Press release

11 January 2013

Glasgow’s Tramway to present the Turner Prize in 2015

Tate announced today that the Turner Prize will be presented at Tramway in Glasgow in 2015. This will be the first time the exhibition and award will be presented in Scotland. The Turner Prize was first shown outside London at Tate Liverpool in 2007. Since 2011 the Turner Prize has been shown at a gallery outside London in alternate years.

Following an open submission process, Tramway was selected from a shortlist of four venues that applied to host the prize in 2015. A panel including Tomma Abts, artist and Tate Trustee; Laurence Sillars, Chief Curator, BALTIC; Nicholas Serota, Director, Tate; Caroline Collier, Director, Tate National; and Judith Nesbitt, Head of National/International Initiatives made the selection.

Glasgow and Scotland’s bid to host the Turner Prize in 2015 was submitted by a partnership comprising of Glasgow Life, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, Creative Scotland and EventScotland.

The three other shortlisted venues were Nottingham Contemporary; New Art Gallery, Walsall; and Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester.

Nicholas Serota, Director, Tate said: ‘All the shortlisted venues put forward compelling cases for hosting the Turner Prize in 2015 and each would bring unique qualities to it. The professionalism and vision of each bidding organisation was inspirational – all built on strong partnerships between visual art organisations, their local authorities, educational institutions and local communities.

‘Over the last 20 years, Glasgow and Scotland has gained national and international recognition as a centre of excellence in, and for, the visual arts and for many years artists who are from Scotland or who have trained at the Glasgow School of Art – one of the world’s leading art schools – have been nominated for, or won, the award.’

Councillor Gordon Matheson, the Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said: ‘Glasgow is Scotland’s cultural powerhouse and we are delighted that our work with partners at Creative Scotland and EventScotland has won us the right to host the UK’s most prestigious arts prize in 2015. With so many former winners and nominees, the city enjoys international recognition as a thriving centre for the production and hosting of contemporary visual arts.

‘Tramway has been described as an industrial cathedral that connects art with humanity and has a thriving global reputation as a producer and promoter of the most innovative work by Scottish and international artists. In bringing the Turner Prize to Tramway and Glasgow, we will build on that growing reputation – and following from the ambitious Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Cultural Programme, hosting the Turner Prize will continue to build both audiences and interest in the very best in contemporary visual art.’

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, said: ‘I am thrilled that the world renowned Turner Prize will be hosted in Scotland for the first time in 2015. Hosting the UK’s most prestigious arts prize at Tramway in Glasgow is not only a reflection of the strength and diversity of the work of Scotland’s artists over many years, but also stands testament to Scotland as the perfect stage for major cultural events and builds on our national and international reputation for cultural and creative excellence.’

In 2007 the Turner Prize was shown for the first time outside London at Tate Liverpool as a precursor to the 2008 European Capital of Culture programme. In 2011 it attracted a record number of visitors to the Baltic in Gateshead. This year Turner Prize will be presented in Derry-Londonderry, the first holder of the mantle of UK City of Culture. In 2014 it will return home to Tate Britain.

The Turner Prize is awarded to a British artist under fifty for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work in the twelve months preceding the shortlist announcement in spring each year. (The term British applies to all artists working in the United Kingdom and to British-born artists who may be working abroad.) The Prize was established in 1984 by the Patrons of New Art and is intended to promote public discussion of new developments in contemporary British art.

Notes to editor

Previous winners are: 1984 Malcolm Morley; 1985 Howard Hodgkin; 1986 Gilbert & George; 1987 Richard Deacon; 1988 Tony Cragg; 1989 Richard Long; 1990 (Prize suspended); 1991 Anish Kapoor; 1992 Grenville Davey; 1993 Rachel Whiteread; 1994 Antony Gormley; 1995 Damien Hirst; 1996 Douglas Gordon; 1997 Gillian Wearing; 1998 Chris Ofili; 1999 Steve McQueen; 2000 Wolfgang Tillmans; 2001 Martin Creed; 2002 Keith Tyson; 2003 Grayson Perry; 2004 Jeremy Deller; 2005 Simon Starling; 2006 Tomma Abts; 2007 Mark Wallinger; 2008 Mark Leckey; 2009 Richard Wright; 2010 Susan Philipsz ; 2011 Martin Boyce; 2012 Elizabeth Price.

Tramway is an iconic international contemporary arts centre housed within Glasgow’s former Tram depot. Originally established in the lead up to Glasgow’s European Capital of Culture status in 1990, the venue has evolved to become one of the most vibrant and internationally recognised contemporary art spaces in Europe. Today Tramway’s vision weaves artists and audiences across the disciplines of contemporary art, film, performance, dance and theatre through its unique and inspiring industrial spaces.

About Glasgow City Marketing Bureau:

Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB) is the official destination marketing organisation (DMO) for the city of Glasgow. As custodian of the Glasgow: Scotland with style brand, GCMB works with partners, stakeholders and businesses to position and promote Glasgow across national and international markets as one of Europe’s most vibrant, dynamic and diverse cities in which to live, work, study, invest and visit. For more information, visit: www.seeglasgow.com.

About EventScotland

EventScotland is working to make Scotland the perfect stage for events. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors. For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visit www.EventScotland.org or call Stuart Mackenzie, PR & Media Manager on 0131 472 2286. Follow EventScotland on Twitter @EventScotNews. EventScotland is part of VisitScotland, the national tourism organisation which markets Scotland as a tourism destination across the world, gives support to the tourism industry and brings sustainable tourism growth to Scotland.

About CreativeScotland

CreativeScotland is the national development agency for the arts, screen and creative industries. Its vision is for Scotland to be recognised as one of the world’s most creative nations – one that attracts, develops and retains talent, where the arts and the creative industries are supported and celebrated and where creativity plays a central part in the lives, education and well-being of its population.

For further information about Creative Scotland, funding opportunities and latest news please visit www.creativescotland.com

For further press information please contact Helen Beeckmans, Head of Communications or Selina Jones, Press Officer, Tate Britain [email protected] or call 020 7887 4906/4940

Gordon Boag, Media Officer, Glasgow Life on 0141 287 6418 / 07825 904 240 or [email protected]

Wendy Grannon, Media Relations & PR Manager, Creative Scotland on 0131 523 0016 / 07916 137 632 and [email protected].