Centre For Contemporary Arts

I used to go here when it was the Third Eye Centre (I’m that old!) so I’m pleased it has kept its edge and offers space to various festivals (human rights, Glasgow Film Festival, etc) which might not fit in with other arts venues criteria.
When you walk in you are met with a shop which sells design led items, a lot from Scottish designers. It also sells tickets for some of the other events happening in its cinema or lecture room. The bar/​restaurant is large and airy but the food, although lovely, is a bit pricey and the staff can be a tad surly.
Upstairs rooms are rented up to various organisations and there’s another bar with outside drinking area.
If you’re looking for somewhere a tad more classy to meet you friends on Sauchiehall St for a drink or two then I think you’ll like the CCA.

2 stars may seem a bit harsh — I guess overall I could have rated this place higher but for a coeliac like myself, it was pretty disappointing. Not too many options available and the one I did choose was pretty bland. My friend had the paella (another GF option) and t was pretty darn good. But after this there isn’t much left for somebody gluten free looking for some options. Super cool venue and nice staff but the food didn’t leave me wanting to come back too soon. Vegans/​veggies have a plethora of options though, and for somebody of that disposition I would recommend giving the CCA a go. The pre theatre menu is also really reasonable price wise.

I spent a few hours here on Monday night with some friends, being taught how to play a couple of carsd games.
The CCA is somewhere that i periodically hear people talking about, but I’ve never quite made it there myself. But I’m glad I have now.
In many respects it reminds me of The Arches (RIP) — there’s a reception /​box office thing as you go in, then the actual bar is all exposed brickwork. The CCA is basically the space inbetween 2 buildings. So you have the original external sandstone walls becoming the internal walls of the CCA — i love this kind of use of space. The roof is one giant skylight, which makes this place really light and airy.
We couldn’t eat as the kitchen was closed for work to be done on it — but it has a reputation of doing really good food, so we’ll be trying it out soon.
It’s fairly moderate/​bordering on expensively priced — the beer we had was £4.50 a pint.
They also do a table service when it’s quiet.
Overall I enjoyed our evening here and would like to go back on the weekend or for one of their events.

It’s enjoyable to pop in and see what new art is on in their space. They seem to rotate the exhibitions fairly quickly. I like that they have a cute coffeeshop/​eatery, bookstore and shop in the space as well. You also can’t beat that it’s free to peruse the contemporary art they are showing.

I just love places that can transport me to another place. Casting dreams of teleportation aside, I’m talking places that wisp us far, far away.
Entering the CCA, I almost forgot that I’d stumbled across it when headed to catch the train home. Something called me towards the building; it was artsy, inviting and mysterious. Had I seen it before? I wasn’t quite sure. Bummer that it was a Sunday night, I’d have to come back and put my increasing curiosity to rest some other time. But, catching sight of the opening hours, I was in luck. The CCA was open. This is surely how Alice felt when headed down the rabbit hole.
I wasn’t expecting to find the thriving, energetic scene inside, which made the discovery all the more sweet. We’d wandered into the Africa in Motion & Afrovibes Festival opening party. Regardless of the occasion, we felt like we’d crashed a super-​cool private party, and yet, it was inviting, open to all and, just waiting to be found on Sauciehall Street.
There was an infectiously bouncy atmosphere. A DJ playing African music, a constant upbeat chatter. I don’t know whether Sunday’s the new Saturday or the CCA’s just the place to be. Either way, I sure wanted to stick around.
Based solely on my brief first visit, the CCA is somewhere I’d love to explore more and I’m definitely going to seek out future events there. And, of course, I can’t wait to lunch at Saramago Café!

I haven’t actually been to an exhibit here, rather, I was there as part of a discussion regarding the upcoming vote for/​against Scottish Independence and the issues of currency. Not having say either way, as I’m not from Scotland, I still quite enjoyed hearing peoples opinions and watching a wee film regarding currency.
Having said that, the CCA is smack dab in the hustle and bustle of city centre and upon walking in, you’re greeted by load of information regarding what’s going on at the CCA and also around town and around Scotland. There seemed to be a bit of construction going on, as what looked to be a gift shop of sorts was sectioned off and closed. Walking past that, there is an open plan café with loads of light which makes it very inviting. There, they serve food and drinks, which you can take with you to various parts of the CCA.
I went upstairs to the theatre which is where the event I was attending was, but along with the theatre, there are various areas for the exhibits and also a roof top terrace to enjoy the weather (when it’s nice).
I will be back for exhibits, that’s for sure, and if you’re in the area, you should swing by as well.

Even Vegans each chips.
Tickets for a film on historical photography in Der GDR booked (doesn’t sound intriguing, does it?), a quick squint around an ongoing exhibition about art in Slovenia and a wee jaunt around the shop, now lunch.
There’s one guy who wrote about another vegan restaurant «its vegan says it all no real food give me meat meat meat «. He proceeded to give it 1 star because of it. Matey, presumably you looked at the menu before you ordered? Dig over.
Well CCA is vegan and knowing so I ordered an aubergine & humus sandwich with a side of chips and some coffee. I have to say all were extremely tasty. And I’m not vegan! Even if you’re not into the ‘arty’ stuff, it’s the perfect place for a light lunch or cup of fruity rich Columbian. I also noted the array of beer on tap and bottle, so something to keep in mind for later.
Now to that film… Well an hour later and I have to say that was a really interesting film about life behind the iron curtain, captured through the lens of a 35 mm LEICA. What now K asks? We’ll, there’s a couple of pints of Blue Moon at the bar with our names on them!

