THE theatre and cutting edge art staged by The Arches could still have a new life on a Scottish stage.

Creative Scotland is in talks with the artistic staff of the key Glasgow arts venue - which was shut down earlier this year after losing its licence which allowed it to stage revenue-generating clubs - to continue staging its ground-breaking theatre, dance and live art work.

An announcement on these plans is expected later this month but a spokeswoman for the funding body said that it is "still working hard, along with others, to see how the Arches' cultural programmes and activity can continue."

She added: "Interested parties including Creative Scotland and Glasgow Life are working together to explore all possible avenues that will enable the continuation of The Arches' cultural programmes and activity.

"Further details will be provided in due course.”

The leading arts venue, whose cultural activities were financially supported by its popular club nights, closed in June.

The venue, under the arches underneath Glasgow's Central Station, was shut after Glasgow Licensing Board removed the licence it required to run its clubs, following repeated attempts to remove its licence by Police Scotland.

However Creative Scotland, which had given the venue a three year funding deal, is attempting to keep the artistic side of the Arches programme on the stage.

It had given the venue £451,000 for 2015/16 and would like to see these money used to realise artistic projects.

The venue itself is now closed and boarded up.

It is unclear whether it will be used as a music or clubbing venue again.

Its sound, stage and lighting equipment is now being sold and its more than 100 staff have been made redundant.

Any plan to continue The Arches artistic work would appear to be destined for another stage and may have another name.

New documents show that staff at Creative Scotland were angered by the closure of the venue, which was considered to be one of the most important cultural venues in the UK.

A request for documents that mention Police Scotland and The Arches under the Freedom of Information legislation returned several email and internal documents discussing the fate of the arts centre and club.

One in particular demonstrated an element of frustration and anger at how the arts centre had been forced to close.

It was sent on June 10 from a member of Creative Scotland staff to its head of communications, Kenneth Fowler.

It says: "A sad day. I hope Police Scotland, the Glasgow Licensing Board and indeed Glasgow Life are happy.

"This won't be the last either."

Mr Fowler did not comment on or reply to the email.

The Herald reported in June how Police Scotland had in 2014 suggested an unusual new music policy for its clubbing operation.

Following the death of Regan MacColl, 17, who died after attending the club and taking drugs in early 2014, the police asked the management of the venue to stop its club music every hour for five minutes and bring up its house lights.

The request was rejected by the venue, as was paying for extra police officers to police the site.

The venue is now shut.