To celebrate the bicentenary of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson‘s birth a programme of events and activities have been planned to take place throughout 2017. We will continue to update this calendar throughout the year with more and more exciting events as these are confirmed so please keep checking back. You can also sign up to our e-mail newsletter here to stay up to date.

Apr
8
Sat
Balfron Photography Exhibition @ Balfron Library
Apr 8 – May 6 all-day
Balfron Photography Exhibition @ Balfron Library

BALFRON’S “GREEK” THOMSON BICENTENARY EXHIBITION:

Hosted by Balfron Heritage Group, FREE Exhibition of the photographs of Phil Sayer and other complementary images. From 8th April to 6th May 2017 in Balfron Library during normal Library hours.

Apr
10
Mon
Balfron Finale Concert @ Balfron Church
Apr 10 @ 4:50 pm – 5:50 pm
Balfron Finale Concert @ Balfron Church
Balfron Heritage Group and  Balfron Community Singers’ are hosting a finale concert to mark the conclusion of Balfron’s bicentenary celebrations.
A new Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson pipe tune, written by piper Daniel McDermott and commissioned by Jim Thomson of Balfron Heritage Group will be premiered at the event.
This concert will be at 7pm on Saturday 29th April in Balfron Church with tickets (£4/£2) available from Balfron Library (01360 440407) during normal library hours.
Apr
13
Thu
Speculations On Infinity @ John McLintock Hall
Apr 13 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Speculations On Infinity @ John McLintock Hall

“SPECULATIONS ON INFINITY”:

Short one-man play narrated by the man himself. This will be accompanied by a 1960s film on Thomson’s architecture from the NLS Film Archive. Thursday 13th April : 7.30pm in the John McLintock Hall, Dunmore St., Balfron. FREE but ticketed in advance (due to numbers). Tickets from Balfron Library

Apr
15
Sat
Balfron Local History Walk @ Balfron Library
Apr 15 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Balfron Local History Walk @ Balfron Library

Organised by the Balfron Heritage Group.

Meet at the Balfron Library.

Balfron Local History Walk @ Balfron Library
Apr 15 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Balfron Local History Walk @ Balfron Library

Organised by the Balfron Heritage Group.

Meet at the Balfron Library.

Apr
20
Thu
Balfron Local History Walk @ Balfron Library
Apr 20 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Balfron Local History Walk @ Balfron Library

Organised by the Balfron Heritage Group.

Meet at the Balfron Library.

May
18
Thu
Southside Fringe Festival: Thomson on Tape @ Bungo-Lo
May 18 @ 6:45 pm – 9:00 pm
Southside Fringe Festival: Thomson on Tape @ Bungo-Lo

Hosted as part of the Southside Fringe Festival, join us for an evening exploring a selection of rarely screened archive film about the life of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson, his buildings and how his unique architectural style influenced Glasgow in the 1800s and today. Thomson’s legacy is particularly prominent in the Southside, having completed villas, terraces, churches and urban planning projects in the area. Whilst his personal life during his most creative period also centred here, as on completion of his terrace at Moray Place Thomson also chose to relocate his family to the area.

Aug
18
Fri
‘Lines of Thought’ Exhibition @ The Lighthouse
Aug 18 @ 9:00 am – Oct 8 @ 5:00 pm
'Lines of Thought' Exhibition @ The Lighthouse

Lines of Thought is an exhibition about architectural drawing and representation and is devoted to the work of Alexander Thomson, one of Glasgow’s most renowned nineteenth century architects.  Curated and organised by the Alexander Thomson Society it celebrates the bicentenary of Thomson’s birth in April 1817 through a selection of original drawings by the architect and those of others who have later recorded or interpreted his work in a range of media including pen and ink measured studies, detailed digital renderings, precision models, journals, publications, sketches, film and the more abstract work of artists. The intention is to reveal the industrious, creative as well as the more complex side of the architect, his prolific imagination and uniquely creative architectural contribution to the architecture of the city of Glasgow and the Clyde estuary.

The exhibition is timed to coincide with the 13th biennial International Conference of the European Architectural Envisioning Association with a 3 day conference titled Space Time & Meaning hosted by the Glasgow School of Art and organised by the Mackintosh School of Architecture and the School of Simulation and Visualization.

Aug
30
Wed
ATS Talks: Mark Baines – Thomson and the City @ The Lighthouse
Aug 30 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
ATS Talks: Mark Baines - Thomson and the City @ The Lighthouse

As part of our 2017 lecture series, Mark Baines will discuss Alexander Thomson’s urban architecture and his lasting legacy in the city of Glasgow.

Jun
27
Wed
ATS Talks: Paul O’Keeffe – ‘An Art For All To Learn’ John Ruskin on Architecture @ TBC
Jun 27 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
ATS Talks: Paul O'Keeffe - 'An Art For All To Learn' John Ruskin on Architecture @ TBC

Art historian and actor Paul O’Keeffe joins the Society to perform John Ruskin’s ‘Architecture’ lecture, from the Ruskin’s 1853 series of lectures originally delivered to the Philosophical Institution in Edinburgh.