I know less than nothing about modern art so I can’t comment on any of the exhibitions held at the CCA. However, I can tell you that this place offers something of interest for everyone, even culture phobes like me.
For example, a number of films were shown at the centre during the Glasgow Film Festival, including a really interesting documentary about the history of the music industry within the city.
There is also a café and bar which has the same stylish, airy ambiance as the rest of the centre. Thumbs up from me.

I love the CCA. Everything from the friendly staff to the quirky exhibitions, this place has it all!
The venue plays host to a number of local and national diary dates! It is a venue for Celtic Connections and also Triptic nights. Installation art is big here and you should pop in whenever passing to let your mind work out what the hell the artist was thinking when they created a washing line with 20 pound notes hanging from it!
The music here is good too and, for a time, offered some decend Tennents Mutual performances; I saw James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem here — bloody fantastic. Keep your eyes open though and pop in every now and then to see what’s going on as big events in here can sometimes pass you by.
Also one of the best cups of coffee in the city, by a country mile!

The Glasgow Centre For Contemporary Arts is a bright white, modern airy building which showcases a wide variety of events throughout the year.
I’ll be honest, modern art really isn’t my bag so I didn’t quite «get» the chair covered in wooly bobbles placed in front of a video of a man screaming with paint thrown over him.
And every time I have visited The CCA, the place has been full of trendy arty types.
However, there are events regularly held that appeal to everyone, even plebs like me, such as screenings shown as part of the recent Glasgow Film Festival.

Been here a few times to see friends and colleages in various performances, it’s a really nice place.
As has been pointed out, there’s not much happening on the exterior to get your attention but if you keep your eyes peeled on some of the free print publications kicking around, there’s always something going on in here.
That being said, there isn’t much going on for me unless friends are performing but it is a lovely place that I would like to go to more often. If only I was more ‘arty’.

The frontage of the CCA on Sauchiehall Street probably won’t catch your eye. In fact, even if you did notice it, you probably wouldn’t be sure what it was, why it was, or even if you were actually allowed to go in. In the interests of Unilocal world-​wide domination, though, I shrugged my shoulders and went in anyway.
The foyer of this place looks a little abandoned. When I was there the front desk was unmanned and the book shop that usually takes up half of the foyer was closed (it’s only open Thursday to Sunday. I have no idea why). I wandered through into the room behind the foyer, though, and finally came across some signs of life.
There’s a great café in the CCA which is really peaceful and well designed. There were quite a number of people in there (considering the fact that most people probably don’t know that it exists) and I’m told that there is also a bar upstairs, which is equally nice.
Personally, though, I didn’t get that far. I wandered a little awkwardly around the two rooms on the first floor — but there didn’t actually seem to be any exhibits. Call me crazy, but I thought that this place was supposed to be an art gallery. There were no directions or clues around to tell me where exactly I could find any exhibits, so after hovering a little conspicuously for five minutes, I decided to cut my losses and go.
Yes, this place has a nice café, and I’m sure they do have some great exhibits, but I felt that to be there you needed to be a member of some secret club that I hadn’t been invited to.

Ah, the CCA. Often forgotten but perhaps that makes it one of Glasgow’s better-​kept secrets. It’s an interesting space as it’s difficult to put a stamp on. They run a number of different events and activities, making it difficult to recommend unless you have something specific to tell people to visit.
The space itself is brilliant, very modern in the front with a bar and café/​restaurant, and an additional bar upstairs that very much fits the art scene feel. In the middle is one of those exterior interiors, with outdoor walls and bannisters.
If you enjoy any type of arts and culture from literature, art, and performance art, to music, give their website a glance over and see what interests you. They have so many projects and exhibitions it’s difficult to keep up, but you can usually find something really wonderful. Last time I was there I saw some interesting work in digital media and photography. Even if you just fancy a coffee and a nibble, it’s a great change from your typical coffee shop or gastropub.
Give it a shot, you won’t be disappointed.

The CCA has struggled in recent years to find an identity. It remains one of Glasgow’s more consistently intriguing galleries, but has lost ground since its refit in 2001 as a place for music and performance. Early attempts to use the wide open galleries and multiple rooms for huge events have floundered, and the current season of art films and documentaries are good, but no replacement for its former glories.
It houses many of Scotland’s creative companies, from Cryptic to The List, and remains a hub for dancers and actors. The lunchtime plays, occasional performances and gigs, along with Cryptic’s monthly Thursday night of artistic fusion ensure that it remains active, but it is increasingly becoming more of an art gallery with a nice bar and restaurant than a vibrant multi-​platform venue. It is more of a place to launch a performance than stage it.
That said, the coffee is good, the range of teas intriguing and the service friendly and helpful. It has a relaxed yet fresh atmosphere and the ground floor is a lovely spot to hang out and chat.

it’s not the cheapest bar in town, but all is forgiven when you spend some time on a sunny afternoon in the beer garden on the scott street side.
the staff are friendly, and the wall of posters of upcoming gigs /​events is much handier than trawling through the list!
the food is also really rather good — fair trade and organic where possible (always handy if you’re trying to impress some hippy-​types!), and the ciabatta sandwiches are awesome — rock on with the wicked bad (as in good) peppered pastrami /​horseradish /​swiss chees /​dill pickle combo. served with soup of the day for £7.50 — you can’t go far wrong!

the CCA glasgow is a great little venue on sauchiehall street for events/​exhibitions — excellent food and wine on the menu in the comfortable café and bar (local DJs)
very trendy for ‘performance’ art, electronic music, bookshop, cinema

A surprisingly spacious area. The venue has a modern feeling and is well staffed for its size. There’s a cinema which is always put to use during festivals in Glasgow along with a performance area upstairs. The café is a nice place to hang out and have a pastry or maybe a soup on a cold day. Just beware of the children on Saturdays.

Lacking in atmosphere, overpriced and clinical.