Annual Review 2025/26

Find out how we're helping more people to lead happier and healthier lives

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Making life better for everyone in Glasgow

Our latest annual review tells the story of another remarkable year for our charity.

Read on to find out how valued our services, venues, programmes, events, festivals and experiences continue to be to the people of Glasgow and visitors to our city.

Infographic

Turning ambition into action across Glasgow

A welcome from our Chair

Studio headshot of a person with short red hair, facing forward against a plain light grey background, wearing a black textured jacket over a patterned shirt and small hoop earrings.

A year of purpose, partnership and impact

A message from our Chief Executive

Studio headshot of a person with long brown hair, facing forward against a plain light grey background, wearing a dark navy top and a small necklace, with a neutral posture and visible teeth.

2025/26 key highlights

Use the arrows on the right to scroll through our year at a glance

Interior of a bright library corridor where a person standing holds a stack of books and faces a person seated in a wheelchair near a wall. Behind them is a red and white sign that reads “Hello – Welcome to Glasgow Life” with smaller text underneath
April 2025: We launched our 2025–28 Business Plan, setting out our three-year strategic direction for culture, sport, learning, and community wellbeing in Glasgow.
blue running track with sheltered spectator area towards the right of the track
May 2025: We announced a new, world-class athletics track for Scotstoun Stadium as part of Glasgow 2026’s investment in the city’s Commonwealth Games infrastructure.
A colleague helping children in a swimming pool.
June 2025: We launched Active Glasgow, the city’s 10-year Physical Activity and Sport Strategy, with a commitment to making physical activity and sport a cornerstone of everyday life.
Two professional female cyclists stand in between representatives of the organisers of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women 2025
June 2025: We welcomed the Lloyds Tour of Britain, the UK’s largest women’s professional cycling race, to Glasgow and Scotland for the first time.
Interior scene with a group of six young people standing in a row inside a large stone-walled hall, each holding or standing behind tall black display boards. The boards feature photos and text with the heading “Capturing the Moment: Glasgow then and now.” The floor is tiled, and an arched doorway in the background reveals greenery outside.
June 2025: As part of Glasgow 850, we launched two touring exhibitions showcasing items from the People’s Palace, which visited more than 20 venues across the city.
Outdoor street scene showing a group of performers in coordinated bright red outfits with white trim, moving in formation while carrying small drums. The performers wear matching headpieces with red accents and hold drumsticks with flowing ribbons. Buildings, event tents, and banners line the background, indicating a public festival or parade setting in a city area.
July 2025: The Merchant City Festival attracted 40,000 people across three days of outdoor arts, street theatre, comedy and live music in and around the city's cultural quarter.
Exterior view of a historic cream-coloured building with stepped gables and multiple chimneys, seen from a formal garden with neatly trimmed hedges and a central stone feature in the foreground. The building has small rectangular windows and a slate roof, with tall trees framing both sides and a clear blue sky overhead.
July 2025: Provand’s Lordship received a Scottish Design Award for conservation, recognising our £1.6 million heritage-led refurbishment excellence.
Swimmers do lengths in a public pool while others take part in a group activity
August 2025: Bellahouston Pool reopened after a £2 million refurbishment, featuring upgraded changing facilities, accessibility improvements and new PoolPod equipment.
Large outdoor group photo of a pipe band standing on grass, arranged behind a long blue banner reading “CHAMPIONS” with “theworlds.co.uk” underneath. The group members wear matching uniforms including white shirts, dark vests, ties, and hats, and many hold bagpipes. Several individuals raise their arms in celebration, and one holds a shield-shaped trophy. A tall monument and city buildings are visible in the background under a clear sky.
August 2025: The spectacular World Pipe Band Championships drew 35,000 people to Glasgow Green, with 8,000 performers and over 200 global bands competing.
People are dancing during a ceilidh in a warmly lit live music venue
September 2025: We hosted the Scottish Music Industry Association's annual conference at the Old Fruitmarket, helping to shape Scotland’s Music Industry Roadmap to 2030.
A close up of two Barbie dolls against a light pink background. Both are wearing black and white swimsuits. One has a blonde ponytail and is wearing golf hoop earrings. One has long brunette braids and is wearing large white sunglasses
October 2025: We announced Barbie: The Exhibition will make its Scottish debut at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum from June to October 2026.
Three men and two women around a table tennis table with a banner that says Get Active Glasgow
October 2025: We launched Get Active Glasgow, a £550,000 fund supporting community groups and clubs across the city to participate in sport and physical activity.
Two men and a woman smile at each other in a library setting, with books in the background and foreground
November 2025: Aye Write Book Festival returned, celebrating its milestone 20th anniversary with a packed programme of 130 events across 11 days.
Two men dressed as the Ugly Sisters, one with a blonde plait wig and the other with a red curly wig on, performing in a community pantomime called Cinderella
November 2025: Our popular community touring programme delivered family-friendly, accessible arts, music, theatre and panto across the city throughout autumn and winter.
Close-up view of an ornate historic building interior with decorative columns and curved balcony detailing, illuminated in green and red lighting. A window panel features an illustrated bird surrounded by foliage. In the foreground, out-of-focus warm white string lights hang in a circular arrangement, adding a festive atmosphere.
November 2025: We launched a new Winter Lighting Trail, with five artist-led installations illuminating streets around the city centre from November to early January.
Two children wearing swimming goggles play in an indoor pool, partially submerged in clear blue water. A red-and-yellow lane divider floats behind them, and other swimmers are visible in the background.
November 2025: We announced extended opening hours across five swimming pools, improving weekend access to swimming and leisure facilities for families.
A women and a man walking along a corridor in the Mitchell Library with light shining through the roof
November 2025: We secured £2.3 million from the Scottish Government to decarbonise The Mitchell Library, upgrading heating systems and improving energy efficiency and sustainability.
Greenery lines the path to the front of a health, social care and community facility
December 2025: The £67 million Parkhead Hub, Scotland’s largest integrated primary care facility, was officially opened including our popular new £4 million Parkhead Library.
People stand on a red carpet in front of a large screen at an awards ceremony
December 2025: We celebrated excellence at Glasgow’s Sport Awards, recognising the scale of ambition and talent that flows through our clubs, hubs and community sport.
January 2026: We launched Wintering Well Boxes in 11 community libraries, providing resources to help people manage Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) across Glasgow’s darkest months.
A musical group performs on a stage lit with red and gold lights under a banner for "Celtic Connections." A woman in a vibrant blue patterned dress sings into a microphone at center stage. To her left, a man in a shimmering gold outfit plays an electric guitar. To her right, a percussionist plays a djembe and other drums. The atmosphere is energetic, with stage monitors and microphones visible in the foreground.
January 2026: Celtic Connections achieved the most ticket sales in its 33-year history, cementing its reputation as the world’s largest winter music festival.
A group of six artists standing around a large wooden table in a studio space. They are smiling and working with clay
February 2026: We launched three new Artists in Communities projects exploring the climate emergency through participatory arts in local neighbourhoods.
Five people pose on a city street around a large white instrument case, with two holding cello cases and pedestrians in the background.
February 2026: The National Lottery awarded us £2.3 million to unlock the next phase of our innovative Sauchiehall Street Culture and Heritage District project.
March 2026: We delivered Glasgow’s first-ever Open Iftar at the City Chambers, welcoming over 250 people and celebrating Ramadan and the city’s Muslim communities.
A cyclist races down a cyclo-cross track in front of a large crowd
March 2026: We announced the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup will take place at Kelvingrove Park in December 2026, delivered with EventScotland and British Cycling.
A red sandstone building beneath a blue sky is surrounded by green trees
March 2026: New ALVA figures confirmed Glasgow’s museums were among the UK’s most popular attractions, recording more than 3.7 million visits in 2025.

