Arts & International Affairs: Volume 2, Number 2 | Page 21

Significantly, one of the first theatrical happenings to take place in Britain
was staged at the Drama Conference. The theory of the “happening” had
been developed during the ����s in the United States, and the happening
in Edinburgh in ���� aroused interest in the form, which led to happenings
being organized in London. � This publicized new practices in the arts and
represented a challenge to boundaries between art and life, as well as between
different art forms themselves. Scottish journalist Magnus Magnusson wrote
of the post-Happening debate:
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Old friendships strained and snapped as people heatedly defended
cherished concepts of art or defended the propriety of having them
challenged. And isn’t this one essential function of a conference like
this, of a Festival like this? (The Scotsman ����)
The Festivals were not the only spaces to challenge existing concepts of art
and culture in Edinburgh. In January ����, the Traverse Theatre Club opened
its doors. The Paperback had provided a “vital cultural centre,” but it was the
Traverse that became the “landmark for cultural advance” (Green ����). It
was certainly a first in Scotland and, it could be argued, in Britain (London’s
Institute of Contemporary Arts was perhaps the closest comparison). A key
ingredient in the success of the Traverse was its commitment to new material
and Haynes, its Chairman and public face, was immediately deluged by
a whole host of playwrights and artists keen to work with a theatre that
actively encouraged new and experimental work. Its runaway success and
growing reputation for bold innovation led to the Traverse being invited
to present a play for the “official” Festival in ����, despite being widely
referred to as a “Fringe theatre.” In the midst of the cultural upheavals of
the ����s, it became increasingly difficult to distinguish between typical
“Festival” and “Fringe” performances, as the barriers between them became
more fluid and more individuals and groups could be found performing
both as part of the Festival and the Fringe at the same time. A noticeable
shift toward the creators of culture took place, and that was soon reflected
in national policy. In February ����, the British Government published a
White Paper called, A Policy for the Arts: The First Steps, in which it showed
concern for a “rising generation that will want ‘gaiety and colour, informality
and experimentation.’” It also expressed a commitment to supporting artists,
“particularly in the years before they have become established” (Lee ����).
It had been a key aim of the Traverse to bring people together and also to
bring different art forms together under one roof. The Traverse was not just
a theatre; it housed an art gallery and hosted folk song concerts, talk-ins,