As our Clydeside Promenade audio tour clearly illustrates, Glasgow is a lively city, almost bursting at the seams with culture, particularly at the moment with many projects and events taking place across the city under and in light of the Glasgow 2014 Cultural programme. Much of the city’s story is well known – the old industrial heritage, the new more modern metropolis, UNESCO City of Music – but some aspects of Glasgow and its culture are well hidden. Over the next few days we explore some aspects of Glasgow’s hidden culture that even the locals may not know about.

Following the route of the tour, we start in Govan.

Riverside reflection. Photo Ronnie Scott

Govan Hidden Histories project is run by a group of artists and historians based in the area. We had a look at the work of the ‘Women’s Histories and Protests’ strand in the second of our Clydeside Promenade blog series about Women of Glasgow, but there’s also a strand which looks at ‘Re-imagining the Govan Heritage Trail’. Initiated by artist and researcher t s Beall, this project aims to, “increase the connections between the Riverside Museum with its new home in Govan by creating an opportunity for local communities and organisations to work collaboratively with museum staff to gather research and develop activities.”

The team behind the project, which includes Frazer Capie, Maria Leahy and Trish Caird, who also feature on Clydeside Promenade, want to take the existing Govan Heritage Trail and give it a new lease of life, incorporating uncovered stories from the area’s hidden past, as well as bringing it bang up to date through their collaborations with the Riverside Museum, to “illuminate some of this hidden history in a more engaging way than traditional heritage trails”.

Members of the ‘Re-imagining the Govan Heritage Trail’ project team outside of BAE systems. Photo by J. Irwin

Further along the tour, we come to Film City, based in the Old Town Hall, which now houses a variety of Scottish film and television companies. It’s one of Govan’s most famous buildings which, as musician and Govan Hidden Histories project member, Maria Leahy notes, “was also, going back, a centre for culture – a lot of dance lessons going on there, a lot of concerts.” She adds, “It’s nice that this building is being used again for something else which is hopefully going to benefit the community in some way.”

But what are perhaps more overlooked or completely unnoticed, at least by those unfamiliar with the area, are organisations such as GalGael, Plantation Productions and Sunny Govan – all of which are rooted in the Govan community, with a unifying aim in developing the area through different creative and learning projects. As Walking Heads’ Amanda Mitchell explains on the tour, these organisations, “connect the heritage with the here and now.”

GalGael is an inspiring community project in Govan that, in their own words, “provides learning experiences anchored in practical activities that offer purpose and meaning.” They teach traditional, practical skills to people who face challenges such as unemployment, depression or addiction – a true example of an organisation which aims, not only to celebrate the culture and community spirit of Govan, but to also make an active, positive impact in the area in whatever small way it can.

GalGael workshop

Plantation Productions is based in the heart of Govan and was set up by Moya Crowley in 2001, with a £2000 from Greater Govan Community Forum. The company uses arts as a tool for community development and regeneration. Walking Heads’ Dougal Perman explains the organisation’s involvement in Govan’s Festival of Light, known as Radiance. “Plantation Productions used empty spaces on Water Row and, in 2005, the Harland and Wolff shed on Govan Road, for live performances and installations,” he says. “Since then, the company has run numerous media project for local including a collaboration with Sunny Govan radio.”

Sunny Govan, Govan’s very own radio station, broadcasts online at sunnyg.com and on 103.5FM. The station began broadcasting in 1998, won a full time community radio licence in 2005 and has been online ever since.

Amanda sums up the importance of these community based projects perfectly: “While it’s easy to be impressed by the achievements of Film City, BBC Scotland, STV and everything in the Pacific Quay, it is also inspiring to note the vital and vibrant work of groups like Sunny Govan, Plantation Productions and GalGael, who are as much a part of Govan as its shipbuilding heyday or the ancient culture echoed by the Govan Stones.”

We will be returning to the river and would love to hear your stories of the people and events that create a sense of place.  Download the free Clydeside Promenade, an audio tour produced for Festival 2014 and please feel free to add your comments and memories.  You can download the audio tour as a smartphone app HERE, or as audio only from Bandcamp  HERE