Gray Day, 25th FebruaryGray Day, 25th February

Gray Day 2023 Live

25 February, 7pm.
Òran Mór, Glasgow.

Get tickets now

On the third annual Gray Day, and in celebration of Poor Things, an event hosted by author, playwright and performer Alan Bissett, with readings from Bernard MacLaverty, Chitra Ramaswamy, Michael Pedersen and Rodge Glass, and an acoustic set from Jill Lorean.

An illustration accompanied by the text 'GRAY DAY X POOR THINGS'. The illustration, by Alasdair Gray, is of a human skull, with its mouth open. From its mouth protrudes a naked woman. The top half of her body is visible: she is propped up on her elbows and she faces the viewer.

Who is Alasdair Gray?

Alasdair Gray (1934–2019) was a writer and artist. His books include Lanark (widely regarded as a masterpiece of Scottish fiction), Poor Things, Unlikely Stories, Mostly, 1982, Janine and his Englishing of Dante’s Divine Trilogy. As well as designing and illustrating his own books, his art included murals, paintings, prints and more.
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What is Gray Day?

Gray Day is the 25th February, an annual day-long celebration of Alasdair Gray’s life and work. In 2023 we are marking Gray Day with an event in celebration of Poor Things at the Òran Mór. Get tickets now.
  The first Gray Day was held in 2021 on the 40th anniversary of the publication of Lanark, and included a Gray Day Broadcast. The second Gray Day in 2022 was celebrated with a live event at the Òran Mór, Glasgow, featuring Liz Lochead, Hollie McNish, Val McDermid, live music from Norman Blake and more.
‘A twentieth century William Blake’
Observer
‘Everyone must read Alasdair Gray’
Guardian
‘Ushered in a literary renaissance’
The Times
‘One of the very greatest writers of the last fifty years’
Jonathan Coe
‘A necessary genius’
Ali Smith

A selected Gray Bibliography

Novels

  • Lanark
  • 1982, Janine
  • The Fall of Kelvin Walker
  • McGrotty and Ludmilla
  • Poor Things
  • A History Maker
  • Old Men in Love

Short Story Collections

  • Unlikely Stories, Mostly
  • The Ends of Our Tethers
  • Every Short Story 1951–2012

Non-Fiction & Others

  • A Life in Pictures
  • Of Me & Others
  • A Gray Play Book
  • McGrotty and Ludmilla
  • Gray’s Englishing of Dante’s Divine trilogy: Hell, Purgatory and Paradise
Lanark by Alasdair Gray
1982, Janine by Alasdair Gray
Poor Things by Alasdair Gray
Unlikely Stories, Mostly by Alasdair Gray
A Life in Pictures by Alasdair Gray
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Val McDermid reading from Paradise at Gray Day 2022. Photo by Kat Gollock.

Val McDermid reading from Paradise at Gray Day 2022. Photo by Kat Gollock.

Norman Blake at Gray Day 2022, at the Òran Mór. Photo by Kat Gollock.

Norman Blake at Gray Day 2022, at the Òran Mór. Photo by Kat Gollock.

Liz Lochhead at Gray Day 2022, at the Òran Mór, holidng a copy of Lanark. Photo by Kat Gollock.

Liz Lochhead at Gray Day 2022, at the Òran Mór, holidng a copy of Lanark. Photo by Kat Gollock.

Gray Day 2022 at the Òran Mór, beneath Alasdair Gray’s mural. Photo by Kat Gollock.

Gray Day 2022 at the Òran Mór, beneath Alasdair Gray’s mural. Photo by Kat Gollock.

A photo from Gray Day 2022 at the Òran Mór, beneath Alasdair Gray’s mural. Photo by Kat Gollock.

A photo from Gray Day 2022 at the Òran Mór, beneath Alasdair Gray’s mural. Photo by Kat Gollock.

Denise Mina holding a copy of Lanark below the Alasdair Gray mural in the Òran Mór, during filming for the first Gray Day. Photo by Kat Gollock.

Denise Mina holding a copy of Lanark below the Alasdair Gray mural in the Òran Mór, during filming for the first Gray Day. Photo by Kat Gollock.

Alasdair Gray self-portrait

Alasdair Gray in Other Places

Archivists & Publishers

Galleries And the like

Assorted others

Gray Day 25 February