嘉賓 | 臺中歌劇院藝術總監邱瑗 Guest | Joyce Chiou, General and Artistic Director of the Taichung Theater

心水餐廳 | VVG Labo Café 好樣度量衡咖啡廳

臺中歌劇院即將踏入全區啟用5周年，繼2018年底之後，《表演場》場主再次專訪臺中歌劇院藝術總監邱瑗，暢談歌劇院的最新動向。面對2020年疫情，邱瑗如何帶領歌劇院走過？隨著台灣有更多新場館陸續開幕，場主特別關注相關的人力資源配套，以至年輕管理人如何在業界發展。作為業界的資深工作者，邱瑗又有何看法？

邱：邱瑗 / 表：表演場

表：受疫情影響，過去一年多的日子，你是如何帶領臺中國家歌劇院的團隊走過？

邱：我們從2020年3月到6月都受到疫情影響，雖然沒有閉館，但有不少演出因室內活動人數限縮而取消。從2020年3月至今， 國外節目沒有辦法進來，而國內節目，只要是跟海外藝術家合作的，也受到牽連；所以，在節目上，我們一直在做滾動式的 調整。對於歌劇院同仁來說，疫情期間， 我們都沒有停下來，反而製作了逾100部線上影片，場館設備也進行提升，以配合防疫需求！前台服務人員亦把握這段期間， 加強團隊的各項培訓與專業進修，包括舉辦值勤工作坊、進行問題彙整討論及實際 演練、學習如何服務視障民眾，以至舉辦 劇場應用英語訓練課程等。而劇場工作人員 也開始去考證照，例如燈光控制、舞台設計 等。對於疫情中最受影響的劇場 freelancer （自由工作者），已經與我們簽約的，我們都有支付工資，請他們與歌劇院的技術部人員，一同為「中部劇場平台」的地方藝文場館「做體檢」：首先為這些場地進行保養，再按場地需求提供建議書，教場地如何向縣市政府申請資金，或向文化部申請 專案進行復修或設備升級，告訴他們錢 怎麼用最有效。這樣，自由工作者可以繼續 工作，場館也得到專業的評檢，我覺得這樣 蠻不錯的！

表：展望未來一年，你希望能在任內多做 一些甚麼嗎？

邱：今年是歌劇院的5周年，我們也想幫自己「做體檢」， review （檢視） 這5年來歌劇院究竟做了甚麼，且對於未來5年的發展， 能否提供一些參考值？所以我委託中原大學的企業管理學系來進行一個針對 social impact （社會影響力）的評估，了解歌劇院所帶來的社會影響力，包括：歌劇院的策展到藝文推廣、市民對歌劇院的感受、 鄰近商圈對歌劇院的感受等。這些社會 影響力評價，將會以質化和量化的方式呈現；在量化上，我們希望以 dollar sign（金額）呈現，讓我們得知這5年間歌劇院創造了多少產值，報告預計在今年9月完成， 屆時會做一個公告。我希望透過這份報告， 了解過去5年我們所做的方向是否正確，也可以對未來3到5年的中期計劃，提供引導或建議。我相信每一任總監對場館的想像都不一樣，但每一個人的貢獻，都是累積在前一任的計劃上而再作延伸，我們不能打斷前一任的貢獻再重來，而是要繼承、累積、 發展，才能繼續往前走！我希望在任內最後 一年，能夠找到一些方向，為未來的決策人 提供一些有效的參考值。

