PERFORMING GROUPS CRITICIZES TAICHUNG THEATER FOR RENTING OUT TO BUSINESS EVENT |台中歌劇院租直銷商 藝文界:太誇張

On January 10, an American direct selling company held a product launch event at the Grand Theater in the National Taichung Theater. Footage of the event was posted on the Internet and was later criticized by local performing groups to be disrespectful to the performing arts. However, the theater stated that the hire was totally legal because the grand theater was vacant and the direct selling company paid for the whole venue. The dazzling lights were shining on the stage. This magnificent gathering was a product launch event held by an American direct selling company in the Grand Theater of National Taichung Theater. Members of the audience were not here for any performances but for the direct selling company's new product launch. Although the venue was legally hired, local performing groups were still upset at this. ==WANG YING-CHUN Taichung Sheng Wu Joug Puppet Theater Company Director== If you allow this direct-selling company to host the event, it will be fair to let other direct-selling companies host it there. If you reject others' applications and only accept this one, what was the reason? Many arts and culture groups have lodged applications to the National Taichung Theater but were not approved. Giving the green light to a business event was certainly disrespectful to them. The theater responded that its regulations for venue hire do not rule out such business events. ==WANG WEI-LING, Program Planning Manager, Taichung National Theater== Only when no one applies to hire our venues during the vacant days will we consider accepting applications from other (non-performing) organizations. According to the theater, applications from performing groups are prioritized first, and all applications are reviewed by a committee just like world renowned theaters overseas. The theater will introduce a stricter review mechanism in the future. TRANSLATED BY：LUKE CHIANG 這個月10號一家美商直銷公司，租用台中國家歌劇院大劇院，舉辦新品上市發表會，還有會員PO網炫耀；在地表演團體批評，這是對藝術殿堂不尊重；不過歌劇院方面表示，直銷公司使用冷門時段，加上屬於包場付了租金，場地使用過程合法。 台上舞台燈光炫麗，還大辣辣寫著新品發表會，這是直銷公司的會員大會，看起來場面盛大，場地也氣派豪華，不過仔細看看，這裡居然是台中國家歌劇院的大劇場。 台上大推新產品，台下會員也ＨＩＧＨ翻了，直說來國家歌劇院，不是來聽音樂，而是參加公司活動；10日下午這間美商直銷公司，進到歌劇院裡的大劇院，辦新品發表會，雖然租借過程合法，消息一出，還是讓在地表演團體很震驚。 ==台中聲五洲掌中劇團團長 王英峻== 如果你給這家直銷辦活動 是不是你也要給第二家直銷 第三家也去 大家都去才公平 如果其他不能去 這家可以去 為什麼獨厚這家 藝文團體不滿，多次提出表演企劃案，都沒有下文，而最高藝術殿堂，卻讓非藝術團體從事商業活動，對藝文表演團體很不尊重。台中國家歌劇院方面說明，依據場地租借方法，確實可以租借給非表演團體。 ==台中國家歌劇院節目企劃經理 王偉齡== 在場地都沒人 申請的狀況下 我們剩餘空檔 你才有可能 考慮開放其他單位(非表演團體)租用 歌劇院強調，在不排擠表演團體的前提下，依據租借辦法，都要經過評議委員通過才承租，採包場制，也強調比照國外歌劇院的方式，並非特例，未來也會加強審核機制。