Art and Activism with Keira McLean

In this episode of Scottish Independence Podcasts, host Fiona welcomes Keira McLean, a Glasgow-based stained glass artist and activist, whose work fuses art, community engagement, and political resistance. Keira shares how her journey began with community-driven stained glass projects in libraries across Glasgow, including Govanhill, Easterhouse, and Woodside, each telling stories of working-class history, resistance, and forgotten narratives. These windows—rich in detail, collage-like in design, and incorporating newspapers, maps, and personal testimonies—are not only artistic masterpieces but also tools for education and empowerment, often created through collaborative workshops with local residents. Keira emphasizes the importance of democratizing the craft of stained glass, which she sees as historically elitist and now inaccessible to working-class people due to high training costs and lack of institutional support. She discusses her ongoing efforts to revive a college course in stained glass and her broader mission to reclaim Scotland’s radical heritage through art, storytelling, and community archives. Keira also reveals her current projects, including a workers’ theatre play about the legendary Craig Alley fire—a 20-year socialist campfire that symbolized resistance and land access in Scottish history—and her work with marginalized communities, including limbless veterans and recovering addicts. She reflects on the deep connections between land ownership, housing crises, and political disenfranchisement, arguing that true independence must include economic and social justice. Despite growing despondency about mainstream politics and the rise of right-wing populism, Keira remains hopeful in grassroots organizing and community-led action. The episode closes with a call to action: to reclaim history, challenge power, and keep the spirit of resistance alive through art, dialogue, and collective memory.