Platform Turns 20

PLATFORM CELEBRATES TURNING 20 WITH MULTI-ARTFORM BIRTHDAY FESTIVAL

2026 marks a special year for Platform at The Bridge, as we celebrate 20 years of participatory arts and community outreach in Easterhouse, having first opened our doors in autumn 2006 as part of the award winning The Bridge complex.

Platform started the year with a bold approach to turning 20 – supporting, creating and delivering 26 creative projects and live events throughout the year – one being Made in Easterhouse 2026 multi-arts festival come birthday bash which takes place on Friday 23 October, from 4pm.

The festival heralds the past and the future - 20 years of Platform in motion; live, open, experimental and still making space for what happens next.

The line-up will include live music by DICK50 featuring L + R.AGGS, GLOSS and Sacred Paws, written and spoken word by Helen Charman who is researching the Platform archive to create a piece of writing that opens a dialogue on 'What is an arts centre' as well as visual art from Cranhill Art's Glaswegians exhibition, comedy and performance from David Sherry, screen printing with Print Clan, Durty Beanz, live portrait painting workshops with Project Ability and some insightful, lively performances from the beating heart of Platform – the Taking Part groups.

Tickets from £5 – celebrate with us, eat some birthday cake and enjoy a varied line up of things to see and do!

MADE IN EASTERHOUSE 2026 LINE UP:

 

Cranhill Arts' Glaswegians

In 1989, 22 people from Cranhill Arts and surrounding area became photographers, capturing nearly 40,000 portraits of fellow citizens by 1993. This large-scale Platform exhibition marks the biggest showing of the Glaswegians photographs in 35 years.

Katrine Turner & Monday Night Drama present

'Yer Da Works At Tesco' -  a performance where teenagers explain capitalism to other teenagers (Monday Night Drama is Platform's drama group for young people)

 

DICK50 featuring L + R.AGGS

Akashic Records' Listening Outpost

Sacred Paws & Pals 

play our Birthday Gig

Helen Charman + People of Platform: 

What Does an Arts Centre Mean to Us? Writer Helen Charman will spend time with Platform's archive and with the people and work happening here now, asking a deceptively simple question: what is an arts centre for? 

Glasgow Library of Synthesised Sound 

Make An Album In A Day + Album Launch Party!

Project Ability

Live Portraits – get your portrait (or one with your pals) painted to take home

David Sherry 

Performances, Artworks + Happenings

Durty Beanz

New Stuff + Goodie Bags  

Print Clan

Live Screen Printing – screen print a tote bag / t-shirt to take home

 

 

Matt Addicott, Artistic Director for Platform said: "It is twenty years since we first opened the doors here at Platform. In that time, we've hosted art and artists from across the world here in Easterhouse and supported communities to watch, participate and collaborate in this work.

"To celebrate two decades of creative activity, we have supported twenty-six different projects to be developed, produced, shared and celebrated as part of our programme this year. Twenty-six projects celebrating twenty years, all made here under the banner Made in Easterhouse 20:26.

"Throughout the year, we've had visits from owls, roller discos and world-famous comic book illustrators. Films have been made, cakes eaten and carnivals paraded.  As we gear up for the Made in Easterhouse 2026 festival on 23 October we make a nod to the multi-artform celebrations which have formed a key part of our programming over the past 20 years. Outskirts, Eastern Promise, Headspace, Flutter Echo, Big Days Oot and Wee Days In have all looked to make space for the magic that happens when performance, music and visual art collide. Those moments when you find something you were not expecting, a new artist to follow, a new artform to try or just a great day or night out you were not expecting".

Eoin McKenzie, Performance Programmer at Platform and who has co programmed the Festival with Visual Arts Programmer Margaret McCormick, first came to Platform's drama groups as a child when the building first opened, moving into leadership roles with the groups to performing at various Platform festivals – and has now come full circle as part of Platform's programme team.

Eoin said: "Made in Easterhouse feels like a chance to celebrate not just what has happened here over the last two decades, but the particular kind of arts centre Platform has become – and what it might become next.

"Across a much wider programme of live music, performance, participation and visual art, artists including Sacred Paws and David Sherry sit alongside work that has grown directly out of the building. Yer Da Works At Tesco, for example, is an anarchic anti-capitalist performance made by Monday Night Drama - a group of teenagers who meet at Platform every week to make performance.

"In the lead-up to the festival, writer Helen Charman will spend time with Platform's archive and groups - and with the work happening here now, asking a deceptively simple question: what is an arts centre for? It feels like exactly the right question to ask at twenty".

 

MADE IN EASTERHOUSE 2026 | FRI 23 OCT | 4PM – 10PM

FOOD & DRINKS FROM PLATFORM CAFÉ & BAR

ALL AGES WELCOME

TICKETS FROM £5 & ON SALE NOW: https://www.platform-online.co.uk/whats-on/event/1238

Platform, The Bridge

1000 Westerhouse Road,

Easterhouse, Glasgow, G34 9JW

www.platform-online.co.uk | info@platform-online.co.uk

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