Latest Posts in Arts & Culture

As part of Refugee Festival Scotland, artist Sadia Sikander shares the inspiration behind their powerful exhibitions. Sadia’s Unwritten Milestones captures the hidden struggles of asylum seekers in limbo, using portraiture to reflect on resilience, mental health, and the urgent need for change.

In Live in Art, recently shown at the CCA as part of Refugee Festival Scotland, artist and curator Syeda Sadaf Zaida brought together diverse voices to explore identity, memory, and resilience. Co-created with 12 artists, Syeda’s reflects on her dual journey as both artist and curator for an exhibition rooted in storytelling, emotion, and care.

Usually one person wears the crown of Greater Govanhill Style Icon but this time, we’re doing things differently. The streets of Govanhill are bursting with pretty prints, cool colours and faces rooted in many cultures. On a sunny afternoon, we captured a fashion parade full of creativity, confidence and community.

From the salt shores of Lake Urmia to the streets of Govanhill, one resident shares their journey across continents. Along the way, they discovered unexpected joys in Glasgow’s most diverse neighbourhood – from familiar flavours to lasting friendships.

Govanhill Park has been at the heart of the community for over a century. It’s a key local space, shaped by history, restored through redevelopment and brought to life each year by the Govanhill International Festival and Carnival.

Glasgow City Council has been accused of “moral” and “bureaucratic” failure over delays to a memorial for victims of the Covid-19 pandemic which is sitting in storage at taxpayers expense, The Ferret reveals.

Passed down through generations, this family recipe for Cacen Cymraeg – Welsh cakes – is more than just a treat. It’s a link to language, memory, and home. In this piece, one local shares how baking became their way of preserving heritage and passing it on, one cake at a time.

Greater Govanhill’s Picture Desk team, Iain McLellan and Laura Vroomen, reflect on One Day in Govanhill — a collaborative photo project at the heart of a new exhibition exploring the neighbourhood’s living heritage, community spirit and the stories that unfolded on a single, extraordinary day.

Rebecca W Morris catches up with Ben Vardi from Duende and Anna, Lili and Joel from How Serene to talk about breathing life into old forms of traditional music, and how the local trad music revival aims to bring people of all backgrounds together.

Grassroots initiatives based in Govanhill have received over £10,000 in funding from the Royal Society of Edinburgh and Williamson Trust to support local, sustainable solutions, from greener coffee choices to children’s nature play and urban gardening.

Stories from our Streets exhibition opens at Greater Govanhill’s Community Space at Tramway. The heritage exhibition features videos and an interactive map but at its heart is the photographic project capturing the diversity of the neighbourhood, One Day in Govanhill.

We spoke to two Radio Buena Vida residents for Issue 17: Hidden Lives about their vinyl collections, uncovering stories of rare finds, well-loved grooves and the deeper connections that make records more than just music.

Discover how Polari became a vital tool for the LGBTQ+ community to communicate safely during times of severe repression. This fascinating language, with its blend of cultural and multilingual influences, remains a symbol of queer resilience and resistance.

Eva Harrold turns heads across the Southside in handmade outfits that challenge fast fashion. Through Slow Stitch Studio and her work with Rags to Riches, she’s stitching style, sustainability and community together — one thread at a time. Find out more in this edition of Style Icon from Issue 17: Hidden Lives.

Govanhill based artist Gabriel Davidson (26) held his first show of paintings in Glasgow. The exhibition called ‘Isophilia’ explored the hidden joys of being alone. In this article Gabriel writes about the inspiration behind his first solo exhibition.

Filmmaker Felipe Bustos Sierra premiered his short film 'Govanhill: A Community Film Portrait' at the GSFF last year. Now, a year later, the full film has been released on YouTube, allowing free, open access to his work.

Unveiling the untold story of the lascar sailors, Glasgow Museums' latest exhibition immerses visitors in the seafaring legacy of South Asian men who shaped Britain's maritime past. Through a community-led research project, 3D-printed figurines, and a vivid film installation, this display offers a powerful tribute to these overlooked seafarers, inviting reflection on their enduring impact.

The UK lags behind the rest of Europe on gambling advertising regulation while other countries are limiting their impact. Kate Samuels examines approaches taken in three different countries and explores what the UK can learn to better protect vulnerable communities and reduce gambling-related harm.

Gambling harms thrive in plain sight, especially in less affluent communities like Govanhill. With bookmakers on every corner and addictive mechanics embedded in video games, the seeds of addiction are planted early, often in the lives of vulnerable young people. Eva O’Donovan unpacks the systemic exploitation and the hidden struggles of those caught in its grip, shedding light on the urgent need for change.

“As a Muslim activist, refugee and advocate for asylum seekers, I am really happy Channel 4 took the initiative to make a documentary series on the reality which many asylum seekers face when coming to the UK.”

Glasgow Film Theatre agreed to remove Coca-Cola from its bar following pressure from Unite Hospitality, as part of the wider BDS movement. While campaigners welcome the decision, their open letter pushes for broader boycott commitments, including the removal of Barclays adverts and the endorsement of PACBI.

On Saturday Romano Lav launched an exhibition with a powerful fashion show this international Women’s Day, to celebrate Roma women, their contributions to family, work and their cultural traditions.

A crowdfunder has been launched to help bring 16 Palestinian artists to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. Creative Scotland has pledged to partially match the funds if the campaign reaches its £30,000 target. With the deadline just two weeks away, organisers are urging people to support however they’re able to.

The new year brings a fresh urge to explore new activities, and the Southside has plenty to offer – from language classes at MILK to zine workshops at Glasgow Zine Library. We’ve rounded up some of our favourites – all sober, and either free or pay-what-you-can.