Worried about their festivals in the summer of 2024, will the communities put their hands in their pockets?
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region seems to be favorable to this.
She said she was ready this Friday to mobilize two million euros "to guarantee" the smooth running of these events which will fall at the same time as the Olympic Games which require a large mobilization of the country's police forces.
A position that echoes the announcements of Gérald Darmanin, at the end of October.
The Minister of the Interior had caused misunderstanding in the sector, citing the need for cultural or sporting events to be “cancelled or postponed” during the summer of 2024. The Tour de France for example and musical festivals should be concerned.
In Brittany in particular, the organizers of the Vieilles Charrues and the Interceltic festival of Lorient had expressed their concerns, in remarks taken up by Ouest-France.
In question: the massive mobilization of the police for the Olympic Games, organized from July 26 to August 11.
With “40 competition sites” to secure, “of which at least half are in Île-de-France and 7 of which are even in the hypercentre of Paris”.
A total of 30,000 police and gendarmes should be mobilized every day.
The Ministry of Culture wants to act “on a case-by-case basis”
To seek solutions "on a case-by-case basis", the Minister of Culture Rima Abdul Malak received on Wednesday the organizers of major festivals and concerts as well as the unions of the branches concerned, but without putting an end to their concerns.
“We have a mixed feeling, we have a minister who is facing the situation, is not running away from her responsibilities, but will her displayed voluntarism be enough to face the pragmatism of the Minister of the Interior?
“Summarizes after this interview Stéphane Krasniewski, director of the Les Suds festival in Arles, and vice-president in charge of festivals at the Syndicat des musiques contemporaines.
“It was not treated that way at the London Olympics since a festival in Hyde Park was able to be held.
That's enough: culture is still the adjustment variable in France in the face of a national situation, as during the health crisis, ”decrypts Malika Seguineau.
“We will do everything in our power to make the events happen.
And if they should not stand, we will demand compensation, ”extends the head of Prodiss.
In the Paca region, festivals also support local tourism
Faced with this situation, the Paca region, which has one of the best-known French festivals on its territory, including abroad, such as that of Avignon (theatre) or the Rencontres photo d'Arles, has decided to mobilize two million euros to help hold these cultural events in the year of the Paris Olympic Games.
"In 2024, out of the 10 million euros committed each year by the region for security, two million euros will be specifically dedicated to festival organizers and municipalities", announced the region in a press release, "to allow them to secure their events.
This budget is in addition to "the six million euros that the region commits each year for festivals and the 54 million euros devoted to Culture", added the region.
Being "alongside festival organizers is not an option, it's a necessity," said the president, Renaud Muselier.
The major cultural festivals in this region of southern France receive more than 2.6 million spectators each year and "motivate nearly 35% of tourist stays", according to the region.
