Glasgow arts group back from the brink with first show in decade

A Glasgow arts group that was on the brink of closure is to hold its first show in a decade.

The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts (RGI) was originally founded in 1861 and could once attract thousands of visitors to view large open exhibitions.

However it has faced an uncertain future in recent years, fuelled by the closure of the McLellan Galleries and the impact of the Glasgow School of Art fires on Sauchiehall Street's cultural quarter.

Now a new generation of artists have taken over to ensure the organisation can keep going, starting with an exhibition at the Lillie Art Gallery in Milngavie on Saturday.

The exhibition will celebrate the 130th anniversary of the group's Royal Charter, which was awarded in 1896 by Queen Victoria.

The show features 130 works by top artists from around Scotland including Helen Flockhart, Ade Adesina, Jim McNaught, Rosemary Beaton and the sculptor Shona Kinloch, who is known for her public sculptures of animals.

The group's administrator, artist Michael Durning said there was now "momentum starting to build" behind the RGI again.

He added: "The Lillie Gallery is one of the largest exhibition spaces in the West of Scotland outside Glasgow and we have encouraged the artists to show their biggest, most colourful paintings.

"The artists enjoy putting on a nice big show, but an exciting big show is even better, and we look forward to hosting great big shows that'll be the pride of the country."

The exhibition also includes works by past and present RGI members from the Lillie Gallery's own collection, including paintings by Duncan Shanks, Neil MacPherson and Dame Barbara Rae.

When the RGI was founded it was a major part of the Glasgow art scene.

Over the years it supported the early careers of artists like Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the Glasgow Boys and the Scottish Colourists.