表：在歌劇院5周年期間，將有甚麼特別活動推出嗎？

邱：歌劇院因「人」而不同!在5周年期間， 我們安排了不同的活動去感謝不同「人」的參與，這些人包括歌劇院同仁、藝術家和觀眾。來到台中工作後，我發現歌劇院同仁和台中人都非常重視家庭，因此，我想特別感謝在我任內結婚生小孩的歌劇院同仁， 希望把他們的家人和小孩都一同拉到歌劇院，在最能代表他們的空間拍照：技術部的就在舞台上，工務部就在他的工程車上然後 把相片製成 family photo album（家庭相簿）。另外，我們也為歌劇院每一個團隊拍攝「家庭照」，因為我們有一半的生活也是跟同事在一起，同事就是我們的「家人」! 至於觀眾和藝術家的部分，我們先不說，有關計劃正在敲定中。可以透露的是，我們會為歌劇院的非典型展演空間進行「回到過去、呼應未來」的活動，讓科技藝術在歌劇院發生。我們的展演都會跟互動、AR、 VR等有關，並打算於今年暑假舉辦展覽， 大家只要拿着手機，就可一同參與互動！

表：隨著更多新場館逐漸開幕，台灣藝文發展正在「大爆發」， 但似乎仍有隱憂；作為台灣業界的資深管理人，你會如何勉勵較年輕一輩的管理人在業界發展？

邱：現在的年輕人，比較沒有耐性待在同一個職場崗位，反而想尋求多面向的工作經驗。從前我們進行面試，如果看到每年都換工作的人，通常都不會請他來面試的；現在如果要繼續以這個前題去挑選人才， 恐怕就沒人可見。由於不少人都不願意在 工作上有比較深層的累積，變成待在同一個工作崗位3、4年的人，已經是 senior （資深員工）了！而且很多人都不願意或不喜歡做全職工作，他們希望 by project （接案形式工作）；接案的好處是工作費比較高，完成 一個案子後還可以先休息，再找下一個案子。不過，這樣的工作累積或許不夠 solid （踏實），這是我所擔心的，卻已變成普遍的現象。尤其在場館工作，是有 structures （架構）、有行政流程和概念的，如果只能照顧到自己的想法，就有如只有單獨的直線、不能作橫向的發展，難以達至跨部門合作！在3年前，我們的「NTT學苑」開始舉辦藝術行政人才培育計劃，為現職或未來有志於從事表演藝術行政工作者規劃專業課程及實習。第1年舉辦時是免費的課程，吸引470人來報名參加；今年踏入第3年，我們開始嘗試收費，也有超過200人來報名參加！參加者的年齡分佈主要集中在21-25歲，可見不少年輕人希望投身藝術行業，而我們也在持續培養藝術行政人才。

Restaurant | VVG Labo Café

The Taichung Theater (NTT) will soon celebrate the 5th anniversary of its opening. Following the interview in late 2018, The Art Venue met Joyce Chiou, General and Artistic Director of the NTT, again to talk about what’s going on at NTT. How did Chiou lead the NTT out of the pandemic of 2020? With the successive opening of more venues in Taiwan, the editor is especially interested in the relevant support in terms of human resources, as well as the opportunities for young arts administrators. What are Chiou’s views as a veteran arts administrator?

A: The Art Venue / C: Joyce Chiou

A: How did you lead the NTT team to overcome the impact of the pandemic during the past year or so?

C: We were affected by the pandemic from March to June 2020. Even though we did not close, we had to cancel many performances due to restrictions on the number of people allowed indoors. From March 2020 to now, programmes from abroad could not take place, while domestic programmes with the collaboration of overseas artists were also affected. In terms of the programmes, we had to keep making adjustments. As for our colleagues, we did not stop working during the pandemic. Instead, we produced more than 100 online videos and updated the facilities of our venues to meet the anti-epidemic requirements. Front desk staff took the opportunity to enhance the training and professional education of colleagues, including holding shift duty workshops, discussing problems and doing practical drills, learning how to serve visually impaired people, as well as holding theater-related practical English training courses. Technical staff also started taking exams for certificates, such as in lighting control and stage design. Freelancers are most affected by the pandemic. For those who had signed contracts with us, we paid them to work with technical staff of NTT to carry out “health checks” on local cultural venues under the Theater Alliance in Central Taiwan: first, to carry out maintenance at these venues; afterwards, submit proposals according to the needs of the venues and teach them how to apply for funds from the county or city governments, or apply to the Ministry of Culture to carry out restoration or upgrade facilities. In short, they taught them how to spend the money in the most efficient manner. This way, these freelancers could continue working and the venues were able to get a professional assessment. I think this is not a bad idea.

