We are a community-led registered charity set up to bring the derelict bandstand site in Queen’s Park, Glasgow,  back to life as a flexible Arena and to run it, in agreement with Glasgow City Council.

The Arena offers opportunities for music, dance, drama, festivals, filming,  sport and other activities.

These are now administered through Inhouse Ltd.
qpa.inhouse.scot

All enquiries about booking the space and its facilities to booking.queensparkarena@inhouse.scot .

Events to date include:

• Commonwealth Games – baton exchange
• Launch – community music and dance event
• 3 Southside Shindigs – cultural fusion in music, dance and food – a family event
• A wedding
• An opera – Scottish Opera’s pop-up Madama Butterfly
• Moira’s Run – start
• Charity events
• Gigs such as Space Lady
• Green events 
• Informal activity – exercise and play

How did this come about?

Back in 2009 the four community councils around  Queen’s Park – Crosshill/Govanhill, Langside, Battlefield and Camphill, Mt Florida and Shawlands & Strathbungo – formed a steering group supported by Scottish Government Empowering Communities funding as part of a pilot to see how communities might work together on a local project.  The former Bandstand site, unusable since the 1990s but about which there had been much abortive talk of renovation, was the focus of the group’s efforts. 

Was there public support? How might it be used now? Could it be done?  Who would run it?

Following a local survey during the 2009 Southside Festival in which 94% of nearly 1,000 local people polled supported renovation and flexible use to increase everyone’s enjoyment of the park,  the project moved from a theoretical plan to a real project.  £500k was raised, largely from the Landfill Communities Fund with support from Glasgow City Council, the Govanhill Community Development Trust, the Strathbungo Society and others. Between 2011 -14  this funded :

• Restoration and improvement of the 1930s tiered seating
• Restoration of the central Arena for performance and participation
• A design competition won by ZM Architects for the performance canopy and facilities block
• Creation of a performance canopy
• Restoration, extension and fitting out of the existing adjacent building for WCs, changing/storage space and a refreshment kiosk

We gratefully acknowledge financial and in-kind assistance from

• Glasgow City Council
• Govanhill Community Development Trust
• Landfill Communities Fund
• National Lottery –Awards for All
• Queen’s Park Baptist Church
• The Scottish Government
• The Strathbungo Society

How is it funded now?

Queen’s Park Arena is responsible for the maintenance of the Arena and operates in compliance with Parks Management Rules and in agreement with Glasgow City Council.

We receive no core funding or recurrent grant from public sources. We are reliant on income generated from users, sponsorship and grant aid for specific projects. 

From 2017 QPA will receive an annual share of the revenue generated by the events promoted and managed at the Arena by Inhouse Ltd. 

Registered charity SCO 42014

Company registration no. SC386646

Articles of Association, Annual Reports and Accounts

Board membership 

The Board has a current membership of 7 (maximum 13). Each participant Community Council has an ex-officio representative. Members can propose a director while others may be co-opted for their expertise. All current Board members are local residents.

• Keith Hawley (Chair, representing Crosshill & Govanhill Community Council) qpachair@gmail.com
• Monia Molino (Company Secretary, representing  Shawlands & Strathbungo Community Council)
• Gillian Katungi (Treasurer)
• Stephen Docherty (representing Langside, Battlefield and Camphill Community Council)
• Robert Marshall (Vice Chair)
• June Bell

Company Membership

Company membership is free open to officially constituted organisations and enquiries about membership are always welcome. Membership ensures regular updates on events and entitlement to attend Annual meetings and to nominate candidates for the Board.

Current company members:

• The Glad Café
• Clyde College (Langside)
• Hutcheson’s Grammar School
• Queen’s Park Baptist Church
• Govanhill Trust
• Ecole Enterprise
• Common Guild
• The Strathbungo Society
• Pollokshields Heritage
• Friends of QP
• Langside Community Heritage
• Govanhill Baths Community Trust
• Big Noise Govanhill
• South Seeds
• Camphill Gate Residents’ Association
• The Bike Station

Steering Group

• Board members plus
• Marie Davidson
• Chet Capkiner (Inhouse Ltd)
• Kirsty Hood    (Inhouse Ltd)
• Bob Wong (Inhouse Ltd)