Some think there has been a conspiracy to keep the people of Glasgow poor, despite the mercantile wealth and the international reach of its people. Alongside a continuing story of sectarianism, poverty and parochialism, culture and internationalism have long been a major part of Glasgow’s distinctive, spirited and collective story.

The public success of Glasgow’s European City of Culture year in 1990 helped for a while to dispel some of the darker stories around the city. That it is possible to live cheaply, there is a richness of people, honesty to the people, and there is an edge. It is possible to be both part of the city and anonymous to it – at the same time. These are invariably part of the story of Glasgow’s extraordinary vibrancy in the global world of visual arts.

In the last 15 years or so Glasgow has become a major focal point for some amazing artists. It has become its own kind of Silicon Valley on the Clyde. As with all great things, it takes a particular alchemy of people, of luck, of time, place and culture. The City of Culture was one thing. Glasgow School of Art and probably its Environmental Art course is central – and it continues to maintain its massively ambitious and rightful plans to remain at the forefront of art. The names of the artists who have come through the school in the last fifteen years is impressive: Claire Barclay, Christine Borland, Martin Boyce, Roderick Buchanan, Paul Carter, Graham Fagen, Douglas Gordon, Kenny Hunter, Simon Starling and Nathan Coley. Many continue to be based in and around Glasgow.

In 2007 there seems to be the next phase of strengthening of the wealth of culture in Glasgow. On 1 April 2007, Culture and Sport Glasgow was established. It took the responsibility for the public museums and galleries in Glasgow from the local authority and placed it in a spanking new community interest company, with its own board of local politicians and national great and good – there are six local authority councillors and four great white men: Lord McFarlane, who pulled together the funding for the magnificent renovations at Kelvingrove Museum; Lord Stevenson, Chairman of HBOS who was Chairman of Tate during the time of the Tate Modern development and Chairman of Aldeburgh Productions during its recent renaissance under Jonathan Reekie and Tom Adès; Sir Angus Grossart who among many things is Chairman of the National Museums of Scotland and initiated his own painting prize, and Rt Hon George Reid. These people mean business, and their collective wisdom and connections could help to continue and build on the international reputation of the city.

Tramway is also now within their responsibility. Despite the valiant efforts of its staff, the political will to see Tramway return to its glory days has been half-hearted so far. A major revival of this wonderful and singular world-class arts centre would not take much. The potential is already there. The builders are already on site for Tramway’s strategic partnership with Scottish Ballet. A reinvigorated Scottish Ballet will be creating its own tailor-made building, designed by award winning architects Malcolm Fraser Architects, to sit alongside the building and share some of its resources. This together with the recently created Hidden Gardens by Angus Farquhar and his team at NVA are an exciting development in a part of Glasgow that needs attention. Scottish Ballet is due to be working on-site by the end of 2008, and subject to the decisions of the new Culture and Sport Glasgow, Tramway’s life as a world-class centre is within reach.

This development together with the impressive successes of galleries like the Modern Institute, who can command prime position at places like Frieze; the establishment of The Common Guild with Katrina Brown (formerly of Dundee Contemporary Arts and currently also the new curator for visual arts at the Edinburgh International Festival) as Director, and the new Glasgow international with Francis Mckee and Jean Cameron at the helm, Glasgow is all set to keep its special place in the imagination of artists.

* Andrew Neil, Spectator, 30 June 2007