GLASGOW DOORS OPEN DAYS FESTIVAL RETURNs | 18–21 September
GLASGOW: THE VISIONARY CITY
For Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival 2025 we are asking participants and festivalgoers, ‘What type of city will Glasgow be in the future?’ A wheeling city? A circular economy city? A learning city? As we celebrate the city’s 850th Birthday, we invite you to share your vision of your community, your Glasgow.
Glasgow has always been a city of ambition and action. We think of ourselves as a liveable, ever-changing, ‘can do’ city. A place of thinkers and doers. For decades Glasgow’s dynamic energy has drawn citizens and visitors alike to live, play, work and visit the city. We’ve been an industrial powerhouse, a retail city, a city of culture and the friendly city.
Sometimes this sense of a big vision pulls the city forward and upwards: Glasgow’s Miles Better, European City of Culture, the 2014 Commonwealth Games, People Make Glasgow.
Sometimes it’s led to big bold moves which, in retrospect, harm the city’s future in the name of progress. The Bruce Plan of the 1950s, cutting a motorway through the heart of the city, clearing out of communities to the city’s periphery, rapid depopulation.
But as the city changes again, what is its vision of itself today? What will drive us forward? And what part can we play in helping it get to where it’s going next?
From 18–21 September, we invite you to share your hopes and ideas for Glasgow’s future. In partnership with Glasgow Disability Alliance and Bikes for Good, we’re promoting active travel to and from festival venues. Keep an eye out for our cycling and wheeling maps in our flyers.
Our mobile exhibition, The Air We Breathe, will travel through the city by bike, celebrating progress in air quality and inspiring action to reduce carbon emissions. A wide programme of free, all-ages events, celebrating our festival theme and Glasgow’s wheeling heritage will take place at our Festival Hub at the ARC, University of Glasgow.
Keep an eye out on our social media channels, website and newsletter for festival updates. We can’t wait for you to join us in shaping the future of this visionary city.
HOW TO PARTICPATE
Would you like to take part in the 36th edition of Glasgow Doors Open Days? Do you have a building to open or a trail, event or resource in mind you would like to share as part of a 4-day long celebration of Glasgow’s heritage? We would love to hear your ideas!
All you have to do is register your expression of interest by clicking the button below and we will get back to you with details on how to participate.
Please register your interest by Monday 16 June to ensure there is enough time for us to guide you through the application process. If you have any questions about participating, email doorsopendays@gbpt.org.
See our participant theme guide HERE for prompts which you
can use or adapt to help guide your creativity and planning.
2024 HIGHLIGHTS
More than 100 buildings, 60 events and 30 trails came together to make Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival 2024 happen. A huge thank you to the visitors, volunteers and participants who joined us for #GDODF24. We hope you enjoyed exploring Glasgow’s architectural and cultural heritage as much as we did!
WHO WE ARE
Now in its 36th year, the 2024 Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival offers a four day programme of events in September featuring open buildings, guided walks, and talks—all for free.
The festival has been organised by Glasgow Building Preservation Trust since it began in 1990 as part of the City of Culture celebrations.
Founded in 1982, Glasgow Building Preservation Trust is a Charity that works to repair and repurpose historic buildings by converting them for viable new uses.
