Emmanuel Macron participates in a video conference call from the Elysée Palace on April 30, 2020. - AFP

Emmanuel Macron will hold a videoconference with artists from different fields on Wednesday morning before announcing the first orientations of a "culture plan" that "the government will be called upon to implement quickly," announced the Elysee Palace on Tuesday evening.

On April 13, the head of state had promised a specific aid plan for the sectors "durably impacted" by the coronavirus, including the cultural sector. "A clear mandate has been given in this sense to the Minister of Culture Franck Riester, who works there in conjunction with the other ministries concerned and by conducting consultations with each sector", specifies the presidency.

Beforehand, the Head of State will exchange for about two hours with artists from different fields (literature, dance, cinema, theater, contemporary circus, classical music, contemporary music, contemporary art) whose names have not been released. , in the presence of Franck Riester and his colleagues from Economy Bruno Le Maire and Labor Muriel Pénicaud.

A sector that "supports 1.3 million people"

This interview, explains the Élysée, will focus on the impact of the crisis on their professions, the support and support measures for production and distribution structures, as well as on the best way to maintain the presence of culture despite the constraints imposed by the epidemic. The artists will also be able to express their aspirations for the coming months and their vision to "reinvent the place of culture in our country", adds the Élysée.

In a column published on April 30, many cultural figures, including Catherine Deneuve, Jean Dujardin, Omar Sy, Clara Luciani, Oxmo Puccino or Léa Seydoux, had urged the President of the Republic to act to help culture. They criticized in particular the Ministry of Culture for the lack of precision in the measures put in place to help a sector which "supports 1.3 million people" and demanded an extension of the rights of intermittent workers beyond this summer when all activity is stopped.

Arrested, the head of state had tweeted on May 2: "The state will continue to support (the artists), will protect the most fragile, will support creation" and promised announcements for this Wednesday. This has aroused immense expectations in all cultural sectors since then. While festivals and concerts are canceled for the entire summer, theaters and cinemas will remain closed until further notice and filming and rehearsals are suspended, the entire ecosystem of culture is being laminated by the pandemic and the need for distancing social. Tuesday, Franck Riester announced to work on a device of protection of the intermittent for the summer but without pronouncing on the “white year” for their rights which they claim.

  • Franck riester
  • Artist
  • Emmanuel Macron
  • Coronavirus
  • Culture