Catalogue: 25 years of the Centre for Advanced Textiles runs from 13th Sept to 18th Oct at The Glasgow School of Art’s Garnethill Gallery. This colourful and captivating retrospective showcases significant moments from CAT’s quarter-century of innovation, underscoring its pivotal role in Scotland’s textile, creative arts, fine art, and design sectors, as well as in education.
The exhibition features a curated selection of works from various disciplines, including apparel and home furnishings, making an impact across fashion design, TV production, interior design, exhibitions, and contemporary visual arts.
The exhibits on display epitomise how CAT’s expert team collaborates with a diverse range of clients, collaborators, and commercial partners to pioneer remarkable digital textile manufacturing. The exhibition presents work from clients including Turner Prize-winning artist Grayson Perry, multi-award-winning British designer and couturier Giles Deacon, from the Apple TV+ production ‘The Buccaneers’, now streaming globally on Apple TV+, a reprinted panel represents pieces in a glorious marquee sequence from Season 2, episodes 1 and 3. There is a Timorous Beasties design studio collaboration with Linn Products Ltd, and GSA alumna Jilli Blackwood, designer of Team Scotland’s opening and closing ceremony outfits for Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games 2014, her designs for male costumes in the Delhi 2010 flag handover ceremony, and Kerry Nixon’s ‘Medal Bearers Dress’ from 2014.
The range of projects on display illustrates CAT’s significant influence and commitment to pushing the boundaries of textile innovation, reflecting the creative skills of CAT’s team as well as showcasing collaborations with external clients and the school’s students, many of whom return to CAT as professional designers and artists.
Artists, designers, and GSA students engage with CAT (whose creative staff are GSA and Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design textile print graduates to Master’s Level) to learn about the complexities of digital textile processes. This collaborative environment fosters significant dialogue and exchange, positioning CAT as both a professional service and a valuable resource of knowledge and experience in digitally crafted design. It offers participants a dynamic and organic design process, highlighting the potential of evolving digital design technologies in producing stunning and innovative textile pieces.
Overall, the exhibition represents the lasting value of small and medium-sized enterprises, the future of the Scottish textiles industry, the social significance of creativity, and the contribution of fine art to cultural awareness. CAT has consistently advanced these areas by educating, practising, and maintaining the craftsmanship, skills, and entrepreneurship integral to their specialisms. Through extensive collaboration with diverse clients, CAT has developed a unique craftsmanship and skill set that deserves recognition in sustaining the current and future textiles workforce.
“We are bursting with pride to present this selection of work. It represents the design-led legacy of the Centre’s creation and the dedicated team, past and present, that have the pleasure and privilege to continue its operation.” says Vicky Begg, Bureau Co-ordinator at The Centre for Advanced Textiles at The Glasgow School of Art.
“Working with creative communities and artists like the team at the Centre for Advanced Textiles is invaluable – essential, really – for film and TV production design” says Markéta Korinkova, production designer, Apple TV+ series The Buccaneers Season 2.
“Over 150 meters of digitally printed organic cotton Panama was used to create the walls of glorious marquee scenes for The Buccaneers Season 2 on Apple TV+. The craft, artistic skill, and access to knowledge from their collective greatly enhance our work, and it is very special to share the fruits of that collaboration with a wider audience through this exhibition at The Glasgow School of Art.”
“As long standing patrons of arts and business, we are proud to commemorate 25 years of the Centre for Advanced Textiles at The Glasgow School of Art.” says Christina Holland of Federated Hermes. Skypark is managed by Federated Hermes on behalf of a major institutional client.
“Skypark is where art, design, and technology are interwoven to nurture innovation, collaboration, and the advancement of industries, reflecting Scotland’s distinctive creative influence. We open our doors to celebrate this hidden gem and share how its lessons in innovation and creativity can inspire any businesses next move.”
Skypark, the headline sponsor for this exhibition, is a longstanding supporter of Scottish arts and culture (full details in editors’ notes) with additional support from the Incorporation of Bonnetmakers and Dyers of Glasgow, who are long-term sponsors of an annual GSA graduate award.
