Publications created by The Third Eye Centre

• Reference:GB 2978 TE/5
• Dates of Creation:1st Jan 1975 - 31st Dec 1991
• Name of Creator:
  Third Eye Centre
• Language of Material:English
• Physical Description:
  Approximately 120 publications

• Scope and Content

  This collection holds all of the publications produced directly by or in association with the Third Eye Centre from 1975 to its closure in 1991. The publications produced relate to exhibitions of visual art and commissions associated with the institution, documentation of events, conferences, festivals and collections of critical and creative writing.

• Administrative / Biographical History

  In 1974 Scottish writer and playwright, Tom McGrath, founded The Third Eye Centre in Glasgow. The Third Eye Centre was based in Sauchiehall Street's Alexander Greek Thomson building from 1975-1991. Allen Ginsberg, Whoopi Goldberg, John Byrne, Billy Connolly, Edwin Morgan and Kathy Acker all performed at the centre. Described by the Guardian as 'a shrine to the avant garde', the centre quickly became the focus for Glasgow's counter culture.

  The Third Eye Centre only had two directors in its time. Chris Carrell took over in the late 1970s and led it until 1991, maintaining the wide remit established by McGrath. Classic photography exhibitions by Walker Evans and Robert Frank sat alongside shows on Hengler's Circus, Scottish football (attracting 30,000 visitors), space travel, Paisley shawls, and Spitting Image puppets.

  In the 1980s, the Third Eye Centre played an important role in the rise of the new Glasgow painters, Ken Currie, Peter Howson and Steven Campbell. There were also shows by Sam Ainsley, Jacki Parry, Roger Palmer, Susan Hiller, Pavel Büchler, Damien Hirst and Sophie Calle. The Third Eye Centre was also the home of the National Review of Live Art. Several albums were recorded there including Mbizo by Johnny Dyani (1981) and Ivor Cutler's Life in a Scotch Sitting Room Vol II (1978).

• Arrangement

  Collection is kept and catalogued in chronological order of date where known.

• Access Information

  The CCA Archive is open to all researchers including the CCA's staff and external researchers including members of the general public, subject to proof of identification and acceptance of the Reading Room General Rules and Access Policy.

  The CCA Archive Reading Room is accessible by appointment only. To access the collection please contact archive@cca-glasgow.com

• Archivist's Note

  Detailed catalogue compiled by Rachael Gallacher between April-June 2013, revised by Carrie Skinner July 2013 and further revised in June 2022 by Kristen Nelson. Collection Level Description created by Rachael Gallacher June 2013 and revised by Kristen Nelson in June 2022.

• Conditions Governing Use

  Photographic copies of material in the archive can be supplied for private study purposes only, depending on the condition of the documents.

  A number of items within the archive remain within copyright under the terms of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988; it is the responsibility of users to obtain the copyright holder's permission for reproduction of copyright material for purposes other than research or private study.

  Prior written permission must be obtained from the CCA for publication or reproduction of any material within the archive. All material must be credited as "The CCA/Third Eye Centre Archive."

• Corporate Names

  Third Eye Center