There’s more great news for Galashiels, with MacArts on Bridge Street recently crowned Scotland’s Best Small Live Music Venue at the Scottish Live Music Awards, held at Glasgow’s Òran Mór on Thursday, March 5.
The recognition celebrates the incredible work that has gone into building MacArts into one of Scotland’s most respected small venues. Run as a charity and supported by a dedicated team of volunteers, the venue has grown over the past decade into a key part of the town’s cultural life.
Speaking after the award, the MacArts team said: “It’s not about the bricks and mortar, it’s the people, and the magic that happens. A huge thank you to all the staff past and present, the volunteers, the voluntary board of directors, the audience, the performers, the promoters, the engineers, the security team, the lovely people at Music Venue Trust who have supported small venues in these challenging times. Our patrons Vic Galloway, John Robb and Alan McGee who saw the potential years ago and offered their support, and the other businesses who have worked with us.”
As well as bringing live music to the town, MacArts also plays an important role in supporting the wider local economy. Businesses in Galashiels often comment that restaurants are fully booked and accommodation fills up with visitors coming to town for shows and gigs.
The award recognises not just the venue itself, but the wider community around it – the performers, audiences and volunteers who help create something special in Galashiels.
MacArts topped a strong shortlist of venues across Scotland, with Glasgow’s McChuills named runner-up in the category for venues with a capacity of up to 500. Other nominated venues included DreadnoughtRock in Bathgate, Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh, PJ Molloy’s in Dunfermline and King Tut’s in Glasgow.
The winners were decided by a panel of industry expert judges, making the award a particularly meaningful recognition from within the live music sector.
A huge congratulations to the entire MacArts team on a fantastic achievement for Galashiels.
