You are warmly invited to join us for the preview of our new exhibition CATALOGUE: 25 years of the Centre for Advanced Textiles, which opens in the Garnethill Gallery at 5pm on Friday 12th September.

The Centre for Advanced Textiles (CAT) at The Glasgow School of Art celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2025 with the exhibition CATALOGUE: 25 years of the Centre for Advanced Textiles at the Garnethill Gallery and Window on Heritage, showcasing its ground-breaking journey and lasting impact on the textile industry.

This retrospective highlights pivotal moments from CAT’s quarter-century of innovation, underscoring its crucial role in Scotland’s textile, creative arts, fine art, and design sectors, as well as in education. The exhibition features a curated selection of client works from selected periods and disciplines, including apparel, home furnishings, and contemporary art pieces, making an impact across fashion design, TV production, interior design, exhibitions and contemporary visual arts. These exhibits exemplify how CAT’s expert team collaborates with a range of clients, education and commercial partners, to pioneer digital textile manufacturing.

The exhibition includes work by Grayson Perry, Giles Deacon, Jilli Blackwood, Laura Spring, Kerry Nixon, Fraser Taylor, Erin McQuarrie, Bernd Hildebrandt & Liz Ingram, Robin and Lucienne Day Foundation, Robert Stewart, Garnethill Multicultural Centre and Linn with Timorous Beasties, amongst others.

Visitors will encounter works from these leading fashion and interior design brands, alongside creations by undergraduate bursary recipients, community-driven initiatives, celebrated fine artists, and internationally acclaimed clients. This diverse array of projects illustrates CAT’s far-reaching influence and its commitment to pushing the boundaries of textile innovation.

Established in 2000, The Centre for Advanced Textiles provides a commercial digital fabric printing and textile design service, consulting to 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. The impact of this combination of digital 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.

The exhibition is on show until Saturday 18th October 2025.

The headline sponsor for this exhibition is Skypark with additional support from the Incorporation of Bonnetmakers and Dyers of Glasgow.

Image: ‘Snow Suit’, (2021), Grayson Perry, Courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro Gallery. Photo: Richard Ansett

CATALOGUE: 25 years of the Centre for Advanced Textiles Exhibition Preview