three years.
