Stills

Stills represents everything galleries should be: a gallery, a darkroom, a digital lab, a library, a resource centre, a communal space. It is a place that actively engages visitors, allowing them to participate as viewers, producers, critics, and everything in between.

Stills is one of the most important contemporary photography galleries in Scotland. While it has a strong program of exhibitions, its strength seems to lie in its public facilities. A strong supporter of individual expression and creativity, they have a darkroom and digital lab where both novices and experts can develop and process photos. They also have an excellent resource centre and communal space where people can browse through hardcover art books or take advantage of the free wi-fi to catch up on their google reader while sipping on ₤1 cups of coffee.

My friends and I spent about an hour sitting on their couches just perusing through their film brochures and debating which film to see that night. Stills is like that cool student art lounge you wish you had in uni, but never did.