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.
The Balmaclellan parish church window, depicting Jesus and possibly based on Alfred Webster’s drawing, is slated for relocation to a Dalry church as the Balmaclellan building is declared surplus. The Church of Scotland has submitted plans to move the century-old stained glass, which will be conserved and installed in a new frame to benefit from better natural light. Community groups are bidding to take control of surplus churches.
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.
The Scotsman letters and opinion pieces question water usage in firefighting, building safety standards, and governance. Contributors urge regulatory changes, better insurer engagement, and more accountability from Holyrood as Scotland revisits major safety and infrastructure concerns.
A wave of art and urban-design initiatives is reshaping public spaces in European cities. From Aberdeen’s Bon Accord Baths hosting a large-scale art installation to Glasgow’s archives becoming public, the trend emphasizes accessible, site-specific works that invite community engagement.
A round-up of recent Scottish cultural and arts funding and festival developments shows Screen Scotland's investment in film and TV; Wigtown Book Festival returns with guests; National Galleries of Scotland gains new acquisitions; RSA highlights support for artists.