Scottish art school famed for Mackintosh, rebuilding after fires
Anas Sarwar has indicated a transition from Scottish Labour leader to a Westminster role, moving to the House of Lords as a business minister. The shift follows Labour's worst Holyrood showing and questions about leadership succession, with analysis noting cross-UK dynamics and implications for party strategy.
Commonwealth Games highlights from Glasgow 2026 include Duncan Scott defending his 200m medley title, Stephen Clegg adding silver in 100m freestyle, and Katie Shanahan upgrading to silver in the 200m backstroke at Tollcross. The Scots claim a strong medal haul as home fans roar.
Glasgow School of Art says full restoration of the Mackintosh Building is unaffordable without external funding, with cost estimated at £265m. The institution plans to stabilise the structure, remove scaffolding, and pursue a future anchored in creative and cultural industries while seeking visionary investment and public support.
The 23rd Commonwealth Games are underway in Glasgow, running 23 July to 2 August with 74 associations competing across 10 sports and 215 medal events, including six Para sports. Athletes vie for medals in events ranging from athletics to weightlifting, as organisers stage a compact, ten-sport programme.
The Guardian reports that Ray Exworth’s six-decade body of sculpture has been hidden in seven sheds on a Cornish smallholding. A new book, Ray’s Sheds, documents the unseen works and raises questions about public access to art.
Prince Philip arranged for the 12th‑century Norman tub font to be moved to Gordonstoun in 1962 when Charles started there, saving it from obscurity. It stood in the school chapel before being returned to St Michael’s Church, Upton Cressett. Custodians say the font’s journey has become a local legend and a symbol of historic preservation.
A round-up of recent Fringe reviews highlights how new plays and games are probing technology’s reach—from AI ethics in Prove You’re Human to aging and human longing in Lifelong Protocol and Water Colour, with sharp direction and performances shaping urgent conversations.
A new show from Dundee Rep and Solar Bear, The Singer, centers Deaf performer Jamie Rea and a listening partner, with KT Tunstall providing original music. The production marks a milestone for bilingual, Deaf-inclusive theatre on Edinburgh’s main stages, following a decade of development in Scottish arts.
Fire crews remain at a Glasgow city-centre blaze after responding to an incident on Sauchiehall Street early today. Nine appliances, a height appliance and three specialist resources have been mobilised; there are no reported casualties and road closures remain in place as emergency services work.
A wave of urban art installations and residencies is transforming public spaces. From Logroño’s Round About Baths to Antwerp’s Zuidpark, cities are converting car-focused infrastructure into green, people-friendly spaces to combat heat and rainfall. New projects in Aberdeen and Glasgow add to a broader trend of accessible, site-specific art and urban design.