The agglomeration of Montbéliard (Doubs) received the French Capital of Culture 2024 label on Friday, for its “
inventive and singular
” project, guaranteeing an “
exceptional cultural season
” on its territory, announced the Ministry of Culture.
Pays de Montbéliard Agglomeration, which brings together 72 municipalities in the Doubs department, "
has proposed a transdisciplinary program bringing together all the local actors around an exceptional cultural season generating a long-term dynamic for the territory
", indicated the jury. .
With an "
inventive and singular
" project, this industrial and border territory thus becomes the second "French Capital of Culture" after Villeurbanne (Rhône) in 2022, whose programming has given rise to nearly 700 cultural events.
"
This is an extraordinary opportunity for our territory
", appreciated Charles Demouge, LR president of Pays de Montbéliard Agglomeration, during a press conference following this announcement.
Read alsoVilleurbanne 2022, French capital of culture, bows out with 700,000 spectators
Charles Demouge spoke with the minister this Friday morning who welcomed the approach, particularly around sobriety issues.
"
She told us that we were in tune with the issues of our time
," he said.
The community's cultural budget is around 3 million euros each year.
On the occasion of this event, 5 to 6 million euros could be mobilized.
A festival should notably see the light of day in 2024 around environmental issues and culture.
“
It is an exceptional spotlight on our living area and a national cultural influence assured for the north of Franche-Comté
”, for his part welcomed the Renaissance deputy of Doubs, Nicolas Pacquot.
Montbéliard would compete alongside two other finalists, the towns of Alès (Gard) and Bourg-en-Bresse (Ain), and will benefit in 2024 from funding of up to one million euros, provided equally by the Ministry of Culture and the Banque des Territoires (Caisse des Dépôts group).
The Ministry of Culture specified that a “prime
place will be given to popular song
” in the programming, also welcoming the consideration “
of the challenges of climate regulation and biodiversity
” of the project.
In addition to its famous Montbéliard sausage, the Pays de Montbéliard is a former production bastion of Peugeot, in Sochaux, a city which also hosts one of the historic teams of French football, FC Sochaux.
The "French Capital of Culture" label distinguishes, every two years since 2022, the cultural project of a municipality or a group of municipalities of 20,000 to 200,000 inhabitants, in line with the European Capitals of Culture.
Montbéliard has some 25,000 inhabitants, the group of 72 municipalities of the agglomeration about 140,000.