Our services

76% of Glaswegians engage with our services every year. Click on the tiles below to explore our impact.

Libraries and Communities

Glasgow Libraries staff member behind a wooden counter hands a children’s book to three children standing on the opposite side. The library interior includes bookshelves, display stands, and computer equipment, with bright overhead lighting. A sign on the counter display reads “Who’s in your book?” and other books are stacked nearby.

Sport and Physical Activity

2 people are standing in a gym looking and smiling at each other pulling on ropes

Arts and Music

Audience seated in a concert hall watching a live band perform on a brightly lit stage under blue and red spotlights.

Museums and Collections

4 people are standing in a dimly lit room with stone walls and wooden beams across the ceiling. They are looking at framed portraits

Events

Three dancers perform wearing white and light blue outfits

Our people

Recognising the dedication and impact of our teams

4 people are looking and smiling towards a 5th person who has their back to the camera. There is a playground in the background

Volunteering

Celebrating the role and contribution of our volunteers

A smiling group of senior citizens on a health walk, led by a woman in a red waterproof jacket with a 'Walk Leader' badge.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Removing barriers and creating a city where everyone belongs

Three people are gathered round a table looking at a laptop, one is sitting in a wheelchair, one is sitting on a chair and one is standing. They are in a library

Our performance

Attendances across our venues, festivals and events

A person is sitting in front of shelves of books in a library and facing a group of people speaking to them

Supporting Glasgow's priorities

How we help meet the city’s Grand Challenges

A red sightseeing bus is being driven along a road. There are old buildings in the background with a blue sky overhead

With thanks

Our sincere thanks go to the many partners, funders, individuals and organisations who have so generously supported our charity in 2025/26, including those who chose to give anonymously. Every single donation helps people to enjoy a great Glasgow life.

Art Fund
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bòrd na Gàidhlig
British Council Scotland
Caledonian MacBrayne Limited
Celtic FC Foundation
CGI
Commonwealth Sport
Contemporary Arts Society
Cosman Keller Charitable Trust
Creative Scotland
Culture Ireland
Cycling Scotland
DF Concerts & Events
EventScotland
Fèisean nan Gàidheal
Friends of Glasgow Museums
Friends of the Nations' Libraries
Glasgow 2026
Glasgow Clyde College
Glasgow City Council
Glasgow City Heritage Trust
Glasgow Netball Association
Historic Environment Scotland
Innis & Gunn
John Ellerman Foundation
Kingdom of the Netherlands
Local Energy Scotland
Merchant Square
Museums Galleries Scotland
National Lottery Heritage Fund
National Fund for Acquisitions
National Records of Scotland
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Paths for All
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Salix
Scottish Book Trust
Scottish Football Association
Scottish Society for Art History
Sir William Burrell Trust
Spirit of 2012
Sportscotland
The ATL Collective
The Baring Foundation
The Dugald M Lindsay Charitable 
The Dunclay Charitable Trust
The Educational Institute of Scotland
The Foundation Foundation
The Henry Moore Foundation
The Nairn Family Trust
The National Lottery Heritage Fund
PRS Foundation
The Scottish Government
The Scottish Library and Information Council
The Social Hub
The Strathmartine Trust
Tate
The William Syson Foundation
Tilda Ltd
UK Government
UK Sport
UKSE
VisitScotland
Waterstones Booksellers

Our Business Plan

Want to find out more about Glasgow Life's future projects and priorities?

Read our Business Plan for 2025/28

Our most recent Annual Reviews

Previous Annual Reviews

Accessible formats

If you require documents in large print, braille, or audio versions please email: info@glasgowlife.org.uk