Culture secretary 'crystal clear' that CCA archive should be retained amid auction fears

Mairi McAllan said the items sold included a fridge and office equipment, not the historic archive relating to the CCA and its former incarnation as the Third Eye Centre.

Campaigners had hit out at suggestions the archive was being disposed of in an auction on Wednesday after the building went into liquidation earlier this year, saying it was “devastating” to see pieces of former equipment on sale for as little as £1.

However, campaign group Save Our CCA said the archive remained at risk, claiming it had been listed in an auction separately to the sale of office equipment.

It said: “We remain concerned by her statement because it fails to recognise that the fate of the archive is still in control of liquidators, who despite saying they want to keep it in public ownership, are still contractually obliged to seek the highest price. We find it astounding that the fate of one of Scotland’s most remarkable archives is being entrusted to a liquidation company.

“The auction that ended yesterday instead consisted of the contents of the CCA building including lighting, theatre equipment, film projectors, artwork and books, a George Wylie sculpture, as well as the property of groups that we were using the CCA at the time of its closure. Although it did not contain the archive, the auction represented the irreplaceable operational infrastructure of the venue used by so many.

They added: “We urge Mairi McAllan to give the same consideration to the current sale of 350 Sauchiehall Street, also a publicly-owned cultural asset, and to stop or pause the process until a transparent public consultation on the building’s future can take place.”

Ms McAllan said: “I have been given concrete assurances by Creative Scotland today that the archive is not being sold as part of the auction process concluding this week.

“I have been crystal clear that the archive of the Third Eye Centre and Centre for Contemporary Arts should be retained in whole and available to the public, given its incredible cultural significance to Glasgow and Scotland. I am pleased that Creative Scotland has been working with local partners and is in contact with the liquidators to ensure a secure future for the archive in Glasgow.”

She added: “I completely understand the importance placed on the archives by many artists, creatives and by the public. They are very important to me too. I have been in regular contact on this matter with Creative Scotland and I will continue to closely monitor this situation.”

The CCA fell into the hands of liquidators in February, with the building immediately shut down and all staff laid off.

Creative Scotland, which owns the building, said earlier this month it was preparing to begin a “formal process” to find a new tenant or buyer for the site. However, the Scottish Government, which funds Creative Scotland, said days earlier that the arts body was looking to sell off the building.

Some organisations have been identified as potential bidders, including a group behind the creation of a Scottish Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Glasgow MSP Paul Sweeney earlier this week described the sale as “another setback for the cultural sector in Glasgow”.

He said: “This goes completely against the spirit of excellence and common good my city of Glasgow prides itself on.”