The Briggait is a beautiful Grade A listed building in Merchant City, Glasgow. Originally built in 1873, the Briggait was the city’s fish market for over 100 years. The building was formally opened again in July 2010 by Wasps Studios and now, just over one year on, 80+ visual artists and arts charities call it home.

Here’s a snap shot of a day in the life of this very busy building.

Wasps Artists’ Studios’ Staff

Jeweller Marianne Anderson
“I’m a jeweller and have been based in the Briggait for just over six months. My work is inspired by architectural heirlooms and being based in an historical building is a huge inspiration.”

Batik artist Selma Rebus
“The Briggait has offered me the opportunity to work in a bright environment with natural light. The organisation of the studios in the Atrium area allows privacy and integration with other artist; it is visually very pleasing.”

Chris Wallace
“I’ve been working in The Briggait since January 2010. I’m make sculptural objects in wire, do pencil drawings, build in wood and take moulds from works I make in clay and make casts in various materials.”

Dance House
“Dance House re-located its office to The Briggait in December 2010 and we thoroughly enjoy our new ‘home’.  It is a welcoming and inspiring building to work in and we have a real sense of being part of an artistic community which expands collaborative potential. We aim to inspire and celebrate the potential for dance in everyone by supporting the professional dance sector; offering an exciting and diverse programme of classes for all ages and abilities; and developing an extensive education and outreach programme. We offer a programme of over 50 adult dance classes per week aimed at both the professional dancer and those who just love to dance! In addition we offer activities for pre-5s and the over 60s.”

YDance
“We love being based at The Briggait, which is not only a fantastic place to work, but being surrounded by other creative organisations has let us build informal connections and partnerships which could lead to future collaborative work.”

Contemporary artist Stephanie Spindler
Stephanie Spindler moved to Glasgow, Scotland in 2005 and since has exhibited in Scotland, England, Turkey, Canada and Norway; her practice is inspired by themes of identity; the relationship between the mind and body and exploration of internal landscapes of thought and emotion. She has been at the Briggait since January 2010. “The Briggait is an exciting place to work, I am a part of the artist initiative, ‘the Briggait Exhibition Panel’ working on making things happen and developing an artistic program that is inclusive of all the diverse art forms that are homed here.”

Drawing Group
Over the past year a few artists from the Briggait have formed a figure drawing group. They meet weekly and have  plans to open another session up to other artists that want to maintain a continuity in their drawing skills. There’s a brilliant project space that has natural light that is available for this endeavour within the Briggait building.

Helen Shaddock
Artist Helen Shaddock has been creating sculptural forms by using casting, and is enjoying the unpredictable results that occur despite the systematic process involved.

Jane McInally
Visual artist Jane McInally works mainly with video, animation and the moving- image. The studio is also home to Fast Forward Play, an organization specialising in the production of creative documentary and arts documentation video, and educational outreach projects.

Rowena Comrie
Rowena Comrie’s Remnent Queen is a temporary situation in the atrium – the nadfly newstand has been transformed into a throne.

The Briggait’s atrium space will play host to Vault Art Glasgow, a major new contemporary art event offering artists a chance to sell their work, from 9-11 September. Vault is a collaboration between UZ Arts and Patricia Fleming Projects, both of whom are based in the Briggait.