The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region votes Friday, May 12 the allocation of its cultural subsidies. Choices often considered political that shake the world of culture.
The philosophy assumed by the president of the region, Laurent Wauquiez, is: more subsidies for rurality and festivals, less for the metropolises. Concretely, more than a hundred arbitrations will be rendered on Friday, May 12.
The region claims more than 120 budget increases and only a few decreases. But for some observers, many of these choices will be more political than truly cultural. The most resounding recent example is the abolition of the subsidy granted to the Théâtre Nouvelle Génération de Lyon, a drama center. Removed in response to criticism from the theater manager. “With him, we have differences”assumes the cabinet of Laurent Wauquiez who thus justifies this budget cut: “We cannot be asked to collaborate with a director, union representative, who denounces our cultural policy.“Direct consequence: 149,000 euros in subsidies lost.
Subsidies more political than cultural?
Last week, several former Ministers of Culture signed a platform to denounce “a punitive measure that attacks freedom of expression”. The region denies this, but this example is not totally isolated. Last year, some thirty cultural players in Lyon lost all or part of their subsidies: – 500,000 euros for the Opera, – 350,000 euros for the Villa Gillet, a center for literature, which almost put the key under the door. These cuts have mainly affected Lyon but also Grenoble, two ecological cities which do not share the political ideas of Laurent Wauquiez. Once again, the regional boss’ team assumes: “Some see subsidies as annuities, it is not automatic”deciphers an adviser.
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An impact on artistic creation
This pressure prevents some of the cultural players from calmly planning new shows and making investments. The region’s budget becomes a cleaver. Basically, should cultural centers submit to the region’s vision of culture in order to continue to exist? The risk is to only have shows that would be validated by politics. Example at the beginning of May: the region released up to 40 million euros for the construction of a tourist site on the Gallic civilization.
Faced with this, the State does not have many levers due to the free administration of local authorities. the state does not have to intervene. But what is denounced in the policy of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region is the lack of consultation between the communities. No dialogue upstream of these decisions, whereas the abrupt end of a subsidy can lead to the closure of a place.
For the time being, at the Ministry of Culture, we observe this drift judged authoritarian and populist. “We are waiting to see the extent of the damage”explained Wednesday, May 10 on France 5 the Minister Rima Abdul-Malak.