Celebrating Gala's Success: MacArts

There has been more positive news for Galashiels, with MacArts gaining HUGE recognition - highlighting just how important the town’s leisure and creative venues are both locally and nationally.

MacArts recently picked up an award at the Scottish Live Music Awards, held at Òran Mór in Glasgow and judged by a panel of 25 industry professionals. The venue was shortlisted alongside well-known names including DreadnoughtRock in Bathgate, King Tut’s and McChuills in Glasgow, PJ Molloy’s in Dunfermline and Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh - making the recognition even more significant.

Chris Wemyss, venue manager at MacArts, said: “It’s really not about the bricks and mortar - it’s about the people. My team, the volunteers, the audience and the performers all come together to make amazing things happen.”

Awards like this show the impact venues such as MacArts have in the town - bringing people together, supporting live music and events, and creating reasons for people to visit and spend time in Galashiels. Being recognised alongside nationally known venues highlights the quality and reputation the town’s cultural spaces have built.