For a culture-packed microgap, you can’t go wrong with a trip to bonnie Scotland. A weekend at Edinburgh Fringe is the obvious choice for theatre and comedy-lovers looking for a summer getaway. Founded in 1947, the Fringe is now the largest performing arts festival in the world, with over 2.6 million tickets sold at last August’s festival. And the Fringe is only one of many festivals that the capital plays host to over the warmer months - there’s also *deep breath* the Edinburgh International Festival, the Book Festival, the Jazz & Blues Festival, the Film Festival, Science Festival, Art Festival and Children’s Festival (the word festival sounds really weird now, doesn’t it?)

But the Scottish capital isn’t the only place with a rich performing arts history. Glasgow is a brilliant year-round destination for those looking to explore Scotland’s cultural history. To get some insider tips, we spoke to resident Angie Dight of theatre company Mischief La-Bas, who moved to Glasgow in 1990 after the city was named European Capital of Culture. “We actually came here from Brighton to do a club night initially,” Angie explains, “but we really liked the city and its culture so ended up staying here!” Having co-founded the theatre company with her late partner Ian shortly afterwards, Angie has staged productions all over the city. She was the perfect tour guide to show us around some of Glasgow’s most interesting and iconic venues, many of which Mischief La-Bas have performed in over the years:

East

The Briggait - Located in the Merchant City area, this Grade A-listed market hall dates back to 1873 and housed the city’s fish market for over a hundred years. The hall is now home to offices and studio spaces for dozens of local artists and cultural organisations (which until recently included Mischief La-Bas). The public spaces play host to a huge range of performances, exhibitions and festivals.

The Barrowland Ballroom- Opened in 1934, the iconic ballroom next to the Barras market is now a renowned live music venue, with legendary acts such as David Bowie, U2, The Smiths and Oasis having graced its stage. Make sure to get a pic of the extremely Instagrammable retro neon sign while checking out a band there.

The Necropolis - A proper gothic Victorian garden cemetery dating back to the 1830s and covering 37 acres of land, the Necropolis has hosted a variety of performances and art installations. After Angie’s partner and Mischief La-Bas co-founder Ian Smith died in 2014, a series of festivals were created in his honour around the subject of death. These included the Death Walkabout and ‘Walking Reflections on Death’ which involved walking trails on the themes of art, death and literature whilst exploring Glasgow landmarks and historical sites. You can learn more about its fascinating history on a guided tour around its 3,500 tombs and mausoleums.

Southside

Tramway - This former tram shed previously housed Glasgow’s Museum of Transport, before being turned into a contemporary arts centre in the 1990s. Tramway has hosted numerous exhibitions by world-renowned visual and performing artists, including Turner-prize winner Douglas Gordon, choreographer Akram Khan and acclaimed sculptor Andy Goldsworthy, and has been the headquarters of Scottish Ballet since 2009. Angie recommends checking out one of the events or workshops at the next-door Hidden Gardens.

Milk Cafe - A social enterprise set up to help Glasgow’s community of refugee and migrant women seeking employment and language skills, the cafe hosts open mic nights, workshops and events from like-minded community groups, as well as sourcing their coffee from a women's cooperative. Pretty damn cool!

City Centre

The Arches - An amazing space underneath Glasgow Central Station, the Arches is one of Glasgow’s most loved institutions. The venue has been hosting theatre and live music since the early nineties, including weekly installations by Mischief La-Bas when the company was first founded. Having closed in 2015, it re-opened last year and now holds a weekly independent food market, Platform, as well as a host of larger events throughout the year.

West End

Òran Mór - A truly unique venue inside a former parish church, Òran Mór (which means ‘great melody of life’ in Gaelic) produces a varied programme of theatre, comedy and live music, and weekly club nights (if you can get over the fact that you’re partying in a literal place of worship!)

SWG3 - Located in Finnieston (Glasgow’s answer to Shoreditch) SWG3 is an amazing warehouse complex with a huge number of cool spaces hosting exhibitions, club nights and high profile gigs from the likes of LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip and The Internet.

Words: Rosie Hewitson
Photography: Chris Bethell