Celebrate Glasgow's 850th birthday year with us

This year our city marks its 850th birthday. Working with partners, we are delivering a year long, citywide programme that celebrates and reflects on our recent past, our present and future.

Our programme of signature events, and community-based activities, will encourage those with a connection to Glasgow - at home and abroad, to get involved to tell their stories of what Glasgow means to them.

Marking this milestone acknowledges the contributions of generations who have helped to shape our city. It honours our rich heritage, reflects on our transformational growth, and looks forward to our inspiring sustainable ambitions for the city's next fifty years. And - we want our staff to get involved!

Check out our G850 timeline showcasing 50 moments across 50 years!  (PDF, 696 KB)

GET INVOLVED - tell us what Glasgow means to you

We are asking staff to help us mark this milestone in the city's history and share with us what Glasgow means to you. Everyone with a connection to the city, whether as a staff member serving our citizens, or working and also living here - you are invited to share your memories, stories, ambitions for the future, work related or not!

We are keen to tell stories of the things that unite us as a workforce, but also highlight the diversity in our organisation, that is also reflective of our city.

So - please get in touch and share your story at staffnews@glasgow.gov.uk and you never know you could be appearing in our staff news or on a screensaver as part of our staff engagement activity!

STAFF MEMORIES - see what Glasgow means to some of your colleagues

WIN  - exciting staff G850 competitions 

Celtic Connections Competition - now closed

We are pleased to announce that the winners of our December Celtic Connections opening concert tickets are: Donna Winkler in GCHSCP and William Gould in NRS.

WIN in February 2025. Chance to win pair of tickets to G850 signature music event, Clyde Chorus and a limited edition G850 pinbadge. Where are we in Glasgow?

This month we launch an exciting competition for you to win a pair of tickets to the exciting G850 Clyde Chorus music event taking place at the end of May (29-30 May). 

Clyde Chorus is our signature music event for Glasgow 850 to be held in established and bespoke locations along the River Clyde. Launching with a procession around Pacific Quay led by the Lord Provost, this three-day multi-genre musical event with a focus on homegrown and local talent, will take place at iconic venues along the River Clyde, including the SEC Armadillo, SWG3, The Briggait, Pearce Institute, and The Savings Bank.

Clyde Chorus will shine a light on the considerable music offering in the city and give established performers and up and coming artists a platform to showcase their talents to a wide audience. Expect a blend of classical, contemporary, Celtic, and country music, with sessions each day showcasing Glasgow's rich music scene. 

To enter 

• All you have to do is tell us 'Where are we exactly in Glasgow?'
• Email your answer to each of the four photographs shown in this month's staff news to staffnews@glasgow.gov.uk before Friday 28 February 2025
• Please be specific with your location answer and number your answers 1 to 4 as per the images shown. 
• The answers and more information will be revealed the following month.
• To be in with a chance of winning you must submit four correct answers.

More chances to win
Don't worry if you don't win during February - you will have the opportunity to win a pair of tickets and a limited edition enamel G850 pin badge during March and April aswell - so watch this space to take part.

Where exactly are we in Glasgow?

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WIN  in February 2025  - 'The Secrets of Blythswood Square' book and limited edition pin badge

Glasgow 850 are offering you the chance to win a copy of Sara Sheridan's newest book 'The Secrets of Blythswood Square' and a limited edition G850 pin badge in celebration of our birthday year.

'The Secrets of Blythswood Square'
Behind closed doors scandal awaits!  It's 1846. Glasgow is a city on the cusp of great social change, but behind the curtains, neighbours are watching, and rumours of improper behaviour spread like wildfire on the respectable Blythswood Square.

To enter - all you have to do is tell us what was the title of Sara's book that was Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year in 2022. 

Email your answer to staffnews@glasgow.gov.uk by Friday 21 February 2025. The winner will be picked at random from all correct entries received. 

Author
Sara Sheridan is a writer and activist who is interested particularly in diverse readings of history. She has written more than 20 books. 

'Truth or Dare', her first novel won the Scottish Library Award and was shortlisted for the Saltire. 'On Starlit Seas', was shortlisted for the Wilbur Smith Prize. In 2022, 'The Fair Botanists' was Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year and was also a season 7 pick for The Queen's Reading Room.
 
An occasional journalist, Sara has reported for BBC Radio 4's From Our Own Correspondent and on 'being a lady' for Women's Hour. Sara has written 2 radio plays, the most recent, 'Robert Burns: His Psychotherapy and Cure', was voiced by Elaine C Smith. 

