The creation of the CNM sounds wrong for some music professionals

Paris (AFP)

Less than three months before its birth, the future National Music Center (CNM) worries the sector that fears an "empty shell" and criticizes the vagueness surrounding its funding and its governance model.

Evoked for more than ten years, the creation of the public institution was recorded Wednesday by Parliament. It will be placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture and will have to support the musical creation (like the CNC which exists since 1947 for the cinema).

It will replace the National Center for Song, Variety and Jazz (CNV), which has supported the live show of contemporary music and variety since 1986.

The NMC will also bring together the world of recorded music, previously separated from live music, and other structures (the Music Creation Fund, FCM, and the Information and Resource Center for Contemporary Music). , IRMA).

- "Soft focus" -

Its establishment concerns Olivier Darbois, member of the CNV board of directors and president of the employers' organization that represents the companies of musical entertainment and variety in France, the PRODISS.

On Wednesday, he took advantage of his presence on the stage of the MaMA festival, which mixes concerts and conventions on the music industry, to voice his concerns.

"It's time to put music on a par with cinema, but there can be no NMC without extra-sector funding, the establishment will have to go from 36 people working at the CNV to 111 people. there is not a start of funding ".

He also wondered about the work to be done by the NJC: "We are three months away from its application, and we know nothing about the programs." We are fighting for the existing ones to be renewed, but we remain in the soft spot of more total ".

According to Malika Seguineau, General Manager of PRODISS, "there is a lot of uncertainty, we are convinced that it is an indispensable cross-cutting project, but here companies are applying for aid and do not know if it will be maintained. We need guarantees and security.

"What we know is that the state contributes 7.5 million euros," she continues. "This will make a total budget of 50 million euros, but largely based on a tax tax, variable.And according to the parliamentary report commissioned by the Prime Minister, there is a need for at least 20 million euros just to get started with CNM, it would be nice if some online music platforms were contributing, because these operators are using our investments to create the stream. "

For Clarisse Boissière, director of communication and external relations of Sacem, "the level of ambition, without external funding, seems worrying".

- Progressive integration -

The same goes for Gilles Petit, president of the CNV: "The parliamentary report spoke of a resort to extra-sectoral sources.The budget of the NVC is now only 35 million euros. By way of comparison, the CNC achieved more than 700 million euros in 2017.

It also questions the governance model of the public institution. "The CNM is an exciting project, it's a good thing, but we want our assets, this unique construction of the NVC, co-managed by the professionals, to be preserved." The CNV is handed over to the state, which will set the rules of procedure and decide on future aid.We do not ask much, just consider the professional organizations that are the strength of the CNV.

For the Ministry of Culture, "the idea is to bring together all the actors of the world of music in a common house on the premise that many people are stronger". "The NJC will integrate all the resources allocated to them by the state or their own contributions, to which the state is injecting 7.5 million new money." This is a very strong sign for the first year. and the idea is to continue to abound. "

Only the CNV will be integrated on the first of January. "The idea is to translate the activity of the structures as and when they are going to be integrated" summarizes the ministry. "The goal is that in 2020 we do the same thing that the previous actors did to build the strategic project of the institution, the NJC can only be done by professionals."

© 2019 AFP