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Around Town
Hidden treasure T ucked away off a dreary part of the west end Kirstin Innes previews a festival celebrating one of Glasgow’s best-kept secrets
of Argyle Street, Glasgow’s Hidden Lane, a rainbow-coloured courtyard hemmed by listed architecture and ramshackle buildings, is a (well- named) secret oasis of colour. A very particular community has sprung up there almost organically over the past few years: designers, commercial artists, architects and model-makers. Since 2008 they’ve been throwing open the doors once a year: 2010’s Hidden Lane Festival is part arts festival, part community fete and one of the most interesting events in the West End this fortnight.
‘It’s all about putting a spotlight on a creative community that works away, year round, and has done for years, unbeknownst to the people just a few yards away,’ says the festival organiser, Seonaid Daly, of creative consultancy project Vox Populus (they’re also Hidden Lane residents). ‘The Lane is a special place, really magical, and we want more people to know about it, how vibrant it is, and the amazing people who work there.’ ‘It’s an exciting place to be and a really lovely place to work,’ agrees Mhairi McKenzie, of neighbouring web and graphic design company Mucky Puddle. Between them, McKenzie and Daly paint a picture of a space where self-employed creative types and small businesses help each other with clients, check in for coffee at the Hidden Lane Tearoom and collaborate on projects. It seems to be the intention that this year’s festival will really reflect the community (not
to mention the huge roster of artists, performers and musicians in the collective Hidden Lane address book).
‘We’re going to have an outside music stage all day, featuring artists who’ve recorded at La Chunky Studios in the Lane: Ming Ming and the Ching Chings and Battlemode, a new electronica act who played their first ever gig at last year’s festival and just blew everyone away,’ says Daly. ‘Dragonfly Dress Design will be having a Vintage Wedding Dress Open Day, and Chouchou Couture will be staging the first ever Hidden Runway; we’ve got a poetry stage and hopefully some performance art happening there if we’re lucky, the Hidden Lane Tearoom will be hosting a barbeque, and we’re also bringing in a tiny six-seater caravan, which has been transformed into the world’s smallest cinema – although I don’t know if that’s actually true!’
Glasgow’s gigantic roster of emergent designers is also well represented: over 20 stalls will line the alley selling crafts and new work, and Mucky Puddle have invited the Glasgow Craft Mafia in to their studio space for a trunk sale. ‘There was such a good atmosphere to last year’s festival that we wanted to be involved this year,’ says McKenzie. ‘Everyone cares a lot about the Lane, and it’s even better now we’re all working together on the festival.’ Hidden Lane Festival, Sat 26 June, noon–10pm, free, www.voxpopulus.co.uk
www.list.co.uk/aroundtown Hitlist CRYPTIC CROFTING, AND NICK CAVE*
✽✽ Life After Iraq Excellent and thoroughly worthwhile exhibition by award-winning photojournalist Angela Catlin and writer Billy Briggs, detailing their travels in Iraq. Mitchell Library, Glasgow, until Sat 26 Jun. ✽✽ Irregular Nick Cave for £8? We’re so there. See picture, page 31. Roxy Art House, Edinburgh, Thu 24 Jun. ✽✽ Nonsence Meanwhile, upstairs, you are invited to dine at the world’s smallest French Restaurant (‘Le Miniscule’) and listen to the sounds of Croftwork (they’re shepherds and they play Kraftwerk covers. Obviously). Roxy Art House, Edinburgh, Thu 24 Jun. ✽✽ Central Belter Forget the World Cup – it’s more fun with wheels. And contact. And deadly rivals from the east and west of Scotland baying for each others blood. That’ll be the roller girls, then. Glasgow’s Irn Bruisers take on Edinburgh’s Twisted Thistles. Glasgow Caledonian University, Sat 26 Jun. ✽✽ Hidden Lane Festival Great wee fest amid multicoloured houses. See preview, left. The Hidden Lane, Glasgow, Sat 26 Jun. ✽✽ Cryptic Nights: Lost Values This month’s stars are the folk from Lost Values design collective, who blend craft and technology and have a special passion for the near-forgotten, the playful and the sustainable. CCA, Glasgow, Thu 1 Jul, 8pm. 24 Jun–8 Jul 2010 THE LIST 29