CREATIVE Scotland is looking to sell the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) building after the Glasgow-based art centre fell into liquidation at the start of the year, leading to all jobs being lost.
The CCA had been a key cultural hub on Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street since it opened in 1992, but closed suddenly in January after it was left for weeks with no senior management.
Culture Secretary, Mairi McAllan, confirmed on Thursday that the agency, which owns the building, is pursuing the sale of the CCA’s former home as a “cultural asset”.
She said in a written parliamentary answer: “The Scottish Government’s preference is to see 350 Sauchiehall Street re-open as an important asset to both Glasgow’s and Scotland’s culture and creative sector.”
McAllan added that the insolvency process remains ongoing, and acknowledged the impact the closure of the CCA has had on staff and the wider cultural community.
A statement from CCA staff at the time announced that the building was closed immediately, with employees given only a day's notice that they had lost their jobs in an online call.
In a statement, staff said they were “devastated” by the closure, and were left “deeply concerned” over how the decision was handled.
The CCA board said at the same time they had faced “significant financial challenges” over the past 18 months, and that they were unable to reach a “sustainable financial position”.
The category A-listed building was designed by Alexander Thomson in 1867 to 1868 and was substantially renovated by Page & Park in 1998.
The building has since been boarded up following its closure.
A spokesperson for Creative Scotland said: “We have yet to open a formal process to invite interest in the building; therefore any assertion over its future use is pure speculation.
“The insolvency process for the CCA organisation is still in progress, and we are ensuring that the building is safe and secure during the period of closure.
“We will be issuing a further update as soon as appropriate.”
The proposed sale of the building comes after the chief executive of Creative Scotland, Iain Munro, announced that he will step down from the role at the end of 2026 after nearly eight years in charge.
In its announcement, Creative Scotland said the chief executive was “central” to launching National Lottery funding for culture in Scotland and an “integral” part of creating Screen Scotland, which helps to drive the development of film and TV in the country.
Munro also oversaw the introduction of multi-year funding for cultural organisations, which the arts body said “transformed the landscape of support across the country”.
