Rockstar Energy presents TRNSMT is proud to partner with Glasgow’s 850th birthday celebrations to honour the city’s rich cultural history and world-renowned music scene.
As part of the official Glasgow 850 Festival Fund, the BBC Introducing Stage at this year’s TRNSMT will showcase Glasgow 850 branding and a programme that celebrates the city’s status as a UNESCO City of Music – a designation that recognises Glasgow’s unparalleled contribution to global music culture and creativity.
In tribute to this legacy, the BBC Introducing area will feature a striking photography gallery wall curated by celebrated Glasgow-based photographer Euan Robertson, capturing some of the most iconic moments and emerging talent from TRNSMT’s history. This visual archive pays homage to the artists and audiences who continue to shape the city’s sound.
Euan Robertson said: “As well as playing host to some of the world’s most exciting musical artists, TRNSMT has also brought together a team of some of the country’s best music photographers to document the festival. There has been an immense amount of stunning visuals created at TRNSMT over the years, so I was delighted to curate some of my favourite work by this talented group to exhibit during the Glasgow 850 celebrations.”
Festivalgoers will also experience a brand-new interactive art installation, commissioned especially for the anniversary and created by Glasgow-based visual artist and designer Nicola Beedie. Taking inspiration from the city’s grid street layout, evolving skyline, and architectural heritage, the installation features a series of sustainable plinths arranged to allow audiences to move through and interact with the piece – quite literally becoming part of the artwork.
Painted in a monochrome palette, the plinths reflect the diversity of musical styles Glasgow nurtures, with colour added by festivalgoers, artists, staff and crew using paint pens to sign and decorate the structures across the weekend. The result will be a living, evolving artwork representing the city’s 850 years of progress and people-powered creativity. The full creative process will be captured in a time-lapse film by local photographer and set designer Susan Castillo, to be exhibited as part of future Glasgow 850 programming.
Nicola Beedie said: “When I think about Glasgow, I think about the music, the creativity and the communities, so it was really important for me to create something that could combine all of those aspects. It didn’t feel right to create a piece for the 850th Anniversary of the city without involving the people.”
This partnership is part of a wider celebration of Glasgow 850, with the Festival Fund supporting other landmark events such as the Glasgow Jazz Festival, Mela, Merchant City Festival, WestFest, and Clyde Chorus, all reinforcing Glasgow’s position as a thriving capital for music, creativity and inclusion.
