Will pass, won’t pass? Beyond its high-sounding title, the “Plan to consolidate, shine and propel the cultural milieu” drawn up by the Minister of Culture and Communications has the merit of making a big splash. Through the solid framework and the funding to match this recovery plan (no less than 225.8 million over three years), we feel that the dialogue has finally begun to gain depth between the cultural community and its captain. , Nathalie Roy, whose procrastination during these two years of pandemic frost will have weighed heavily on the state of mind and the health of the cultural milieu.
The minister already had plenty of aces in her game, COVID-19 or not. The Legault government has always had a sharp national fiber, and its financial commitments to culture reflect this. Under his reign, the budget of the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec grew by 52%, that of the Société de développement des entreprises culturelle by 143%. But the programs still have to find their way to the creators. And not always the same. In this sense, the will of Mr.me Roy to open the pockets to new players in the milieu and to the next generation makes sense, declerosing a conception of culture that is often at odds with the present.
We also applaud the stability that this plan provides to creators who lack predictability since the BA.2 variant imposes its law. Still, there have been shortcomings in the distribution of emergency funds that should not be repeated for the recovery. In addition to confusion that required many changes, some programs were slow to find takers. Badly designed, badly guided or badly promoted? We can not say too much, but it will be crucial to maintain a pace commensurate with the ambitions of the minister and the appetites of the creators, who are known to be great after such a long shortage.
We also wonder about the place that the public will take in this restart. The minister has earmarked a few million to promote blue culture abroad and funds for its promotion here. But the absence of the school environment – whose Culture program at school would however need love – in the recovery plan is cause for despair. We also look in vain for attractive measures to attract young people. When will we adopt a cultural passport that works wonders elsewhere?
The renewal of audiences is, however, the keystone of national cultures in the face of the hegemony of cultural giants. What will be the use of this rescue in order if we do not ensure the continuation of the world for the following generations?
To see in video