An internationally-renowned theatre and arts venue in a former tramcar depot, The Tramway is located in Pollokshields to the south of Glasgow city centre. It opened in 1988 with Peter Brook's momentous production of the Indian epic, The Mahabharata. The theatre re-opened in 2000 following a Scottish Arts Council and National Lottery-funded refurbishment.
The Tramway now provides a year-round programme of dance, live art, engagement activity, festivals and exhibitions and is managed by Glasgow Life, the arms-length charitable organisation which delivers cultural, sporting and learning activities on behalf of Glasgow City Council.
Built in 1893 as Coplawhill Tram Depot, with a sandstone ashlar facade and round headed doorways, it went on to serve as the city's main tram workshop as horses were withdrawn from Glasgow's tram system and electric traction introduced. From 1964, after trams gave way to buses, the building housed the city's Transport Museum before it moved west to the Kelvin Hall complex in 1986. It then lay unused for a number of years and faced demolition before it was adapted for its current use. The old tram tracks have been retained in the principal exhibition space.
