Records of the Glasgow 1999 Festival Co Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland

Reference:GB 1694 DC 028
Dates of Creation:1993-2000
Name of Creator:
Language of Material:English French German Italian
Physical Description:

Scope and Content
The archive of The Glasgow 1999 Festival Co Ltd contains many of the publications, correspondence, press releases, press cuttings and the working papers that were produced by the company in the run-up to and during the year-long celebration. Papers relating to the evaluation of the project are also included. Items not directly related to the working office of the festival company have also been kept, for instance, examples of the merchandise and associated publicity. A record was also made of many of the events and publicity surrounding the year; video and audio recordings of the lectures and photographs of successful projects and schemes.

This material may contain sensitive information about individuals that is protected by the Data Protection Act. Until this material has been checked for sensitive information, it will not be available for researchers. Once this Data Protection work is complete the collection will be open for access, however any sensitive information will be closed and inaccessible for 75 years from the date of creation.
Administrative / Biographical History
In November 1994, Glasgow, Scotland, was awarded the title of UK City of Art and Design 1999. This formed part of the decade of annual celebrations that were promoted by the Arts Council of Great Britain (later to be the Arts Council of England). Competition for this title was fierce, with the 17 cities that originally competed for the title finally being reduced to a choice between Glasgow and it's east-coast neighbour and capital of Scotland, Edinburgh. At stake was GBP 400,000 from the Arts Council, plus the opportunity to generate much more income for the winning city through future funding bids, sponsorship, grants, tourism, exhibitions, and sales (including the production of catalogues and other merchandise). The Glasgow 1999 Festival aimed to celebrate excellence in architecture and design from around the world; to promote awareness in the people of Glasgow, its communities, organisations and business of the cultural and economic importance of the design process; and to highlight new thinking to help position Glasgow as a major European city of ideas. In order to do this, the Glasgow 1999 Festival Co Ltd created a programme of individual projects and events that encompassed a variety of issues raised by contemporary concerns about architecture and design and that addressed the economic significance of design and architecture for Glasgow's businesses and institution. Further to this, the Festival was to leave a legacy to the city in the form of the Lighthouse Centre for Architecture and Design situated on Mitchell Lane. Events and projects included exhibitions, conferences and displays; the development of the Lighthouse centre; the Glasgow Collection project that helped to fund new product ideas to a prototype stage; education and community programmes; Homes for the Future, a project to build a new residential area incorporating innovative design principles near Glasgow Green; Millennium Spaces to develop high quality public spaces designed by artists in consultation with local communities; and the Partnership Fund to fund various small scale projects with goals compatible with the aims of the Glasgow 1999 Festival. The Lighthouse was the largest and most high profile Glasgow 1999 project. It had a further significance as it was the most important legacy of the festival. The Lighthouse cost nearly GBP 13 million and was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, European Structural Funds, the Scottish Arts Council, Arts Council of England, Glasgow Development Agency, Glasgow City Council, Historic Scotland and private sponsors. The Lighthouse is housed in the former Glasgow Herald offices built by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Its aim is to combine excellence with accessibility, introducing architecture and design to a mass audience, alongside specific programmes tailored to appeal to children, school and colleges, architecture and design professionals and the business community. In 2002, the Glasgow 1999 Co Ltd was still an active company.
Arrangement
Wherever possible the archive is arranged to mirror the structure of the Glasgow 1999 Festival Co Ltd. The papers of the Deyan Sudjic, director, and Eleanor McAllister, deputy director, of the Glasgow 1999 Festival Company, and papers relating to the existence of the company as a whole, for example the board minutes and bid documents, are all listed in the first series Establishment Information.

The archive is arranged as follows:

DC 28/1: Establishment information

DC 28/2: Capital Projects and Sponsorship

DC 28/3: Communications

DC 28/4: Education

DC 28/5: Exhibitions

DC 28/6: The Glasgow Collection

DC 28/7: Initiatives

DC 28/8: Marketing
Access Information
Glasgow School of Art Archives and Collections are open for research by appointment. For further details, please refer to our Access Policy @ https://gsaarchives.net/policies
Acquisition Information
Previously kept in the offices of Glasgow City Council leased by the Glasgow 1999 Festival Co Ltd in Queen Street. Immediate source of acquisition was a deposit from Glasgow 1999 Festival Co Ltd in April 2000.
Note
In November 1994, Glasgow, Scotland, was awarded the title of UK City of Art and Design 1999. This formed part of the decade of annual celebrations that were promoted by the Arts Council of Great Britain (later to be the Arts Council of England). Competition for this title was fierce, with the 17 cities that originally competed for the title finally being reduced to a choice between Glasgow and it's east-coast neighbour and capital of Scotland, Edinburgh. At stake was GBP 400,000 from the Arts Council, plus the opportunity to generate much more income for the winning city through future funding bids, sponsorship, grants, tourism, exhibitions, and sales (including the production of catalogues and other merchandise). The Glasgow 1999 Festival aimed to celebrate excellence in architecture and design from around the world; to promote awareness in the people of Glasgow, its communities, organisations and business of the cultural and economic importance of the design process; and to highlight new thinking to help position Glasgow as a major European city of ideas. In order to do this, the Glasgow 1999 Festival Co Ltd created a programme of individual projects and events that encompassed a variety of issues raised by contemporary concerns about architecture and design and that addressed the economic significance of design and architecture for Glasgow's businesses and institution. Further to this, the Festival was to leave a legacy to the city in the form of the Lighthouse Centre for Architecture and Design situated on Mitchell Lane. Events and projects included exhibitions, conferences and displays; the development of the Lighthouse centre; the Glasgow Collection project that helped to fund new product ideas to a prototype stage; education and community programmes; Homes for the Future, a project to build a new residential area incorporating innovative design principles near Glasgow Green; Millennium Spaces to develop high quality public spaces designed by artists in consultation with local communities; and the Partnership Fund to fund various small scale projects with goals compatible with the aims of the Glasgow 1999 Festival. The Lighthouse was the largest and most high profile Glasgow 1999 project. It had a further significance as it was the most important legacy of the festival. The Lighthouse cost nearly GBP 13 million and was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, European Structural Funds, the Scottish Arts Council, Arts Council of England, Glasgow Development Agency, Glasgow City Council, Historic Scotland and private sponsors. The Lighthouse is housed in the former Glasgow Herald offices built by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Its aim is to combine excellence with accessibility, introducing architecture and design to a mass audience, alongside specific programmes tailored to appeal to children, school and colleges, architecture and design professionals and the business community. In 2002, the Glasgow 1999 Co Ltd was still an active company.
Alternative Form Available
No known copies.
Physical Characteristics and/or Technical Requirements
There are no physical characteristics that affect the use of this material
Archivist's Note

* Fonds level description compiled by David Powell, Hub Project Archivist, 11 October 2001.
* Updated by David Powell, Hub Project Archivist, 14 May 2002.
* Fonds level description imported from the Archives Hub 24 August 2006.
* Catalogue updated by Kim Sommerville, Archives Assistant 2010 and transferred to CALM by Susannah Waters, GSA Archivist 2011.
* 23 vhs and 2 chs still to be catalogued (24 May 2011)
* Archives Hub description updated by Carrie Skinner, Logjam Project Officer, September 2011
* Catalogue imported into Archon software and edited by Michelle Kaye, Archon Project Officer, May 2014.
* Catalogue exported from Archon and imported into AtoM during system migration, 2018-2019.
Finding Aid Authors: The Glasgow School of Art Archives and Collections.
© Copyright 2014 GSA Archives. All rights reserved.
Conditions Governing Use
Application for permission to reproduce should be submitted to The Archives and Collections at The Glasgow School of Art.

Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use and condition of material.

For further details, please refer to our Reprographic Service Guide @ https://gsaarchives.net/policies
Appraisal Information
This material has been appraised in line with Glasgow School of Art Archives and Collections standard procedures.
Related Material
Material relating to ongoing education projects is still housed at The Lighthouse, 11 Mitchell Lane, Glasgow. Some slides relating to community projects and exhibitions are also housed at The Lighthouse.

Additional Financial information is held at Glasgow City Council.

Glasgow School of Art Library also holds copies of most of the publications produced by the Glasgow 1999 Festival Co Ltd. Press cuttings and some ephemera have been kept on Glasgow 1990; European City of Culture; and the 1987 Garden Festival as well as additional press cuttings taken by Glasgow School of Art Staff on Glasgow 1999 and post Glasgow 1999, and The Glasgow Collection. These are available in the press cuttings folders available in the archives search room. Many of these may not appear in the Glasgow 1999 Festival Company Archive.
Additional Information
Published
GB 1694 DC 028
GB 1694
Subjects
Administration
Architecture
Archives
Design (arts)
Festivals
Printed ephemera
Geographical Names
Glasgow, Scotland