In 2019 Sara re mapped Scotland according to women's history for Historic Environment Scotland - the resulting book, 'Where are the Women', was one of the David Hume Institute's Books of the year 2019. In it, she imagined several monuments to Scotland's accused witches alongside commemorating over 1600, mostly-forgotten Scottish women. 

Sara mentors fledgling writers and has sat on the board of several writers' organisations. In 2015, Sophie McKay Knight's portrait of Sara garnered media and critical attention at the National Gallery of Scotland.

Volunteers Event
Glasgow 850 are delighted to host an Evening with Sara Sheridan, welcoming volunteers to the City Chambers for an evening of conversation and interaction. 

If you are interested in volunteering for Glasgow 850 and participating in the volunteer opportunities, please find out all about it here.
 

RESIDENT OFFERS - Special G850 offers for Glasgow residents!

Glasgow Attractions, a group of the city's best visitor attractions, have launched a series of offers for residents of Glasgow to celebrate our 850th birthday year.

Glasgow was voted the UK's friendliest city in Conde Nast Readers' choice awards - as a thank you and to celebrate the 850th anniversary of the city, members are running a range of special offers including free entry, discounts and lots more from February 2025 onwards.

For more information visit  https://www.glasgowattractions.co.uk/glasgow-850 

JOIN IN - city programme of events launched

This milestone year is packed with events and activities that honour Glasgow's rich history, dynamic present, and ambitious future. All those with a connection to Glasgow are invited to join the celebrations, share their stories and to become tourists in their own city. 

Our year-long, curated, programme promises to engage and inspire people of all ages and backgrounds, reflecting the make-up of the city. The key elements of the programme include:

• Clyde Chorus (29-30 May):Launching with a procession around Pacific Quay led by the Lord Provost, this three-day multi-genre musical event with a focus on homegrown and local talent, will take place at iconic venues along the River Clyde, including the SEC Armadillo, SWG3, The Briggait, Pearce Institute, and The Savings Bank. Expect a blend of classical, contemporary, Celtic, and country music, with sessions each day showcasing Glasgow's rich music scene. Sessions will be ticketed but prices kept low to allow as many people as possible to attend. 

• People's Palace Pop-Up (June to November): With the People's Palace undergoing refurbishment, this free pop-up exhibition will tour various communities across the city, bringing Glasgow's social history to life through historic artefacts, paintings, prints, and photographs by celebrated amateur photographer Eric Watt. Venues will include libraries, community centres and sports hubs throughout the 23 wards in the city. 

• Taste the Place: More than 40 eateries have enlisted to participate in Taste the Place, a series of free self-guided experiences designed to celebrate (and show off) a key ingredient in Glasgow's vibrant culture - its food scene. Each experience has been created to offer inspiration for discovering new foods and culinary experiences, all served from independent businesses who call Glasgow home. Participants include Glasgow's oldest sweetie shop, new and emerging international cuisines. 

• Glasgow 850 Festival Fund: Created to support and enhance existing established city events and festivals to include Glasgow 850 themes and activities in their programming for 2025, highlights include the Glasgow International Comedy Festival's special event, 'Gray Matters: A Laugh for Glasgow's 850 Years'; Glasgow Film Festival's youth and community takeover days offering free cinema experiences; Yardworks urban art festival at SWG3; Glasgow Mela's new commissions, on-stage collaboration and workshops celebrating the city's multicultural legacy; and Rockstar Energy presents TRNSMT's Glasgow 850 sponsored River Stage, showcasing local talent. 

Other events include activities in July to mark the feast day of St Teneu, also known as St Enoch, who was the mother of St Mungo - the patron saint of Glasgow and a celebration, in October, of Glasgow's Gaelic heritage and thriving present day community, marking one year to go until the Royal National Mod Gaelic festival returns to the city. 

During the summer, Glasgow 850 will be supporting Glasgow Life with their successful Summer of Fun activities, for young people to stay active during the school holidays. 

The Glasgow 850 programme will be updated and refreshed during the summer to reflect the events and activities taking place during the second half of 2025. 

To view the full programme click here and remember there are lots of ways to get involved in Glasgow 850, please see the website here for information on attending events, organising your own event, volunteering and much more.

VOLUNTEER - become part of the celebrations

Glasgow 850 will also be an opportunity to get together with other volunteers and share your memories and experiences, building a community of volunteers and showcasing all you do for the city you call home. Find out how to become a volunteer and be part of the celebrations, creating a volunteer community that supports each other, provides opportunities to gain experience and engage while representing the city you call home.