The exhibition runs from 13th Sept to 18th Oct at The Glasgow School of Art’s Garnethill Gallery. There will be a private preview on the 12th Sept from 5 – 7pm. Admission is free but tickets should be booked through the GSA Eventbrite.
For further information please contact press@gsa.ac.uk.
NOTES FOR EDITORS
About The Glasgow School of Art (GSA)
The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) is internationally recognised as one of Europe’s leading independent university-level institutions for education and research in the visual creative disciplines. Our studio-based, specialist, practice-led teaching, learning and research draw talented individuals with a shared passion for visual culture and creative production from all over the world. Originally founded in 1845 as one of the first Government Schools of Design, the School’s history can be traced back to 1753 and the establishment of the Foulis Academy delivering a European-style art education. Today, the GSA is an international community of over 3500 students and staff across architecture, design, fine art, innovation and technology in our campuses in Glasgow and Altyre (in the Scottish Highlands) and a thriving Open Studio programme delivering non-degree provision to over 1500 students annually. gas.ac.uk
About The Centre for Advanced Textiles
The Centre provides a commercial digital fabric printing and textile design service, consulting large and small manufacturers as well as individuals. The speed of this technology enables businesses to respond rapidly to new, changing markets and creates cost-efficient opportunities for niche products.
CATdigital functions as the commercial aspect of the Centre for Advanced Textiles (CAT) at Glasgow School of Art. CAT was established in 2000 with a Research and Development Grant of £661,000 from the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council. The remit of the centre is to: i) provide cutting-edge facilities for textile design education, ii) investigate the aesthetic, technical and commercial opportunities presented by digital textile printing, and iii) operate a commercial service bureau for industry and individuals.
The impact of this combination of technology, research and practice forms a key element in Glasgow School of Art’s developing research culture. The Centre also promotes the cultural and economic significance of design and its influence by disseminating research to a wider audience within the textile industry and Higher and Further Education.
About Skypark
Situated in the thriving cultural and residential hub of Finnieston, Skypark is one of Scotland’s largest and most dynamic business destinations, home to a workforce of over 2,000 people and over 50 businesses reflecting Scotland’s diverse economy. The campus accommodates a wide range of sectors, including space, technology, scale-ups, shipping, legal, finance, research, light manufacturing, and leisure businesses.
Designed to support business growth and employee wellbeing, a range of on-site amenities include a children’s nursery, EV chargers, a car club, prescription delivery services, and wellbeing treatments are bookable via the Skyparklife app. The campus is ActiveScore Platinum, the highest rating awarded for active travel facilities, infrastructure and community, recognising a commitment to sustainability and wellbeing. On-site socials, an annual summer event, after-work activities, and workshops create opportunities for networking and engagement.
As a longstanding supporter of Scottish arts and culture, the Skypark Curatorial Fellowship 2019 with The Glasgow School of Art was the first initiative of its kind in Scotland, investing in early-career curators to nurture emerging talent; a host-venue for The Glasgow School of Art’s student-led Alternative Degree Show Festival 2021, it showcased the work of emerging artists in fine art, painting, print making, and photography. An established ‘donated gallery’ also shows regular art exhibitions and provides a venue for many city art festivals from Glasgow Open House and Glasgow International 2021 when the Across the City programme’s ‘Attention’ focused on communities and how people and art interact. Find out more about Skypark, our community, and all of our charity initiatives here –
www.skypark-glasgow.com | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram
About Federated Hermes
Federated Hermes is a leading global provider of active, responsible asset management with $845.7 billion in assets under management (as at 30 June 2025). We deliver investment solutions that help investors target a broad range of outcomes and provide equity, fixed-income, alternative/private markets, multi-asset and liquidity management strategies to more than 10,000 institutions and intermediaries worldwide. Our clients include corporations, government entities, insurance companies, foundations and endowments, banks and broker/dealers. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Federated Hermes has more than 2,000 employees in London, New York, Boston and offices worldwide.
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Website: www.hermes-investment.com
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