From Mark Lin,
The following article I post here is for the request from 洪敏弘.
2003年，由「建弘文教基金會」洪敏弘董事長與國藝會共同發起的「表演藝術追求卓越專案」，辦理至今已屆滿十年，是國藝會推動「藝企合作」以來歷史最久、補助款最高的補助計畫之一。2012年，第四屆「表演藝術追求卓越專案」除了原發起者持續贊助外，更加入「許遠東先生 暨夫人紀念基金會」以及「信源企業股份有限公司」加碼贊助，也因此，補助內容從原有的「製作發表計畫」，另擴大增加「三年計畫」項目，在二階段的審查之後，由黑眼睛跨劇團、創作社劇團、稻草人現代舞蹈團、樂興之時管絃樂團四個團隊獲頒高額補助。今年6月開始，黑眼睛跨劇團統籌的《華格納革命指環》率先發表本屆專案成果，而創作社劇團的《西夏旅館‧蝴蝶書》也將於8月底在台北藝術節演出多個場次。
以下訪談節錄自6月23日台北愛樂電台的《早安愛樂》節目，主持人邢子青專訪「表演藝術追求卓越專案」的發起者洪敏弘博士，談到了自己在贊助藝文之前受到的啟發，以及贊助路上的經驗分享。
Q：博士從很早就開始藝文的參與，和我們談談這些經驗？
A：談到藝文贊助的範圍很廣，我先從我的啟蒙者開始說起，那是我高一的同學，江義雲，算一算我們也有五六十年沒聯絡了，也許他聽到這個節目還會記得我。高一時我參加軍樂隊，吹的是黑管，江同學吹短笛，他喜愛音樂，因為我們兩人興趣相同，非常聊得來，他也常常介紹我好的音樂，甚至曾經在聖誕夜帶我到士林教堂聽聖歌。那一年來我受他啟發，開始欣賞古典音樂。
第二年我重考，考進師大附中後開始去學鋼琴，學了兩年，到高三準備聯考之後就停了。我非常感謝江同學和鋼琴老師，以及這段啟蒙的過程，對我後來一生一世可說是受益無窮。
Q：像您參與音樂的這塊領域，雖然不像很多人從孩提時代就開始接觸，而是到了15、16歲才開始，往後這麼多年來您抱有極大的熱誠，也許可以說是大器晚成， 甚至後來不只對音樂藝術熱愛，還更積極地投入了藝術贊助活動？
A：恩！基本上我是個非常好奇的人，也常去看電影。那時候國外的電影公司剛來到台灣，有幾齣好看的電影音樂劇，像是《奧克拉荷馬》、《七對佳偶》……這些音樂片我都非常喜歡，也一直有新的東西可以討論。到了台大之後功課很忙，但會常去衡陽路附近的田園咖啡廳，聽整天的音樂。
在美國留學時，我們密西根州立大學有個非常好的音樂廳，五十年前那樣一個大學音樂廳，比現在新舞台還要好。現在想想台北演出場所，除了兩廳院之外，其他場所真的很不夠，硬體甚至比我們大學當時的音樂廳還要不足，也算是一個啟示：我們台灣要發展文化創意事業，國外的很多都值得我們借鏡。
Q：所以其實1950到1960年代，您在台灣本地和到美國求學期間，便接觸了很多不同的藝術層面。一路到後來回到台灣，開始參與、贊助藝術，也得到了許多啟發？
A：是阿！具體來說，應該是從電影中對音樂劇的喜好開始，到美國留學時，學校安排的藝術表演，我幾乎每場都去看。後來常有機會跑去百老匯聽歌劇，回台灣後，又有機會去到歐洲、倫敦，必定都會去聽歌劇，繼續在這方面精進，繼續享受，因為看表演的過程總是非常非常感動的。
Q：國外參與藝術不論是平民百姓，又或是企業界、政府，都非常投入，抱有熱誠。以您長期贊助藝文活動來看，您覺得最完美的贊助，來自民間票房或政府補助的比例，會是如何？
A：雖然我也不是學藝術行政的，但在贊助過程中常常會聊到，曾經和具有國際表演經驗的林懷民老師談到雲門的預算，他說一個文化成熟的國家像是西歐，通常票房占1/3，政府補助1/3，企業贊助占1/3。現實上，我知道大部份的團體都相當困難，像林老師這樣非常傑出的藝術總監，也是非常好的行銷、行政，以他所提供的數據，應該是對各界非常好的參考。
Q：這麼說來以雲門為例，其實民間的票房，也靠團體本身的行銷。
A：是阿，我們曾贊助20多個團體，其中兩個我印象非常深刻，一個是果陀，一個是台南人。
我那時候的想法是，古典音樂和流行音院的欣賞人口差異非常大；古典音樂需要正式的場合，音樂家，表演團體努力了半年一年，每次在國家音樂廳演出一場，最多得到兩千人的欣賞。這是最不符合施振榮所說的的微笑曲線結構，前製的投入時間非常長，表演卻很短暫，即便如此，表演者的收入不會因此提高。當時我在想如何將古典音樂擴大到流行音樂的觀眾基礎，改善這樣的情況。我們看到《貓》、《歌劇魅影》這種介於古典和流行之間的舞台劇、歌舞劇，也許是一條可行的路子，讓流行人口導入文化藝術的欣賞。
那時候我們看到果陀的《情盡夜上海》票房還不錯，後來透過朋友介紹和梁志民先生見了面，我就跟他說，國家有些藝術與企業合作的贊助政策，你需要什麼告訴我。他說，雖然演過二三十部舞台劇，劇本都是翻譯的，最需要的應該是原創劇本。於是我們開始努力，籌了一些錢，找到了國藝會。那時候是林曼麗當董事長，她聽完就開心地告訴我：「國藝會正好寫了一個表演藝術追求卓越計畫，你是第一個自投羅網的！」聽她這麼說，我也非常開心！
Q：除了果陀這麼歷史悠久的團體，您也非常關注一些新生代表演者？
A：累積下來，表演藝術追求卓越計畫已經是第四屆了，前面三屆總共贊助了二十七八個團體，印象比較深刻的大概是台南人劇團。在專案補助下，他們的第一場表演是在台南的億載金城的戶外演出，一齣希臘劇。他們用台語呈現希臘劇本，讓我非常感動，品質和我在國外看的戶外演出比起來，毫不遜色。特別是在古蹟裡演出，感覺非常特別。
Q：像您這樣參與贊助，也有三十多年了。在台灣，您已是個資深且足以拋磚引玉的典範，對未來想參與這種國藝會藝文計畫的企業團體，有什麼經驗分享?
