'We feel betrayed' - the bitter rent row in Glasgow's art scene

Several not-for-profit arts groups say they fear being locked out of their premises in Glasgow unless they agree to a large rent hike.

Seven organisations that use the Trongate 103 building were informed last month their rent was set to increase by four times the current amount. Unless they agree to the new terms by noon on Friday, they could be locked out of the building by Monday.

City Property - the arms-length Glasgow City Council body that manages the property - says the new terms are considerably cheaper than a commercial business would be given.

However, artists told BBC Scotland News that the groups - which include charities that help disabled people use art - would be severely affected by the increase.

Already one of the groups based at Trongate - the Glasgow Media Access Centre (GMAC) - has chosen to leave, with new premises secured at the Pyramid community centre in Anderston.

Leaving is a lot harder for other groups, such as Glasgow Print Studio. It has specialised equipment in the current building, so a move elsewhere is much trickier.

"We are really worried about what happens after Friday," says Ailie Rutherford, who works with the Glasgow Independent Studio - a not-for-profit that provides studio space for about 60 artists.

"People have decades of work here and it's vital to their livelihoods to survive in this building. It's a completely impossible situation for some of the groups here.

"It is a hugely diverse group that uses the building – it's really accessible for disabled people, for example. If we lose this building then it's going to be really difficult to find a replacement that offers what it does."

A protest is due to be staged outside City Property's offices later on Friday.

Another artist, Daisy Robertson, pointed to examples of the charities using outreach programmes and working with care homes or in schools.

She argued that the groups based at Trongate 103 affect the city as a whole, and said artists "feel betrayed" by the changes.

A similar concern is on the mind of Heather Lander, who works with the Project Ability charity that aims to help disabled people take part in art.

It put on a show by Nnena Kalu early in her career - and she went on to win the Turner Prize.

"There are people with Project Ability who only leave the house once a week," says Lander.

"Coming here and being housed along with other arts organisations makes them feel part of a community - something that won't happen if we move somewhere more isolated."

Trongate 103 opened in 2009, with a former warehouse converted into an arts space following funding from Glasgow City Council and several other bodies.

A number of artists involved told BBC Scotland News that the initial idea presented to them was for a 25-year charitable lease to take effect.

However that never materialised, and for around 17 years the rent has been handled on a monthly basis.

While many who work or use the centre were aware of negotiations going on surrounding a more permanent arrangement, they were stunned to be told on 27 February that a new five-year lease needed to be signed within a month or they would have to leave.

The proposal is for £4 per square foot of the property, plus service charges.

"I think what's key is that charities need clear financial information before making any responsible decisions, and being asked to sign leases with a few weeks' notice makes that very difficult," says Claire Forsyth, the director of Glasgow Print Studio.

"We still do not know exactly what we are signing up to, and are essentially doing so under duress."

The Print Studio signed a temporary lease on Thursday, but said its long-term future is now uncertain as a result.

Some groups told BBC Scotland News that the cost of service charges remains unclear, and they are wary of agreeing without further clarity.

City Property insist the proposed rent would be up to 12 times higher than current costs if a commercial organisation were the tenants.

Yet the charities have questioned why the running of the building - which was transformed from a warehouse into an arts space through funding from the local authority and other bodies - has wound up as part of the City Property portfolio.

It adds to a general frustration among the city's art scene, following the collapse of the CCA: Centre for Contemporary Arts earlier this year.

Sergey Jakovsky runs the Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre, which has shows featuring moving sculptures created from found objects.

"My family came here in the mid-90s because it was such an exciting time, and Glasgow seemed a place to go to then. But now there is a sense that it's all short-term solutions rather than a proper vision."

A spokeswoman for City Property said the tenants were being offered a "considerable discount on commercial rates" for the building.

She said: "City Property are clear that the rental rate being proposed for the tenants of 103 Trongate is significantly below market levels.

"We are well aware of the status of the tenant organisations located within 103 Trongate and we are not treating them as commercial tenants."

A spokeswoman for Glasgow Life, the city council's arts organisation, said both it and City Property wanted an "affordable space for artists and cultural organisations in the city centre" to continue.

She said "new arrangements" were being developed through the current rent changes.

The spokeswoman added: "Glasgow Life's priority is to support a sustainable solution that keeps creative organisations operating in the building.

"We recognise the importance of affordable, high-quality space for artists across the city and are committed to ensuring Trongate 103 remains both creatively valuable and financially sustainable."