A: For the coming year, is there anything that you wish you could accomplish more during your tenure?

C: This year is the 5th anniversary of the theater. We also want to do a “health check” ourselves and review what we have accomplished over the past five years, which could be used as a reference for the development in the next five years. That’s why I have commissioned the Department of Business Administration of theChung-Yuan Christian University to conduct a social impact assessment so as to understand the social impact of NTT, including the programming and promotion of arts and culture, the public’s perception of NTT, as well as the neighbouring shopping district’s perception of NTT. This social impact assessment will include qualitative and quantitative data. In terms of quantitative data, we hope it will be presented in monetary terms to let us know the output value produced by NTT over the past five years. The report is expected to be completed in September. We will make an announcement then. I hope that we can understand whether our approaches were right over the past five years through this report, and that it will provide guidance or suggestions for the intermediate planning over the next three to five years. I believe that every director has a different vision for the theater. However, the contribution of each of them would be made on top of the planning of their predecessor. We can’t brush aside our predecessor’s work and start over again. We have to inherit, accumulate and develop to move forward. I hope that I can find some direction in the last year of my tenure so as to provide some effective reference for the future decision-maker.

A: Will any special events be held to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the NTT?

C: “People” make a difference to the theater. For the 5th anniversary, we have arranged different events to thank the participation of different “people”. They include our colleagues, artists and audiences. After coming to work in Taichung, I discovered that my colleagues at the NTT and Taichung people are very devoted to their families. That’s why I wish to especially thank my colleagues at the NTT who got married and had children during my tenure. I hope to bring their families and children to the NTT to take pictures in the most representative spaces for them: for the technical department, it’s the stage, while the facility management department will be photographed in their vehicles. The photos will be compiled into a family photo album. In addition, we will take “family photos” for each team at the NTT.

Since we spend half our time with our colleagues, they are our “family”. As for audiences and artists, we are still finalizing the plans. What I can say is that we will organize events on “Looking Back and Projecting the Future” in alternative spaces at the NTT, showcasing technological art. Our events will be interactive and related to AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality). We have also planned exhibitions for the summer holiday. You can participate and interact just by using your smart phones.

A: With the gradually opening of more and more new venues, Taiwan’s arts and cultural development is experiencing an “explosion”. But there seems to be pitfalls as well. As a veteran Taiwanese administrator, how would you encourage young administrators to carve out their career in the industry?

C: Young people nowadays are less patient to remain in the same post and want to seek work experience in different dimensions. In the past, when we did job interviews, we normally wouldn’t invite those who changed jobs every year. But if we continue to recruit people under these premises, we might not have anyone to interview. Since many people are unwilling to accumulate more in-depth experience, those who stay in the same job for three or four years are already considered senior staff. A lot of people are unwilling or disinclined to do full-time jobs and prefer to work on a project basis. The advantage is better pay and you can rest in between projects. However, I’m concerned that the experience acquired this way may not be solid enough. But it has become a common phenomenon. If you work in a venue, there are structures, administrative procedures and concepts. If you just see things from your own perspective, it’s like a vertical line and there won’t be any horizontal development and interdepartmental cooperation. Three years ago, our NTT Academy started launching programmes to train arts administrators, organizing professional courses and training for people on the job or those who wish to join the profession. The courses were free in the first year, and attracted 470 applicants. As we enter into the third year this year, we have started charging fees. Still, there were more than 200 applicants. Most participants are from the age group 21-25, showing that many young people want to join the arts profession. We will certainly continue to train arts administration talent.