Paisley’s former Low Church now brings audiences close to the stage inside a compact Gothic arts venue renewed for contemporary performance.
Quick facts
- Date
- Church built in the eighteenth century and altered later; converted to an arts centre in 1987; major refurbishment completed in 2024
- Architect / designer
- Original designer not securely established in the sources consulted; modern refurbishment by a multidisciplinary council team
- Type
- Simple Gothic former church adapted as intimate performance venue
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB39059)
- OS grid reference
- NS 48294 63848
Architecture and continuing use
Crowstepped gables, pointed windows and a T-plan preserve the church profile despite a fully modernised interior. The modest scale gives the auditorium an unusually direct relationship between performers and audience.
Its story
The building served Paisley’s Low or Laigh Church before conversion to an arts centre in 1987. A multimillion-pound refurbishment reopened the venue in summer 2024 with improved performance and public facilities.
Why it is included
It combines the town’s ecclesiastical history with a successful and continuing cultural reuse at the centre of Paisley.
What to notice
- Crowstepped gables and large traceried windows.
- The retained church outline within New Street.
- The way modern seating and technical equipment occupy the historic volume.
Reading the surroundings
Access follows performances, café hours and venue arrangements. Check OneRen for tickets and accessible seating; event set-up can restrict general entry.
Timeline
- Church built in the eighteenth century and altered later The building served Paisley’s Low or Laigh Church before conversion to an arts centre in 1987.
- Present Active OneRen theatre, music, comedy and community arts venue with café.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The interior has been repeatedly modernised, so architectural interest is strongest in the surviving form and streetscape presence. Programming and café hours change.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Paisley Arts Centre, LB39059 — Designation category, exact grid reference, construction phases, fabric, authorship and significance.
- OneRen: performance venues — Current operation of Paisley Arts Centre as a OneRen performance and hire venue.
Location
OS grid reference NS 48294 63848 · Location confidence: High: the statutory designation supplies an exact National Grid Reference and the current official operator or responsible public body confirms the Place relationship. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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