JOHN LINKLATER explains why New Beginnings must be given a reprieve

when its fate is discussed by Glasgow City Council on Thursday.

ON Thursday the finance committee of Glasgow City Council will

consider a recommendation to refuse the #15,000 required to prepare two

major international seasons. The issue is complicated by political

in-fighting connected to the Third Eye Centre affair, but I want to make

one thing absolutely clear. Any move to force the winding up of New

Beginnings, and its two proposed seasons featuring Czechoslovakia in

1993 and the five Soviet Central Asian Republics in 1994, would be a

substantial loss to the development of theatre arts in Scotland.

This needs to be stressed because there is a misconception that New

Beginnings, formed as an independent agency in 1989 to bring the

enormously successful Soviet Arts in Glasgow season, is only a visual

arts issue. It also involves photography, film, video, literature,

music, publications, an educational programme and, not least, theatre.

Anyone who was privileged to see the 1989 Nekrosius productions of Uncle

Vanya and Pirosmani Pirosmani (presented by the internationally famous

Lithuanian State Theatre), the Moscow Pushkin Theatre Company's

adaptation of Chekhov's Ward No.6, the Tron Theatre collaboration in

Stephen Mulrine's translation of Cinzano with Roman Kozak as director,

and The Guiding Light by the Vilnius Children's Theatre, should be under

no illusion of the kind of exposure to quality theatre we stand to lose

in Thursday's committee decision.

Last week in this newspaper Clare Henry made a strong appeal for a New

Beginnings reprieve, and I support her totally. She argued that Glasgow

City Council's commitment to New Beginnings would be imperative to a

credible submission for the Arts 2000 nomination as Capital of the

Visual Arts 1996. There can be no doubt that planning from 1987 onwards

for the Soviet Arts in Glasgow, and the earlier 1985 Hungarian and 1988

Polish seasons, played significant parts in raising the profile of

Glasgow as a worthy recipient of the 1990 European City of Culture

status. The Points East conference, in December 1990, was a unique

platform for the exchange of ideas among artists and administrators from

nine countries, and its influence will continue to be measured with the

publication of the proceedings this week.

Since Clare Henry wrote, urging support from readers for New

Beginnings to be sent to City Treasurer, Councillor Jean McFadden,

copies of two letters have reached my desk. They illustrate the high

international standing achieved by New Beginnings and the outstanding

value attached to it in cultural exchange.

Writing to Councillor McFadden last week, the Ambassador of the Czech

and Slovak Federal Republic, Dr Karel Duda, expressed ''high esteem''

for New Beginnings and its agency in the free exchange of ideas on art

and life among Europeans. He continued: ''Contacts they make through

events organised by New Beginnings form a necessary and promising

network of long-lasting co-operation which is so needed in Europe after

many years of imposed isolation. For many Czech and Slovak artists and

cultural activists it has been the first opportunity for such

contacts.'' Substantial funds have been earmarked by the Czech and

Slovak Ministries of Culture to support the proposed season.

From the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Nick Elam, head of the

cultural relations department, wrote to Chris Carrell, managing director

of New Beginnings. Referring to the previous Hungarian, Polish and

Soviet festivals, and to the proposed Czech and Slovak season, he wrote:

''We in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have a very high regard for

the record of achievement represented by these festivals. We believe

this has given your organisation -- and Glasgow -- a unique position in

East/West relations in the UK.'' Having earmarked #10,000 from the

current annual FCO budget, intended to match Glasgow City Council

funding for the development of the two proposed international seasons,

Mr Elam will be in Glasgow to monitor the decision of the city council's

finance committee. The Foreign Office will pull out if the #15,000 is

not put up, and further support from the British Council and the Arts

Council of Great Britain will be withdrawn.

The #15,000 represents a contribution towards the cost of the

necessary research and development to assemble a big programme across

the arts. Theatre is just one element, but there is no such thing as

isolation in the development of any arts form. You would have to be

blind and deaf to be unaware of the growing presence of the visual arts

and music in theatre today. Planned for the Czech and Slovak season is a

co-production in translation between the Tron Theatre and the Paragon

Ensemble of a chamber opera, She is She, by the leading Czech composer

Ivana Ludova. It would involve a Czech designer, opera singers, and

would be directed by Michael Boyd. Outside of the structure of a Czech

season such a collaboration, budgeted at #120,000, would stand only a

marginal chance of ever reaching production.

The final cost of the two international seasons is unclear, but

Glasgow City Council would have no fiscal obligation beyond the initial

#15,000 and could withdraw at any stage. It has been advised that the

original estimate of #60,000 for the Czech and Slovak season will be

reduced because of alternative funding from other agencies. The season

was planned for next year, but it has now been pulled back to 1993

pending the city council's decision. The Soviet Central Asian Republics

season, now planned for 1994, was planned with a notional budget of

#325,000, but the management team of New Beginnings is ready to scale

down to whatever budget is made available.

These seasons do not represent prestigious showcases which are certain

to flop financially. The turnover of the Soviet season was around #1m,

with over 500 Soviet participants and attracting almost 170,000 in

attendances and box-office. The cost to Glasgow City Council was

#173,000. Its contribution of #45,000 to the Points East season

represented just under 35% of the total income. When the council is

prepared to shell-out #100,000 on as meretricious a diversion as a

one-off West Side Story, a production which contributes nothing to the

future development of theatre as an art, the importance of the #15,000

decision on Thursday is put into stark perspective. If Glasgow is

serious about its previous investments in raising its international

profile within the arts world it cannot afford to duck this one.