Migrant Garnethilll | The Glasgow School of Art Exhibitions Department

Migrant Garnethill
21 June – 9 August 2025
Garnethill Gallery

The exhibition Migrant Garnethill is a community heritage project led by a small team of teacher volunteers and students from St Aloysius Church ESOL class (English for Speakers of Other Languages) in partnership with The Glasgow School of Art. The exhibition was first shown in the Garnethill Gallery in May 2025 as part of the Uncovering Sauchiehall Street project.

The project explored some of the diverse histories of migrant communities who have settled in Glasgow’s Garnethill district over the past century. Many communities have historically passed through or settled in Garnethill, including Jewish, Belgian and Greek Cypriot refugees who were fleeing persecution and conflict, whilst others were economic migrants in search of a better life, including Commonwealth citizens from Hong Kong, India and Pakistan alongside Irish and Italian communities.

The Migrant Garnethill project has included research trips to the Mitchell Library and engagement with a number of local archives to research migrant and refugee stories from countries including Ireland, Italy, Poland and China. The aim has been to begin to highlight the district’s rich migrant history and its influence on Sauchiehall Street and beyond.

The exhibition is accompanied by a short film by filmmaker and artist Basharat Khan, developed from discussions with the group. Artist, curator and workshop facilitator Alaya Ang has led the research visit and subsequent work relating to the histories of the Chinese community in Garnethill. Since March 2016, St Aloysius ESOL School, under the auspices of St Aloysius Church in Garnethill has been hosting English language (ESOL) classes, as well as offering other help and support for refugees and asylum seekers from countries as widespread as: Syria, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kurdistan (East, West and South), Iraq, Iran, Egypt, DRC, Kuwait, China, Vietnam and El Salvador. To date, over 4,000 ‘students’ have registered with St Aloysius Church ESOL classes. Staffed only by volunteers, St Aloysius Church provides instruction in the four language skills: speaking, reading, listening and writing, to prepare those attending for their new lives in Glasgow: for work, or for their next move up to an ESOL SQA course at one of the Glasgow colleges of Further Education, or onwards to university, if they so wish, to pursue their studies.

This is part of a community heritage programme called Uncovering Sauchiehall Street, run by Glasgow Life. It is one of eight projects which have been awarded. The scheme aims to engage community and heritage organisations, social businesses, and local groups in conversations about Sauchiehall Street’s vibrant past, culture and built environment.

Migrant Garnethill is part of the Sauchiehall Street: Culture and Heritage District, a 10-year plan run by Glasgow Life, in partnership with Glasgow City Council, and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund UK-wide Heritage Places programme. The project is about bringing the community together to celebrate the history, culture, and creativity of this iconic street, and plan for its future and the long-term revival of the area.