Film Records of The Third Eye Centre
- Reference:GB 2978 TE/2
- Dates of Creation:1st Jan 1973 - 31st Dec 1990
- Name of Creator:
- Language of Material:English
- Physical Description:143 portapak tapes with accompanying digital files.
Scope and Content
The collection is related to the documentation of the exhibition, musical event, theatre, literature and community arts programme by the Third Eye Centre following the opening at Sauchiehall Street in 1975 and cover until 1980. It also documents the administration of the Scottish Arts Council and the Scottish Arts Council Gallery at Blythswood Square, Glasgow.
The footage covers the construction of a gallery space and café in 350 Sauchiehall St and the appearance of many famous artists, bands and performers. The films also chart Glasgow itself, audiences and activities in the art centre, and key figures such as Jimmy Boyle, John Byrne, Michael Craig-Martin, Madeleine Taylor, Keith Tippett and Tom McGrath. Some rare appearances from international artists include Alan Ginsberg and Henri Chopin as well as Scottish Literary figures Sorley Maclean and Edwin Morgan.
Administrative / Biographical History
In 1974 the Scottish writer and playwright, Tom McGrath, founded The Third Eye Centre in Glasgow. Described by the Guardian as 'a shrine to the avant garde', the centre hosted visiting artists and performers such as Allen Ginsberg, Whoopi Goldberg, John Byrne, Edwin Morgan and Kathy Acker, as well as quickly becoming the focus for Glasgow's counter culture. When it consolidated its activities in the 1980s it presented some of the key exhibitions by the new Glasgow painters such as Steven Campbell, Ken Currie and Peter Howson and was the home of the National Review of Live Art.
With the demise of The Third Eye Centre at the turn of the 1990s, the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) established in its place, opening in 1992. In 1996, the organisation was awarded a lottery grant to redevelop and expand the building complex and in 2001 the newly refurbished CCA opened to the public. Now housing a spectrum of cultural tenants as well as a café/restaurant, bar and cinema. In 2006, the organisation itself underwent a profound cultural shift, deciding to pursue a more open curatorial policy - an 'open source' approach - which encouraged artists and organisations to propose their own programmes to sit alongside those curated by CCA. Today, that policy has produced a livelier and more varied programme that offers a new kind of accessibility to audiences, drawing on the spirit of The Third Eye Centre and the early history of the CCA.*
Commencing in January 2012 The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) in partnership with the CCA embarked on a speculative research project to open up previously inaccessible archive material to assist research and reflection upon the causes and conditions which encouraged this renaissance of the visual arts in Glasgow since the late 1970s. The research team, led by Dr Francis McKee and Ross Sinclair, have overseen the cataloguing of existing archival material from the Third Eye Centre and CCA (material spanning the period 1972- the present) and conducted a series of interviews with artists, critics, curators and art administrators from across that time span to construct an archive for future investigators.
*Information taken from CCA website
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
This collection can also be accessed online at http://vimeo.com/channels/583592
Archivist's Note
Detailed catalogue compiled by Carrie Skinner between February 2012 and September 2012. Collection Level Description created by Carrie Skinner July 2013 and revised in June 2022 by Kristen Nelson.
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.
Corporate Names