剛提到林曼麗教授，也就是當時的國藝會董事長，點子很多。除了推出藝企合作的各項計畫，也推出國藝之友。目前國藝會在施振榮董事長的帶領下也更精進，每個月都會安排一到二個相當傑出且多元的演出和表演，邀請企業界的朋友們（國藝之友）去欣賞。剛說到的表演藝術追求卓越計畫只是國藝會其中的一個藝企合作的案子，我們也是這個專案的其中一個贊助者而已。國藝會在這裡扮演規畫、媒介、平台的角色是非常合適的。
主持人結語：我們過去常會說一個社會富而好禮，禮而有文化，今天在節目中特別請到洪敏弘博士，談到過去二三十年間，甚至更早之前，他是如何參與藝術活動，進而啟發他對藝術贊助的熱誠。我想在一個富裕的社會，除了金錢，文化也是一個非常重要的指標。今天非常感謝洪博士與我們分享國藝會的表演藝術卓越專案的贊助計畫，謝謝！
Monday, September 29, 2014
Saturday, September 27, 2014
The Price of Progress
Since the inception of the personal computer industry, it developed some killer applications such as word processor and spreadsheet. People bought PC to run these applications. The main reason is to save time in writing and do what-if calculation. They are valuable in letter writing and income tax return. The PC streamlines the process, save time and improve our quality of life. In the 1980's, there were many versions of word processor and spreadsheet. It was the time of innovation and exploration. Remember the following, Word Star, Word Pro, Word Perfect, MultiPlan, BisiCalc, 123, Jazz, Word, Excel ... etc? Eventually Microsoft's Windows 95 dominates the PC world and its Word and Excel become the standard tools most people use. The killer programs became mature and I settled to the well-known Microsoft Office 97 that includes Word & Excel. I was very happy and found that I could do what I need in writing and number crunching in my life. All in all, this Office 97 is really a great tool for PC and I think I will live happily ever after.
However, something happened after this Office 97 was released. Microsoft kept moving ahead to release Windows 98, 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8. To people who like Windows 95/Office 97, they got problem when their PC hardware got out of order and obsolete. They can't buy PC with Windows 95 anymore and there is no easy way to install Windows 95 in the newer PC. The question is that is there any need for people to upgrade every time when Microsoft releases some update? If I don't reset some setting, the PC will automatically do the update without asking me first. The worst is that it does the upgrade when you are in the middle of something. Or when you turn off the PC and think you'd like to leave the house soon. You then found the problem that the system is not shutting off. Instead it is doing the update that may takes forever to do it.
To most people, the answer to the above question is no upgrade for a short term. The problem is that after two or three years, some new hardware interface such as 1394 Firewire or USB is developed. You need software upgrade to take advantage of it. However, users should have a choice not to upgrade. Fortunately at least they can install their good old Office 97 to the new Windows 98, 2000, XP. However, some minor incompatibility creeps in & Microsoft no longer supports Office 97 although it tries to make it compatible to the new operating system. The trouble is that with new Windows operating system, it includes a new Office package that is not free, users have to pay to use it. But what about me, I already own Office 97 and want to continue to use it. I have to use Control Panel to uninstall the new Office package in the system and then install Office 97 and I have done that in every new PC I bought. It is a waste of time.
Here is the question, why do we have to pay something we really don't need? Why can't they keep making the faster PC that still run the good old Windows with Office 97? Microsoft really did a disservice to the users who just want to get things done without the new stuff they don't need. Is this the price to pay in the name of Progress? There are actually two issues here. One is that is it necessary to replace the old one? The other is that if the replacement is needed, how fast and how soon should it be?
Something similar happens in my neighborhood. The street Arastradero connects Foothill to the Highway 101. Thousands of cars use the street everyday. The peculiar thing is that almost everyday some section of the street is under repair or under digging for some cables, phone lines or gas utilities. People suffer during commuting hours and the people live nearby have to suffer all the inconvenience, noise and dirty air quality. When there is no digging, they always find something new like repaint the lines of street or resign it to accommodate the kids, repaint 4 lanes to three lanes with turning lane, etc etc etc. So the people keep suffering all year long and looks like a never ending process. It is like the maintenance of the Golden Gate Bridge. They do it year round, never ending. Is this the price to pay in the name of progress? In the case of Golden Gate Bridge, it just tries to maintain the current status, not even makes any progress in the sense of pursuit of happiness.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)