What happens when you invite people in from the street to sit for a portrait and share their story? The Storybooth project captured 75 sitters, two dogs and dozens of conversations – and is now brought together in a new Greater Govanhill exhibition at Tramway.

The Storybooth exhibition on display in Tramway

By Rhiannon J Davies

On a sunny Sunday during the Govanhill International Festival and Carnival, the Community Newsroom on Bowman Street was transformed – for one day only – into the Govanhill Storybooth.

We invited people in from the street to sit for a portrait and share a piece of their story. Some arrived curious, others were pulled in by friends or family, and some simply wandered in while passing by.

Over the course of the afternoon, more than 40 people stepped through the doors and took a moment to connect and share something about themselves. The backdrop, pristine at the start of the day, gradually became wrinkled – a quiet record of the many footsteps of those who chose to step inside and sit for a while.

Photos outside the Community Newsroom by Stefan Krajcik

But the project didn’t stop there. In the autumn, we brought the Storybooth to the Roma Cultural Centre, setting it up in collaboration with Romano Lav to invite more of our neighbours into the booth.

In total, eight photographers captured portraits of 75 sitters, two dogs, and countless stories. These ranged from memories of a bicycle passed through generations and across countries to reflections on family, migration, and life in Govanhill.

One young visitor told the story of the small bike she now rides around Glasgow – the same one her mum rode as a child in Spain. Years later, her grandfather drove all the way from Valencia to Scotland with the bike in the car so it could begin a new chapter here.

Other conversations revealed the everyday journeys that bring people to Govanhill. Some spoke about arriving in Glasgow for the first time and slowly building a life – learning English, finding work, raising children, or discovering the local cafés and parks that make a neighbourhood feel familiar.

A mother and daughter who had come out together to distribute leaflets for a community project spoke about the work they do helping people overcome loneliness and isolation. A group of pals described their weekly Wednesday meet-ups in the park playing “ultimate frisbee” under the team name Big Disc Energy.

There were funny stories too – travel mishaps, getting separated on a tram in Amsterdam, or the small misunderstandings that come with navigating unfamiliar places and languages. Other conversations turned to the qualities people love about Govanhill itself: the diversity of the neighbourhood, the energy of its streets, and the feeling that people from many different backgrounds can find space to be themselves here.

Taken together, these moments form a portrait not just of individuals, but of a neighbourhood shaped by many journeys and shared spaces – where lives intersect through schools, parks, community projects, and chance encounters on the street.

Some of these stories are now displayed alongside the portraits, which include images of Storybooth visitors as well as work by members of the photography group.

The Greater Govanhill Photography Group is a community collective that brings together people who want to learn, practise, and explore photography together. The group meets regularly in Govanhill and is open to anyone interested in developing their skills while documenting the life of the neighbourhood through images.

We’re delighted to be showcasing these portraits and stories in our Community Canvas space upstairs in Tramway until the end of May. The exhibition is open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am–5pm.

Visitors to the exhibition are also invited to take a photo of themselves and share it for a chance to be featured in the next magazine.

The Greater Govanhill Photography Group members who worked on this project were: Alison Johansson, giacinta frisillo, Iain McLellan, Karen Gordon, Laura Vroomen, Stefan Kracjik, Syeda Sadaf Zaidi and Zianib Ahmad. Interviews were carried out and edited by Mikael Phillips, Devon McCole and Rhiannon J Davies.

This project was made possible thanks to Tramway, with support from Govanhill Baths Community Trust through their Creative Neighbourhood Grants.