Merchant City is Glasgow’s cultural, fashion and food quarter. Home to independent boutiques, and some of Glasgow’s top restaurants and bars, it’s the place to be spotted at the weekend. However when the sun comes up and the music fades there is a strong creative current which runs throughout Merchant City, so follow us and let us show you our creative scene…

Spaces

You can’t get creative unless you are in the right ‘place’. Merchant City is home to loads of art studio spaces. Whether it’s the creative melting pot that is Glasgow independent studio (walking into them feels just like walking into the art cupboard at primary school, but better!) or the serene, light- filled WASPS studio spaces at The Briggait, you’re bound to find the perfect space to create, work and play!

Ink

Despite doing all of our work online, Ink is still one of our favourite creative tools. We write everything down before giving it the ‘multimedia’ treatment. For inspiration and some great use of ink we go to PLAN-B Books;  Scotland’s only dedicated graphic novel shop.  It’s a great place to immerse yourself with a coffee in one hand and a Graphic novel in the other. Or for some true ink wizardry take a look at Hepcat Tattoo – the country’s only rockabilly studio.  The speciality of the house is, as always, good tattoos, but they do like their American traditional. If you’re a rocker, skate punk, deadbeat or square there is nowhere else to go.

Ideas

We are bursting with ideas for campaigns and ways to showcase the best of Merchant city – but sometimes not every idea can become a reality or we don’t have the tools to make it happen. Ever find yourself in that boat? Then a visit Ico Ico. Ico Ico is a creative company working in music, design and enterprise. Their aim is to increase economic growth and sustainability in the creative industries sector by providing support for enterprises within media, arts, crafts, music, film, performing arts and designer fashion. The perfect creative cure!

Sewing it all together…

So when we have got the space, written down the idea, worked out if it can happen, we need to sew it all together into a campaign! That’s when we hit Make It Glasgow. From hand sewing, machine stitching, crochet and spinning. This is the place to be stitch all your crafty creations together.

What do we when it’s all done?  We hit Blackfriars for a pint to celebrate, before we begin the whole process again….