Nänni-pää on The Woom Room's spirit of collaboration

Enter The Woom Room, whether in one of their physical or online spaces, and you’ll find yourself tumbling, Alice in Wonderland-style, into Nänni-pää’s beautifully curated graphic utopia. Bright shapes and characters adorn prints, clothing and homeware across colourful shelves and murals. The creative hub, shop and gallery – now in its sixth year – showcases work from a wide range of Scotland-based artists, many of whom are less often represented in traditional gallery settings. Nänni-pää’s passion for advocating for Scottish artists is abundant. “I know personally how hard it is to have a career in the art world,” she explains.  

“I love finding artists who don't necessarily like promoting themselves. If they don't have their business hat on, I’ll happily put my business hat on for them,” she explains, adding: “I've never really taken a wage from the shop. It's a passion project, but I am so happy to do it because I get to create the projects that I want to, with the people that I admire and love,” she enthuses. “I love talking about the artists – I love telling people stories about their designs, or even who they are as people. Just spreading the love of their work around.”

While the Woom Room is an inclusive space, showcasing a diverse range of artists, all of them are Scotland-based – an intentional decision. “There's lots of opportunities in other places already, but I don't want people to move to other places. I want people to stay here.” Her commitment to the city is clear. “I love Glasgow, and I want it to grow. And I feel like Glasgow has a lot of healing to do in a lot of ways, and if I can be a part of that, I’ll help the community get there in whatever way I can.”

Alongside her own established practice as an artist – ranging from printmaking to large-scale, immersive installations and murals such as those at Kelburn Garden Party – The Woom Room gives her a whole extra world to explore. “I get to create the branding, make the posters, produce the events I want to go to. I get to do all the projects that I want to do,” she confesses. Given that her own work centres around utopia and community, the parallels are obvious. “It’s the perfect brand for me,” she laughs, “the dream project!”

Credit: Nänni-pää.

For the last six years, The Woom Room has painted, drawn and danced across Glasgow’s various shops and market stalls, most recently in a sprawling Barras shop, boasting what must be the best floor in Glasgow. 

“When we first moved into the Barras, I saw such an amazing opportunity in a space that wasn't utilised to its greatest potential,” she explains, noting that footfall has improved massively with the market’s recruitment of a social media manager. As the Barras found a burst of energy, so too has the Woom Room, expanding into a neighbouring stall to keep up with the popularity – a benefit shared communally across stall holders: “We love everything they do, the way they support each other, the way if one business does well, everyone does well.”

Nänni-pää’s ambition to get into the heart of Glasgow doesn’t stop there, as she has her sights set on the second behemoth of industry in town – the club. Having begun her mission with parties centered around aerial performers at BaAd, she can sense the appetite for alternative club nights which don’t revolve around drinking and drugs: “I think people are looking for other ways to enjoy themselves – something that gives them that experience of awe and community and self expression,” she notes. “To look at someone suspending themselves in the air, just using their strength, and not using AI! A purely human talent is so beautiful to me, and I think that resonates with a lot of people.”

With plans for collaboration across Glasgow’s cultural network – including Grateful Gallery – emphasis remains firmly on collective growth. “We don't want to have a culture of competition. We want to have a culture of collaboration.”

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The Woom Room, Stall A7, The Barras Market, Sat & Sun 11-4pm 
ig: @thewoomroom