MY HISTORIC NEIGHBOURHOOD
My Historic Neighbourhood was a creative heritage programme delivered in 2022 by the Glasgow Building Preservation Trust (GBPT) and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Designed to engage residents from some of Glasgow’s most disadvantaged neighbourhoods, the project invited communities to explore the histories that surrounded them and to reimagine their connections to place through creative activity. In total, the project produced 18 films, built partnerships with seven schools and three new organisations, reaching over 900 participants.
- Completion Date: 2022
- Project Cost: £75,000
The Project
The Barras
In Calton, the project marked the 100th anniversary of the Barras Market. Local people were invited to share their memories on film, forming the basis of a short dramatic production created in partnership with the Citizens Theatre and Witsherface Theatre Company, featuring performances by care-experienced young people. Memory-gathering sessions also captured over forty traders’ slogans, from “Get yer lucky knickers” to “Come a wee bit closer madam, I don’t do mail order.” Ten of these phrases were engraved into the pavement around the market, unveiled at a community event attended by over 100 people.
Sighthill
In Sighthill, pupils from four primary schools explored the history of the Radical Wars through creative workshops led by Culture Junction in partnership with the 1820 Society. The children, many learning this story for the first time, produced classroom resources and expressed pride in discovering their area’s role in the fight for equal rights.
Govan
In Govan, GBPT worked with Govan Heritage Trust and Loop Theatre to bring to life the story of the Kingdom of Strathclyde. Children produced short films, interviewed locals, and staged a Viking-themed cooking and fashion show in Govan Old Church. Some participants went on to join the Heritage Heroes programme, deepening their involvement with the site.
Skate The City
Working with historian Morag Cross, GBPT also explored Glasgow’s roller-skating heritage, uncovering around 30 former rinks across the city. A group of young women who had rediscovered skating during lockdown created a film celebrating this hidden history. The project culminated in a roller-skating party and film screening at the Barrowland Ballroom, attended by 175 people, with 500 more on the waiting list.
