Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy, Finance and Recovery, Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin, Minister of Culture, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Minister Delegate in charge of Tourism, French people living abroad, La Francophonie and small and medium-sized enterprises, on Thursday, January 6, brought together professional organizations from the performing arts and cinema sectors to take stock of the impact of health braking measures on their activity and to specify the framework for the economic support of the State.
Read alsoCovid: cultural players clench their teeth in the face of the new wave
If the reactivated financial aid relieved the sector, these representatives remain very cautious, in any case worried by the lack of vision of the government, which they blame for having become adjustment variables.
To express their anger and doubts, the main performing arts unions have written a column that we publish below.
_______________________________________________________
It has been almost two years since the world of culture has been living to the rhythm of regular stoppages, and in particular the live performance.
It should also be remembered that the standing and large-capacity concerts were only able to play, during this whole period, for a maximum of 4 to 6 months.
Beyond that, all cultural activities suffered a marked drop in attendance.
It has been almost two years since many artists have seen their concerts and shows banned, and have been deprived of their audiences.
Professionals in this sector have been trying to survive for almost two years now, sometimes clinging to optimistic announcements from the Government.
But the long-awaited revival is now moving away a little further for them every day.
The sector is getting bogged down, losing its teams and talents: the job not only makes people dream, it scares people.
Of course, everyone is aware of the contingencies of an unprecedented health crisis which sometimes calls for last-minute responses.
Of course, everyone recognizes the difficulty of a government, often forced to take the least worst of decisions.
But it has been almost two years since all the actors of the performing arts have also shown unfailing responsibility: redoubling their efforts to adapt to circumstances, doing everything possible to "
learn to live with the virus
" , as recommended by the President of the Republic in August 2020, and propose solutions so that the show remains alive.
It is in conscience that we have supported a large part of the decisions taken throughout these two years.
It was not always easy, but only one thought animated us then: that of a lasting reunion with the French.
Two years ! Also, the government's words of support and understanding can no longer be enough!
Because, despite our efforts, our ability to adapt, resilience, concert testing, distance, nothing is enough to avoid stigmatization. And nothing has changed! The last government announcements of December 27 are a new blow for the performing arts: the Prime Minister announces, without consulting us, the ban of standing concerts as well as the return to seated gauges capped at 2000 or 5000 people. Like nightclubs, the organizers of standing shows are now prohibited from working and, with them, employees of the sector, technicians and artists. The
"stop-and-go" policy
is back ... or rather
"stop-and-stop"
.
And this, as if the Government did not know that, when we are arrested in just 7 days, we take at least 6 months to leave.
This measurement goes beyond the strict framework of standing gauges and large gauges: it is the entire live performance that is impacted!
Because, lost in the midst of the piling up of prohibitions, restrictions but also exemptions, the French now consider the act of buying a show ticket as a risk-taking.
Mistrust wins.
Already in October, 56% of our spectators were reluctant to find their way back to theaters, and sometimes in the long term.
Therefore, how to restore confidence when the message of the Government seems to let it be said once again that theaters are places of contamination? This ban decision sweeps away the scientific experimentation carried out during the test concert organized with the AP-HP in May 2021 and the various studies on the subject, such as the one published by the Institut Pasteur in November. 2021. And, while the sanitary pass had caused a stir, we had accepted it, convinced that it represented a
sine qua non
at our resumption. We wanted it to be temporary and supervised. We were recently told that it will be a vaccine pass, which was just a pipe dream a few weeks ago. And now the bill, currently being examined in Parliament, leaves the possibility of requesting the combination of a vaccination pass and a negative test to access certain places ...
Culture can no longer be the adjustment variable for a political discourse steeped in symbols. Essential when we were confined, it is now incidental and sacrificed. Are we the useful idiots of a speech supposed to reassure in the face of yet another new wave? The victims of government communication?
Today, we, actors of the performing arts:
- We no longer want to pay the price and wait feverishly for each series of government announcements, without any possible consultation,
- We no longer want to be stigmatized: we are neither responsible nor guilty.
Or rather, we have been only too responsible until then.
After two years, this crisis is no longer cyclical: it is now structural and systemic
.
One-off cauterizations are no longer sufficient.
And last-minute trial and error responses must now give way to anticipated, concerted responses, and above all guided by a course, a vision.
We are now the only ones to assume our financial risks in the face of cancellation and postponement costs, consuming our liquidity even before being able to find a serene climate which does not arrive.
What we want is to work, with visibility on the measures to come.
But above all, what we want is medium-term visibility, allowing a lasting recovery of our activities.
A tour is worked over two to three years;
we can no longer, despite our adaptability, integrate these
repeated
“stop-and-go” .
We should finally understand, after 2 years of explaining our economic models to the Government, that, even if all performance venues in France are authorized one day to reopen, the slump will be identical to the one we know today so much. that mistrust will be maintained and that the spectator will not start buying our tickets again.
What we finally want is long-term support.
Two years is a long time for culture.
We need a plan for 2030. And not for 3 weeks.
What we want, in short, is a little ambition and vision for the show, which brings together and transcends classes and generations in the face of the temptation to withdraw that threatens us.
Signatories:
PRODISS
- National Union of Musical and Variety Show
SMA
- Union of Current Music
SCENES -
Federation of Private Artistic Creation
SNDTP
- National Union of Private Theaters
CAMULC
- Union of Cabarets Music Halls Places of Creation
FESAC
- Federation of Performing Arts Companies, music, audiovisual and cinema