A Case Study on the Programming of Public Theaters in Korea -Analysis of the Achievements and the Challenges of the Opera House of the Seoul Arts Center for the years from 1993 to 2011-

공공극장 기획공연의 프로그래밍 사례 연구 -예술의전당 오페라하우스 공연 기획의 성과와 과제-

The Seoul Arts Center is an representing Korean arts-complex consisting of the Opera House, the Concert Hall and the Museums. Since its opening in 1993, it has been established as a mecca of arts and the culture in Korea. Many local public theatres in Korea are benchmarking its operating system and policy. Unlike most European or American theatres, the Seoul Arts Center has no resident art companies. It is not a 'producing theatre' whose programming is mainly based on house productions with resident companies, but a 'presenting theatre' that is to be managed with rental and invitation programs without resident companies. The majority of the Korean public theatres are also presenting theatres. This study aims to research and analyze how the Seoul Arts Center has developed the programming of the Opera House for last 19 years and which challenges and issues it has been dealing with, and finally to propose what will be recommendable remedies for its successful future. The analysis is divided into four development stages: preparation period from 1981 to 1992, establishment period from 1993 to 1999, growth period from 2000 to 2006, and lastly crisis period from 2007 to 2011. Facing the 20th anniversary next year(2013), the Opera House of the Seoul Arts Center is going through recent critical situations: higher competitions among increased theatres, trends of commercial musical productions, and rapid declines in its house programs due to the low budget and unclear programming policy. I propose as a discussion to start a repositioning strategy as a Korea's representing arts-complex, utilizing all sources from inside and outside and having the policy direction.