AGENDA
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:— Green village
From a distance. it looks like any other encampment. tucked in a woodland clearing beside a main road and only minutes‘ walk from the nearest discount shopping centre. But a closer look tells you this is no ordinary campfire gathering on Glasgow’s Pollok Estate. It is notjust the totem pole which overshadows the small group or the wooden treehouses taking shape above them. It's the sheer determination which keeps this campsite standing near the foundations of what is soon to be a whopping great motorway.
As Strathclyde Regional Council’s plans to build a fastlink from Glasgow to Ayrshire step up a gear. protesters are digging their heels in. They vow to occupy land on Pollok Estate — which they claim belongs to Glasgow people
_ Stress release
Gay men and AIDS specialists are gathering in Glasgow to discuss ways of improving counselling and treatment for people with the HIV virus. The Health Day is part of attempts by Scottish Aids Monitor to put gay men back at the top of the list of priorities.
SAM admits that although promoting AIDS awareness to the whole population was necessary to destigmatise the virus, the approach meant the special needs of gay men were often overlooked. ‘We are re- emphasising that gay men are still the highest infection group and there is a feeling that they have been forgotten about,’ says SAM project worker Scott Boss.
Dr Roger Wong, a psychiatrist at the Huchill HIV clinic in Glasgow who is speaking at the Health Day, believes that for some gay men, the pressure of dealing with their sexuality as well as HIV can be enormous. ‘They face the added stress of being gay men living in a homophobic society,’ says Wong. The Gay Men’s Health Day is on Sunday 3 July at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow. Details on 041 353 3133.
GLASGOW AND EDINBURGH gyms QUE:
I lila Hawlings is to be the new Editor of The List. Lila was Assistant Director of the Edinburgh lntemational Film Festival from 1990 to 1993. She is currently working for the Seattle lntemational Film Festival and will be returning to Scotland at the end ofJuly.
4The List l—l4 July I994
A core group of about six protesters are joined intermittently around the campfire by worried Pollok dog walkers. curious bypassers and environmentalists alike. Along with other environmental pressure groups, they hope to divert the M77 for good.
‘lfthis road goes through it will be one of the biggest environmental
The MacHobert Arts Centre on the Stirling University campus is trying to
and Edinburgh with a ‘fairly dramatic’ change in artistic policy.
consultancy report into ways to expand the Macilobert’s audience and will lead to the centre commissioning more work, rather than acting mainly
; as a venue for touring shows. ‘What
ourselves,’ says depute director Liz Wright. ‘We want to have more of a say in the quality of the work that comes in and provide a unique programme that can’t be seen elsewhere.’
The centre is particularly keen to develop a reputation for staging more international work, particularly children’s theatre, which the l MacHobert believes is badly served by @ Edinburgh and Glasgow venues. It is ' also looking to attract more students; : despite being on a university campus, less than 15 per cent of the
— until the bulldozers come rumbling in.
attract larger audiences from Glasgow
The planned change is the result of a
we’re planning is to initiate more work
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City scars: two campaigners on the motorway site
disasters Glasgow‘s ever known,’ says Colin MacLeod. who spent ten days in a treetop hammock at the site two years ago, causing a flutter of media attention.
The unemployed forestry worker from Pollok stays at the camp almost full time. relieved of his duties only when he is desperate for a bath. He is the artist behind the beautifully-carved
Stirling service
totem pole and blocks of sculpted stone which stand on the site. MacLeod feels the people of Glasgow have been betrayed by the regional council — the M77 is being built on land pledged for the good ofGlasgow people in a 1939 conservation agreement between Sir John Stirling Maxwell and the National Trust for Scotland.
The trust, which monitors use of the privately-owned Pollok Estate. has negotiated with the council since plans for the road were first proposed in l97 i. It has ensured the road will skirt the estate. rather titan plough through it and that it will be carefully concealed. says regional director Michael Hunter. (Kathleen Morgan)
A night of protest and rhythm is planned with Roek Against the Road. Nl('(’ 'n' Sleazy. Sat 9. See Roi‘k listings for details. The Pollok Estate protesters are planning a weekend ol'niasii.‘ and ai'tivity at the (‘amp beside Barr/read Road (opposite National Savings Bank) on l()--l 7 July. Contact Jake Hunter on 04/ 636 1924for information.
Macllobert’s audience are students. The Macllobert is currently recruiting senior staff, including a marketing manager, sponsorship manager and film development officer, to look at ways of attracting new cash to finance the centre’s expansion. in the longer term it hopes to secure funding, possibly from the National
Lottery, to refurbish the theatre and build a restaurant.
Gradual changes are already being made at the MacHobert, but Wright says audiences should see a major difference in next year’s autumn programme, with the possibility of more outdoor events. (Eddie Gibb)
lHarmonic progression
l Contemporary jazz saxophonist Gail
l McArthur is the first Scottish woman to .
be accepted for the prestigious Berklee College in Boston but she will not be able to take up the place if she can‘t raise the £10,000 needed to fund the course. Berklee is widely regarded as
McArthur would be following in the footsteps of her teacher. Tommy Smith. who went to Berklee as a sixteen-year- old in the mid-80s. Two other Scots musicians. pianist Steve Hamilton and drummer Paddy Flaherty. are currently studying there.
McArthur. who is from East Kilbride. has been awarded the coveted
is offered to applicants of outstanding talent. She took tip the saxophone ten years ago aged fourteen. and played in
the leading jazz school in the world and
international student scholarship. which
ROBERT BURNS
Gail McArthur; looking for sponsorship the original Strathclyde Youth Jazz Orchestra in l987. She began the jazz course at Leeds College the following
year. but had to give tip after contracting ME, front which she has now recovered.
‘l want to go to Berklec because I want to be the best saxophone player I possibly can. and I want to be in an environment in which I'm involved in music from morning till night.‘ she says. ‘Berklee is really the only college in the world which offers the kind of opportunities 1 want.‘
But money is the major problem. The $5,000 scholarship still leaves her needing to find fees and other expenses. which come out at something like £20,000 to cover the cost of the two year course. She is currently trying to raise the money through sponsorship and charities. (Kenny Mathieson) Anyone with offers of help ('an eontai't Mi'Art/mr on 03552 44405.